Quileutes in Hollywood for 'Twilight' premiere

When Taegan Counsell told friends on the Quileute reservation that she'd be at the premiere of the new "Twilight" movie, she got a predictable response.

"They didn't believe me," said Taegan, 9.

The premiere of the second film, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," is, after all, a phenomenon. Fans have waited nearly a week for tickets.

But on Sunday, Taegan and a group of Quileutes basked in the white-hot glow of the "Twilight" phenomenon, snapping photos as they visited with fans in line for the Los Angeles premiere and mingled with one of the actors.

Today, the group from LaPush will be whisked to the premiere in a stretch limousine, and they have been invited to an exclusive after-party.

As members of a tribe that plays a starring role in the series, Taegan and her friend, Page Foster, 13, were instant celebrities simply by wearing Quileute sweatshirts. Fans asked about their tribe and the legend that is source material for the series.

"We're just walking through the 'Twilight' line, and they make us feel like celebrities," Tony Foster, a tribal-council member and Page's father, said of the fans. "The people are lined up to take pictures with true Quileutes."

The new "Twilight" film centers on a teen love triangle involving a girl, a vampire and a werewolf in Forks, Clallam County. The werewolf theme centers on a fictionalized version of a Quileute legend in which wolves were transformed into humans by a mysterious traveler.

Since the first book came out in 2005, Forks — and the Quileute reservation at nearby La Push — have been sucked into a worldwide fan frenzy. Tourist activity is up 600 percent. Where there used to be 500 visitors a month at the Forks Chamber of Commerce, now there are up to 500 a day.

Fans from France, the Netherlands, Jordan and China recently visited the reservation. The tribe plans to build a cultural center.

There is no reason to expect the interest to die down soon. The first movie grossed $383 million worldwide, and pre-sales for the sequel are better than the first. A third movie is in production in Vancouver, B.C.

Given the Quileutes' role, the production company behind the movie, Summit Entertainment, invited the five Quileute Tribal Council members, and their guests, to the premiere. That put Taegan and Page on Sunday next to actress Tinsel Korey, who plays Emily in the movie.

"This is jarring for me, so for them it must be surreal," said Korey, who visited the reservation in September to give acting classes. "It must be a dream."

Although the hearts of teenage girls are torn between the two male stars — Edward, the brooding vampire, and Jacob, the playful werewolf — Page has no conflict.

"I'm totally team Jacob," said Page, who has two Jacob posters in her room at home. "I hope I meet Taylor [Lautner, who plays Jacob]."

Today, the Quileutes expected to see some sights, then the women and girls will prepare for the premiere with a hair and makeup session. Tribal chairwoman Carol Hatch has been invited to walk the red carpet.

"I feel so much pride within myself, my heart, to be representing the community. I feel like I have them all within me," said Hatch.

But Sunday, to the fans lined up for the premiere, the girls did not seem ready to end their trip.

"It's unbelievable to see their faces light up when they see the people from the Quileute nation," said Jackie Jacobs, a tribal spokeswoman traveling with the group.

Taegan said she had trouble picking her favorite part of the first movie. "I like the vampires and the werewolves," she said. "I liked it all."

Material from the Los Angeles Times was included in this report. Jonathan Martin: 206-464-2605 or jmartin@seattletimes.com