During the making of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, I got the chance to speak with the beautiful actress Kristen Stewart about her character, Ravencroft, and the challenges of bringing the iconic ‘Stinger’ brand of Sharkjaw’s motorcycles to life. If you’ve never heard of the Stinger brand, it’s probably time you should have. The Stinger was the bike that Paul Newman drove in the iconic “Cool Hand Luke” scene from one of the greatest film noirs of all time. Naturally, this chance to speak with Stewart about ‘Sharkboy’s’ bikes drew my attention, as Paul Newman and Robert Redford’s characters, Luke and Shamus, are both bikers. Here, we’ll take a brief look at Pattinson’s unique take on the iconic ‘Sharkboy’ look and how Stewart and her amazing costars helped bring the Stinger brand to life on screen.
The Evolution of ‘Sharkboy’
As mentioned, one of the main draws of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 is the chance to see the amazing cast of characters from the first three films come back together for one last adventure. One of the most memorable and iconic characters from the first film is definitely Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of ‘Sharkboy’, the motorcycle-riding bad boy with a grudge against humanity. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of the original Twilight, the producers of the sequel decided to pay homage to the ‘Sharkboy’ character by giving him a makeover and equipping him with some of the most iconic motorcycles from the Stinger brand. Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time that ‘Sharkboy’ has been on a bike — he’s appeared in numerous film and television shows throughout the years — but his new look in Twilight is definitely eye-catching and a total break from his previous biker image. Interestingly, his most recent role before Twilight was in the independent drama, Midnight Sun, where he played the part of a blind ice hockey player. The film’s theme song, “Lonely This Long” by BTS, was also used in the closing credits of Midnight Sun. The song’s music video, which was released near the end of April 2018, was directed by Elizabeth & James Hand, who also handled the cinematography for the film. In the video, you’ll see ‘Sharkboy’ navigating the wilds of a snowy landscape on his custom BMW bike while singing along to the song. In the end, what are your thoughts on ‘Sharkboy’s’ new, hipper look? Let us know in the comments!
The Costumes And Tools Of The Trade
While details about the making of Twilight: The Soundtrack are a little hazy, it’s said that a large part of the movie’s production was spent trying on various costumes and tools of the trade. Naturally, one of the main focuses was trying on the many different outfits worn by Kristen Stewart’s character, Ravencroft. The costume designer, Collette Dinnigan, had to spend a significant amount of time making sure that the designs looked as good as new despite the fact that they were made of feathers and other natural fabrics instead of typical synthetic materials. Even more impressive is the fact that some of the outfits were designed with a combination of both natural and synthetic fabrics, meaning that the costumes were actually destroyed during the making of the movie. There were also several attempts at making a full suit out of seagull feathers, which were destroyed during the course of the film’s production. Additionally, the production also had to secure several different types of motorcycles for the ‘Sharkboy’ character. While most of the motorcycles used in the film were actual Stinger bikes, several different models, including a BSA Rocket III and a Vincent Black Lightning, were also needed. The most impressive tools of the trade that Stewart had to try out were the giant mallets used to break down concrete walls and other heavy objects. She also tried out a flamethrower, which she actually ended up using a couple of times in the film. While most actors would have been happy to try out the different tools of the trade, Stewart, in particular, had a blast playing with them and using them in different ways. In fact, she even had a harder time trying on the different outfits than she did trying out the various tools of the trade. While we can’t say for sure, it’s probably safe to assume that Stewart had a blast making Twilight: The Soundtrack and that it was a difficult process, but one she clearly enjoyed.
Luke And Shamus
Apart from Robert Pattinson, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 also stars two of the most iconic actors of our time: Tom Hardy and Mark Wahlberg. In the film, Hardy plays the role of Luke, a conflicted human who becomes infatuated with Snow White (Stewart) after saving her life. Snow White, in turn, falls for Luke’s good looks and charm and agrees to be his princess bride. Luke is a typical movie cowboy — he loves his guns, his horses, and his family. He doesn’t get along with authority figures, but he respects strength and courage. In the comics, Luke is a founding member of the Hell’s Angels and the Aryan Brotherhood. While he may not seem like a biker at first glance, Luke’s been on a biker movie before, most notably in 2001’s The Punisher, where he played the role of Billy the Kid. After playing the part of a gangster in 2008’s The Green Hornet, actor Jay Harrington, who starred alongside Wahlberg in Green Hornet, put it best when he said about Wahlberg, “He’s a lot like Luke: He’s got a heart of gold.”
Wahlberg plays the part of Shamus, a one-eyed war veteran who aids Luke in tracking down members of a biker gang. The veteran actor, who has appeared in numerous movies and television shows, put it best when he said about Wahlberg, “Mark is the funniest guy I’ve ever worked with. He’s also one of the smartest. He’s a genius when it comes to remembering lines. For some reason, he has a hard time remembering my name. But he always has something smart to say, and I love that about him. He has this great way of making you feel like you’re the only person in the room. He definitely has a personality that makes everyone else disappear. And he’s also really athletic, so he can play anything — even sports.” Naturally, these two legendary Hollywood actors are perfect for bringing the iconic ‘Sharkboy’ brand of motorcycles to life. As mentioned, the two have biked in the past and played parts in an upcoming film, Bikerhood. The movie will center around a fictional gang of outlaw bikers. The ‘Sharkboy’ character will be portrayed by actor Robert Taylor, who also starred in The Fugitive and has several other Hollywood credits to his name. It will be a very cool and exciting project to see these two iconic actors and a legendary motorcycle brand combine for something special. Bikerhood is set to hit theaters later this year.