Being the Cullens
// July 28th, 2009 // No Comments » // Fandom, Pictures
It’s every book lover’s fantasy: finding yourself face-to-face with your favorite character, able to have a conversation, shake their hand… wait in a ridiculously long line to get their autograph?
Maybe it’s not exactly as you imagined it would be, but it’s pretty darn close, and for thousands of Twilight fans, it’s a dream come true.
I spent an entire weekend at an Atlanta Twilight convention doing double-takes every time Edward Cullen, my favorite character in Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling series, walked by with his golden eyes and sparkling skin. It didn’t help that he walked hand-in-hand with the fictional Bella Swan and was followed by Alice Cullen and Jasper Hale… what’s a fangirl to do? Talk to their mom, of course!
No, Esme Cullen wasn’t at the convention, but Emily Hindi was. Wearing a button proclaiming herself to be the one and only “Hillymom,” Mrs. Hindi graciously granted an interview with her daughters Hilly and Hannah, creators and stars of The Hillywood Show, who masquerade as Bella and Alice at Twilight conventions across the country.
Mostly recognized for their hilarious Twilight parody video, which has reached nearly 2 million views on YouTube, the Hindi sisters are celebrities in their own right… but you wouldn’t know it from talking to them. Extremely humble and grateful to the fans for their success (even in the midst of non-stop travel and endless autograph signings), Hilly and Hannah are a breath of fresh air in a fame-hungry world.
It all started a few years ago when Hilly entered AOL’s “Be a Red Star” contest and came in third out of nearly 100,000 video entries. Though disappointed with the loss, Hilly trudged on, armed with a brand new camera and the support of a handful of fans who had seen her entry. Fifteen webisodes and several film parodies later, The Hillywood Show is a phenomenon of talent and humor. When their Twilight parody hit the web, their popularity soared, hitting a home run with the unstoppable force that is the Twilight fandom.
Parodies are nothing new to movie fans, and Twilight is no exception. YouTube alone is littered with parodies of the vampire flick, but The Hillywood Show is something special. The incredible costumes and make-up alone hint at a Hollywood-sized budget, not to mention the fantastic cinematography and editing, so it comes as a shock to many to discover that the entire show is written, directed, edited, and produced by Hilly and Hannah themselves. Funded entirely by the girls’ personal incomes and done on a single camera, one can only imagine what The Hillywood Show could become with a full production studio at their fingertips.
As I spoke with Hilly, Hannah, and co-stars Jacob Jost and Drew Lorentz (who play Edward and Jasper, respectively), I was struck by their attention to detail even when they aren’t behind the camera. Drew’s black contacts reflected the fictional Jasper’s constant vampire hunger, while Jacob’s golden gaze dazzled the girls in the autograph line just like Edward’s would. On the night of the convention’s “Vampire Ball,” Jacob was even coated in sparkly body glitter as they mimicked the now-infamous Entertainment Weekly cover. It is this dedication and creativity that has earned The Hillywood Show their well-deserved success.
I learned quite a bit about The Hillywood Show in my five minutes with them. Here are a few facts every Hillywood fan should know:
- Hilly and Hannah’s grandmother, a professional seamstress, makes most of their costumes.
- Jacob has known the Hindis for years and jumped at the chance to play Edward Cullen when they offered it.
- Drew started as an extra on the show’s Sweeney Todd pieces and eventually ended up as Jasper in the Twilight parody.
- Hilly and Hannah don’t really use scripts, “it’s just all in our heads!”
- Hilly does all the video editing on Final Cut Pro (completely self-taught), and a full-length parody can take up to two months to complete.
- Some of their make-up routines can take hours, but they’ve got their Twilight personas streamlined to 30 minutes.
- In the Twilight parody, Jacob does the “Are you afraid?” voiceover, which sounds eerily identical to Robert Pattinson’s voice in the movie.
- None of the Hillywood cast had read the Twilight series before seeing the film, but now they’re all fans. (Jacob hasn’t finished yet, though!)
So what’s next for The Hillywood Show? Will they rest on their laurels and take a well-deserved break? Doesn’t look that way. Hilly, Hannah, Jacob, and Drew are currently on tour, bringing their Twilight personas to conventions across the United States, including such heavy-hitters as TwiCon and Comic-Con San Diego. They’ve also got a New Moon parody planned for 2010. In spite of this busy schedule, they don’t seem to be getting sick of the Twilight frenzy. “We’re trying to ride the wave as long as we can,” claim the sisters. “It’s really getting us out there, and we’re really, really thankful.”
Twilight fans are thankful, too: The Hillywood Show brings us that much closer to our favorite characters.
Let’s face it, conventions can be lots of fun… or lots of frustration. Long lines, sleepless nights, crowded rooms… awesome stars, photo ops, complete fan immersion! What you get out of a con depends on what you want and how you go about getting it.
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