'Twilight''s Peter Facinelli Talks 'Eclipse' & 'Nurse Jackie'

It's been a busy year for 'The Twilight Saga' star Peter Facinelli who has been juggling his schedule between shooting 'Eclipse,' the next film in the vampire franchise, with his role as Dr. Fitch Cooper on "Nurse Jackie." ET caught up with the jet-lagged actor to talk about both projects and his addiction to Twitter.

ET: You have a huge following on Twitter. What made you start?

Peter Facinelli: I just enjoy what Twitter is because I can really connect with the fans. It is a great way to share information with them and it is a good way to entertain. I like being able to put a smile on people's faces and mix that up with sharing information with them. That's important. Also, letting them know what I am doing. I have had people come to me and say, "Will you tweet this out?" There is like paid advertisement stuff. I am not into that. I want to keep my Twitter pure. I don't want to sell my followers anything, I want to be able to have that base, so I can tell them what I am doing and entertain them

ET: What will we learn about Dr. Carlisle Cullen in 'Eclipse'?

Peter Facinelli: You get to see a side of Carlisle you haven't seen before. There are some great battle sequences.

ET: Any word on 'Breaking Dawn'?

Peter Facinelli: I don't know. Usually, the fans know before we do.

ET: Did you ever think that 'Twilight' was going to do so much for your career?

Peter Facinelli: The fan base has been so phenomenal. When you go to an event, people have flown in from other countries just to take a picture with you. That is a loyal fan base that you can't even imagine having. I am thankful for all of them. That is why I try to give back in connecting with them [on Twitter].

ET: You were filming both projects at the same time. How did you juggle?

Peter Facinelli: I have had a very crazy schedule. There was a whole month where I was shooting 'Eclipse' and "Nurse Jackie" at the same time. And I actually enjoyed it because I enjoy what I do, so when I show up for work, it's very invigorating, and I get energized by it. So there were times where I'd get off an airplane from a red-eye and have, like, three hours sleep and then go straight to work.

ET: Dr. Fitch Cooper is a different type of doctor than Carlisle. Was that part of the attraction of the role?

Peter Facinelli: It was actually really fun for me to do such contrasting roles because Carlisle is such a calming force; he's a rock, and he's a foundation of this family. And Coop is none of that. He runs around like he's had four cans of Red Bull. So to be able to do those two contrasting roles where, in one character, I'm very still and the other one, he's very energized, was a lot of fun for me.

ET: Did you wear a wig to go back and forth?

Peter Facinelli: Because I was doing both projects at the same time, I wore a wig. There were days when I was literally running hours in the forest; then, I would jump on a plane and be on the "Nurse Jackie" set. I was going from Vancouver to New York like every three days.

ET: Is it hard to switch gears?

Peter Facinelli: For me it was invigorating. In the first two episodes of "Nurse Jackie" [for the new season] where I was crying, it came out of me just being emotionally exhausted. It wasn't written that I was crying. All of a sudden in the middle of the scene, I broke down and started crying. It felt right for the scene. I did takes in which I wasn't crying. Because I had just been dumped by Jackie and there was all this heavy emotion going on, it worked for the scene. I think it was me just getting off an airplane, having three hours sleep and just being that vulnerable that it hit me that hard.

ET: How dangerous is Dr. Cooper? Is he a better doctor than we think he is? Is he a worse doctor than we think he is? Should we be scared to have doctors like him?

Peter Facinelli: The interesting thing to me is you go to hospitals or you go see your doctor, and what you see is the white coat. And so you want to believe that they have all the answers, and you want to believe that they have more knowledge, but you don't know what they're doing in the back room. You don't know what their personalities are without that white coat. It was interesting because when I did 'Twilight,' I went and met with a doctor, and I hung out with him at the hospital. And his demeanor at the hospital was completely different than when we went and had dinner together. And so I think when Coop is with patients, he puts on a very doctorly -- there's a very doctorly side of him, and people have confidence in him. Is he a good doctor? I say it depends on what day of the week it is. He could, you know, cure you of some crazy disease that no other doctor could, or he might kill you with an ear infection. You just never know what you're going to get with him. That's part of the fun in playing him. But I think he tries. And I think he's an interesting character because he also doesn't have the confidence, so he tries to put on a persona to cover that up and tries to be overconfident at times. And Jackie (Edie Falco) just sees right through him.

ET: What kind of doctor is Carlisle?

Peter Facinelli: Carlisle is the head of the hospital. He is great because he has been around so long, he is very educated. He has a real love for humanity. People always ask me what kind of research I did to play a vampire. I said I did very little because I play a vampire who is trying to be human, who loved humanity so much that he wanted to hold on to that. When you look at something like 'Twilight,' the good vampires are not necessarily good; they're eccentric. The bad vampires are just doing what they're born to do. So for me, Carlisle is just holding on to his humanity; he doesn't want to be a vampire.

The second season of "Nurse Jackie" premieres Monday, March 22 on Showtime. 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' flies into theaters on June 30.

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Peter Facinelli Tweets Eclipse Set Picture!

Peter Facinelli has tweeted a new picture from the set of Eclipse movie:
Follow Peter on Twitter HERE!

'Twilight' Stars Address Rachelle Lefevre Controversy

At TwiCon, Peter Facinelli and Jackson Rathbone discuss actress' replacement in "Eclipse."

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Although there was a lot of fun to be had at TwiCon over the weekend, there was an elephant in the room few celebrities would address. While Twilighters took sides and spoke passionately about the recent replacement of Rachelle Lefevre as evil vampire Victoria for the third installment of the "Twilight" series, some of the saga's stars refused to answer questions on the controversial matter — for understandable reasons.

A pair of high-profile stars who began the mega-franchise with Lefevre, however, did agree to speak with us on the record. And they were eager to say that they've spent the last few days sharing one key emotion with their fans: sadness.

"Who?" said Peter Facinelli, trying to force a grin when we brought up the headline-garnering story.

"I can say that I'm saddened that the dates didn't work out," the affable actor explained, referring to both Lefevre's and Summit's claims that a 10-day shooting overlap with another film was the reason she will be replaced by Bryce Dallas Howard in "Eclipse."

Asked if he had been keeping up on the news, Jackson Rathbone replied, "I have, I have," getting serious as he spoke about the subject. "You know, Rachelle's a dear friend, and I'll miss her terribly."

The uncommonly public dispute has put the stars in an uncomfortable position, as they have to balance their words carefully about having a friend and co-worker fired while at the same time not badmouthing their boss.

"I really can't say anything on the business side," said Rathbone, who spent the weekend signing autographs, performing with his band 100 Monkeys, and even participating in a "Coffee With Jackson Rathbone" brunch. "Rachelle is an amazing actress and an amazing woman."

If there is a silver lining to the cloud, however, it's that the new Victoria is an award-caliber actress of the highest order. "I'm excited to work with her," Facinelli said of Howard. "But again, I'm deeply saddened that Rachelle is not going to be in 'Eclipse.' "

"I love [Lefevre] like a sister; it deeply saddens me," he added. "But you know, the show must go on. We're going to embrace Bryce Dallas Howard — and I hope that the fans do, too."

"I would love to work with Rachelle again," reasoned Rathbone. "I'm really sad that I'm not going to get to work with her on the final film of the franchise we started together."

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Peter Facinelli talks New Moon, Eclipse, Nurse Jackie, and Eclipse

Though recovering from a bit of a cold, this self-proclaimed Twilight fan and film enthusiast was earnest and open about his work.

After a couple of weeks of constant Twittering, and the widely known win in a bet with Rob DeFranco, Facinelli is still working out the details on how to handle the prize. He is still "just trying to figure out what to do for the day [June 30th] because I want to try and do some kind of charity event. I thought it might be a fun way to actually make it into something meaningful."

While the day might already include the very charitable donation of Facinelli's own actor's chair to one lucky Twilight fan/Twitter follower, Rob DeFranco's Hollywood Boulevard jig might not be all Twilight fans will see on June 30th, it seems.

I asked Facinelli if he was surprised at how much the bet took off after his initial few Twitters. Said he, "Yeah, I mean, Rob came over to my house and he saw the back of my chair and was like 'Can I have that?' And I said, 'No,' but he knows I like a good bet, so he said, 'I'll bet you for it.' We kind of came up with this bet. It's not like we sat around and planned some crazy thing, and then all of a sudden we threw it on the internet, and it kind of exploded. I know a lot of people had fun with it, and I was happy that people were. It was a very entertaining week."

Also fun this week was the third episode of Facinelli's newest show Nurse Jackie on Showtime - whose pilot broke Showtime's own records and led to an immediate announcement of a second season. Said Facinelli about this news, he's "pretty excited. I love working with Edie Falco. She's an amazing actress, and a really sweet person. I mean, whenever you get to do more of what you love to do, it's always great. When we did Twilight, I think our main goal was to hopefully be able to do more and we are."

Indeed, they are. Having just wrapped The Twilight Saga: New Moon with director Chris Weitz, Facinelli is to be back on the Twilight set once again - this time with David Slade for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. I asked Facinelli whether he was surprised at all that his work in Twilight has potentially led to a four-part film series.

"Well," he said, "when we first shot it, you know, I think no one really knew that it was going to be this big. I think we were just hoping to satisfy the fans of the books, and we knew there was this underground following. Again, no one really knew it was going to snowball into this huge thing... kind of like my Twitter bet... No one knew it was going to snowball into that huge thing either."

Facinelli also enjoyed his work on Nurse Jackie with director Steve Buscemi. "I've been a fan of Steve Buscemi's for the longest time, so to be able to be directed by him was a real treat. I almost worked on a movie with him ... and I was up for the lead role, and I ended up not being able to do it. And to work with him years later was pretty cool .. It was called Animal Factory." He didn't end up on the picture, he says, because "[Buscemi] went younger with the role. It was between me and Edward Furlong, and he went with Eddie ... So, I was kind of bummed, but later on I got to work with him on Nurse Jackie, and we were excited to work together."

Steve Buscemi and Edie Falco aren't the only long-timer HBO/Showtime series alums, and this fact might be one that intimidates some, but Facinelli has a different perspective. "I've worked with a lot of great actors, so I don't get intimidated by [them.] I get excited to work with great actors."

When asked if there were any particular actors that he'd like to work with, Facinelli admitted "that's a long list." "I always wished I worked with Paul," Facinelli said, "Paul Newman, but I never got the chance. Robert Redford would be my second. You know, I love Al Pacino and [Robert] DeNiro... they're great. I think my favorite would be ... if I had to pick ... Sean Penn. I'd love to work with Sean Penn. Either way. As a director (with him directing me) or acting alongside him. I'm a huge fan of his and the work he's done."

Nurse Jackie, since being pitted for a second season reprisal, will begin filming this fall. Also filming this fall is The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, but Peter Facinelli is confident that both can be done harmoniously. According to him, "They're starting in October some time, and I think we're starting Eclipse in August, so if everything stays according to plan it'll be close, but we'll be able to squeeze both. The good news is that I'm not in every scene in Eclipse and I'm not in every scene in Nurse Jackie, so I'm sure I'll be able to do both."

Speaking of Eclipse, I asked Facinelli if there was anything about director David Slade that he looked forward to working with him for. Said he, "I've heard he's very intense, and I heard he's a great actor's director, so I'm excited to work with him."

The changed directorial hands, too, seems to be exciting to Facinelli. "Whenever I've done television (Six Feet Under, or Damages, or Nurse Jackie) we worked with different directors each episode," Facinelli said, "so, it makes it interesting because they come in and it's the same material, but you get a different perspective on it. And that's how it's been on this one too. Chris Weitz has brought his vision; Catherine Hardwicke had hers. And, now, we get to see what David Slade's going to bring ... It's exciting."

Though only contracted for Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse, Facinelli also intends to reprise his role as Dr. Carlisle Cullen in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, if it comes to fruition. Says he, "I'm a big fan of the series. I wish there were more!"

In our discussions here, I told him, we've bounced around the idea of a post-Breaking Dawn television series, and the witty Facinelli is on board for that as well, he says, "as long as it's called the Carlisle Chronicles." If only, huh?

Other projects in the works for Facinelli include, potentially, Thicker, which Facinelli tells us is based on a "short movie" of the same name. "I'm hoping they can get the money and shoot that because it's a fun little short ... Leslie Zemeckis (who is Robert Zemeckis' wife) co-stars and is producing it. And Christopher Lloyd."

Also in the works is one of Facinelli's own near and dear projects called Loosies. About the film, Facinelli says, "it's about a pick-pocket in New York, who lives this carefree lifestyle, kind of like the Steve McQueen type, and he ends up getting this girl pregnant, and his whole life gets thrown upside-down. He has to grow up and take some responsibility for his life, basically." The script, he says, was his own penmanship, and he "was supposed to try and squeeze [it] in this summer, but the window got too small between going back to work on Eclipse, so I'm going to have to push that 'til next year."

While another project may also be in the works for Facinelli, he says that if not, he will plan to attend Comic Con this year. Says he, "it sounds like fun. I didn't go last year..."