Jodelle Micah Ferland didn't know much about Stephenie Meyer's vampire saga before Twilight was released late last year, but she's catching up fast.
She should. The 14-year-old Vancouverite has just landed a coveted role in Eclipse, the third film in the series. Since seeing the first film with friends and auditioning for the role, she borrowed and read all four books.
"I hadn't heard much about Twilight when it first came out," she said in a phone interview from Playland.
"I'm home-schooled so sometimes I don't hear about things like that," she said. "But my friends were all freaking out about Twilight and I was like 'What's that?'"
"Now I know what it is, obviously," she laughed.
She's up to speed now and entering a whole new world of notoriety. Since Twittering the news about being cast in the film, Ferland has been gaining about 100 new Twitter followers an hour.
"I got about 2,000 new followers on the first day," she said. From young actor to global phenomenon with the flick of a switch.
"I got Twitter just a couple of weeks ago and I had 136 followers and I was like 'Wow, I have 136 followers,'" she said. "And then the Twilight news came out and we checked and it was 800 and something right away."
"I started freaking out, I couldn't believe it."
Ferland has been working in film and television since she was two years old, starring in her first film at the age of four (Mermaid) and playing the lead in a successful suspense thriller (Silent Hill).
She has worked with Rene Zellweger, appeared on Late Night With Conan O'Brien and just-wrapped The Cabin in the Woods written by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Drew Goddard (Lost), but nothing of the magnitude of the Twilight saga.
"I'm so excited," giggled Ferland. "It's not that I didn't think I would get the role, it's just that things like this never happen. I'm still having a hard time believing it."
Eclipse will be Ferland's second time working with Twilight star Kristen Stewart, who plays Bella Swan, the mortal teen who falls for vampire Edward Cullen, played by Robert Pattinson.
Stewart and Ferland appeared in The Messengers, a film about children who can see otherwise invisible supernatural horrors.
Ferland concedes she is often cast in horror films and television shows with a supernatural angle. Indeed, her list of acting credits is long as her arm.
"I've never played a vampire before so I am really excited about that," she said.
The Internet rumour mill has Ferland cast as newly turned vampire Bree, a vampire soldier in a ravenous army bent on avenging the death of Victoria's partner James.
"I'm not allowed to say, but I can tell you I am playing a newborn vampire," she confirmed.
"But I'm not a newborn, I'm newly turned; some people don't get that."
So not only will Ferland meet the stars of Twilight, she will likely have to fight some of them.
"I don't know, but that would be fun," she said.
"Usually I read the script before I take a role, but I haven't read this one," she explained. "It's Twilight, of course I'm going to take it."
Despite her lengthy resume, Ferland has always been able to walk down the street without being noticed.
That could all come to an end with Eclipse.
"Some people say that would be so great to be famous and have people ask for your autograph, and that does happen in acting if you get really famous," she said.
"I can't say it's something I'm looking forward to, but I won't hide."
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