Fandom turns out for ‘Twilight’ vampires
Sci-Fi Valley Con hosts actors from hit movie series
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Many "Twihards" traveled from all over the country to the Blair County Convention Center this weekend for a chance to meet stars from the widely popular romance fantasy saga.
"Twilight" stars who answered fan questions during the vampire panel on Saturday were actor and singer Jackson Rathbone (Jasper Hale), actor Peter Facinelli (Dr. Carlisle Cullen) and actor and model Kellan Lutz (Emmett Cullen).
The last film in the "Twilight" saga was released in 2012, yet the fandom is far from dead.
"We're immortal, so the fans are immortal," Lutz joked.
"It's infectious, no pun intended," Facinelli said. "You guys are the ones that show up and keep it going. Your passion is infusive."
Madyn Allison and Alexis Stoppe, longtime "Twilight" fans who attended the convention, still enjoy reading the books and watching the movies today.
"I saw these movies in theaters when I was a little girl," Allison said. "They're timeless. I don't know of any series that has such a large fandom."
"I think it's a nostalgia thing," Stoppe added. "People grew up with it, and when they grow up with something, they want to go back to it."
Novelist Stephanie Meyer published the first book in the "Twilight" series in 2005. The series will celebrate its 20th anniversary in September.
"It's multi-generational," Lutz said. "Fifteen years later, the 'Twimoms' are now 'Twigrandmas.' It's fun seeing people who come with photos from 15 years ago with their baby, and now that baby is a teenager."
The stars said that they have never visited Altoona before the convention. Yet, they enjoyed the warm welcome they received from Blair County.
"I'm a country boy, so I prefer the small town shows like this one," said Rathbone, who grew up in a small town in west Texas.
Facinelli said they didn't anticipate the amount of excitement and passion they encountered when sitting down for the panel, but they were pleased to see the positive reaction.
"We never know what the town or the crowd is going to be like before going to a convention," Facinelli said.
Over the years, Sci-Fi Valley Con has become a place in central Pennsylvania where fans have an opportunity to meet and connect with other people in their fandoms, including the celebrities themselves.
"Altoona has been put on the map in concern to Hollywood," said convention promoter Casey Bassett. "A lot of celebrities want to come to this convention."
Despite Altoona being a smaller city, the stars enjoyed their time visiting Blair County.
"When I was a little kid, I found a Nittany Lions hat which I thought was cool since I was into wildcats," Lutz said. "It's cool when you don't plan things and it just happens."
"I gotta say, Altoona brings it," Rathbone said. "I love it out here."
"Twilight" celebrities who also attended the event included Gil Birmingham (Billy Black), Chaske Spencer (Sam Uley), Julia Jones (Leah Clearwater), Michael Welch (Mike Newton), and Maggie Grace (Irina Denali).