Cameron Bright: Vampires don’t exist

Amidst its gooey layers of romantic delirium, last year's box-office-igniting Twilight sequel New Moon (arriving on DVD and Blu-ray this Saturday) had a few welcome additions to its vampire riddled mythology.

One was the introduction of a pack of testosterone-powered werewolves; the other — more effective — bonus was the appearance of the dreaded Volturi, a black cloaked sect of ruthless, red-eyed aristocratic bloodsuckers led by Oscar-nominated actor Michael Sheen (Underworld, Frost/Nixon).

Hidden among the Volturi's pasty faced ranks was actor Cameron Bright. If the name doesn't immediately jump out at you, the face just might. Bright, now 17, is the former child star of such thrillers as the 2004 sci-fi shocker Godsend, the eerie Nicole Kidman melodrama Birth and the over the top 2006 film Running Scared. In New Moon, he plays Alec, a powerful vampire who — like his intimidating brethren — is neither good nor evil.

"I see the Volturi as the government," says Bright.

"They’re the leaders of the vampire nation, the ones who enforce the laws. And if you're a leader you have to make difficult decisions, sometimes, and you have to be strong… and feared."

And fear is what the Volturi trade in. Bright's Alec is at first glance, an almost cherubic figure, but one who wields the lethal ability to completely shut off his victims' senses, rendering them virtual vegetables. It's just another novel re-imagining of an iconic monster — the vampire — that has caused both the Twilight books and the films to be controversial amongst purists.

"I think our vampires are really interesting," says the actor.

"We have a side history, something unique. Sometimes I hear people criticizing the way the vampires are presented in the film, the fact that we glitter and turn into diamonds but, here's the thing: Vampires don't exist! We can portray them any way we want to."