Lucky KC fans get to meet Gil 'Billy Black' Birmingham of 'Twilight: Eclipse'

Lucky KC fans get to meet Gil 'Billy Black' Birmingham of 'Twilight: Eclipse'



Emma Frazier had seen “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” twice since its Wednesday opening.

On Friday Emma — fresh from her freshman year at Park Hill South High School — bought yet another ticket at AMC’s Barrywoods 24.

The Internet had been abuzz all day with rumors that the film’s stars were making unannounced appearances at theaters.

A cynic might conclude that the film’s distributor was toying with the faithful to earn much more than the $93 million the film grossed in its first two days. But for diehard fans of all things “Twilight,” this was an opportunity to be seized.

“I know that the big stars” — Kristen Stewart, who plays Bella, Robert Pattinson, who plays the vampire Edward, and Taylor Lautner, who plays the Quileute Indian werewolf Jacob — “are at the London premiere,” Emma reasoned. “They wouldn’t be here.”

But online chatter suggested that the Barrywoods in the Northland and the Studio 30 in Olathe were ripe for an “Eclipse” star sighting. Emma discovered from their Twitter postings that some co-stars, Charlie Bewley, who plays the vampire Demetri, and Gil Birmingham, who plays Jacob’s father, Billy Black, were on the road making appearances.

“So I think it might be one of them.”

Her hunch was confirmed when Emma and her mother, Liz Frazier (who had seen the movie only once), were greeted outside the theater by a fleet of TV remote broadcast trucks.

In the lobby a crowd of 100 or so fans had gathered around a director’s chair and a bank of TV cameras. They texted friends that something big was happening and to get over to the Barrywoods right now.

Shortly after 5 p.m. a huge cheer went up as a familiar face entered the circle and sat down for a series of interviews with local TV stations.

It was Birmingham.

“A hit like this gets you on the radar,” the 43-year-old actor said later. “But I also like that it highlights Native American actors. We get to be seen in contemporary parts, not just the leather-and-feather bits.”

Birmingham, a Comanche who wears his long hair tied back in a ponytail, has a particularly important scene in “Eclipse.” As an elder, it falls to him to explain to Bella and younger members of the tribe how the warriors can transform into giant wolves.

Each time Birmingham waved at the crowd he elicited a wave of screams at roller-coaster decibels. Between interviews he shook hands and signed autographs.

Kathy Rogers and her daughter, Victoria (who was celebrating her 14th birthday), proudly held out their autograph book with Birmingham’s signature.

“He signed it with my mascara pen,” Kathy Rogers said. “It’s all we had.”

It was enough.

Taking a break from the hysteria, Birmingham said he was trying to keep a level head about the “Twilight” mania.

“I’m trying to go Buddha with it,” he said. “Not get too high, not too low. It’s all an illusion anyway, right?”

The actor, who was born in San Antonio, Texas, but grew up an Army brat at bases all over the country, said he was glad he had 15 years of experience before “Twilight” struck.

“I’m better prepared to deal with it all,” he said. “But the kids in the movie — Robert and Kristen and Taylor — they experienced all this craziness right out of the gate. I’m amazed at how well they handle it. … Maybe they were destined to be these people.”

Birmingham sounds a bit New Agey, but in reality he’s Old Agey.

Growing up with the military, he knew practically nothing about his American Indian roots.

“My dad was of a generation that tried to fit into the mainstream,” Birmingham said. “I didn’t know anything about tribal culture until I was in my 20s.

“But you know, maybe it’s in your DNA, part of my makeup. I’ve always had an awareness of the spiritual essence of Native American culture.”

Being part of “Twilight” has brought him recognition and job offers, he said. He can soon be seen as a heavy in “Love Ranch” opposite Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci and will lend his voice (along with Johnny Depp) to next spring’s animated “Rango.”

But he sees the “Twilight” films as a benefit to all American Indians.

“That’s very exciting,” he said, “because we are discovering a new generation of young Native American actors who are doing new pieces reflecting their true tribal cultures.”