Since stepping in the shoes of her Twilight character, Bella Swan, dark-haired actress Kristen Jaymes Stewart says she is trying to keep her life status quo. But movie sets, and the life that surrounds them, has already become comfortable for Kristen.

Her father, John Stewart, is a TV producer and former stage manager, and her mom, Jules Mann-Stewart, is a script supervisor who is directing her first film, K-1, due out next year and starring Kristen. Although she comes from a fairly large family, she is the only girl - she has an older brother named Cameron and two adopted brothers named Dana and Taylor.

The 19-year-old beauty, whose early films include Panic Room, Adventureland and Into the Wild, is extremely passionate about her work as an actress, but with her family background she understands that it is not all glamour. She has often said she is not interested in stardom, but sees acting as a job that feels like hard work.

During a recent late summer chat about the second installment of the Twilight Saga: New Moon, the 5’5” former Valley Girl talks about dealing with fame, fans, co-stars, the cult status of the movies she is making, the romantic aspects of the Twilight series and more.

New Moon picks up with the Bella Swan character still in love with Edward Cullen (Rob Pattinson). The rest of the vampires, who call themselves The Cullens, decide to throw Bella an 18th birthday party at which Bella accidentally cuts her finger while opening a present.

The result is that Jasper Hale, the newest addition to the Cullen clan, succumbs to his blood lust and attacks Bella. This bloodshed proves to be too much for the Cullens, who leave town. Initially heartbroken, Bella finds a form of comfort in reckless living, but then teams up with childhood friend Jacob Black – but danger in a different form awaits her, as Jacob has secrets of his own.

As usual for Bella, things aren't what they seem. Something is happening to Jacob that he can't explain to Bella, and their friendship starts to deteriorate. But when someone from Bella's past comes back to haunt her, everything will change again.

Dealing with new dangers, new friends and new enemies, Bella has to choose between holding onto the past or accepting a new future. By looking through Bella’s brown eyes (green-eyed Kristin had to wear tinted contacts for the filming) Kristen helps us get a glimpse ahead to her own future.

Would you say that Twilight changed your life?
KRISTEN STEWART: My life has changed in positive ways. I can't describe how good it feels to have something actually affecting people. And that’s amazing, so that’s the biggest change. To put your heart and soul into something for years and have it actually affect people, is probably the most satisfying - and that is a completely ineffective word to describe how satisfying it is!

What about the difference in your life, of becoming a big star?
Kristen Stewart: It changed things around me a little, because I’m so used to doing movies that nobody wants to see!

How about all those fans who can’t get enough of you and your character?
Kristen Stewart: Yeah, it’s a strange thing. You start something and you know that it’s going to take on a life of its own, but it’s already something so whole. And there are so many people that you’re going to inevitably either make happy or not.

Many of your fans think you are very sexy in this role.
Kristen Stewart: I've always had an aversion to looking sexy, but I've grown out of it.

So what have been the highs and lows of the whole Twilight experience?
Kristen Stewart: Well, this is definitely a high! But I'm really excited for people to see this one. It's a little overwhelming, but I guess that's good!

What is the Twilight experience for you like, the second time around?
Kristen Stewart: It's so much easier. I mean, I'm just more aware and I'm not as freaked out by it. At first I was scared of it, but it was a little surreal, to be back doing a second one, just because it’s something that I thought about for an entire year. But I couldn’t wait any longer.

Does that mean you got to have more fun with this one?
Kristen Stewart: As long I could just say what I mean and it's not entirely jumbled, and I feel like some things have gotten across. Then whatever happens with all this stuff is just going to happen. Usually you finish a movie, and there’s a very long grieving process. You have to lose the character. You have to drop it from your mind, or else it just continues to bug you.

Almost like killing the character then?
Kristen Stewart: Until you actually bring it to life, you basically have the capability of murdering the character on the page. You know, if you don’t do it justice, then nobody else is ever going to see those things, because you didn’t do it right. The thought of having to live through something that I find so worthwhile, and then subsequently have people learn from that through your own experience, I would do anything for that. I would jump off a cliff for it. Oh, there is cliff jumping in our movie. Perfect!

What about Taylor, he really worked out for this one.
Kristen Stewart: He's jacked, it's crazy. He's like an entirely different person physically. And no, no steroids!

What can we expect to sink our teeth into during New Moon?
Kristen Stewart: Just picking up sort of where we left off. There’s like a six-month period in between where the first one ended and the second on picks up, but nothing’s changed. They're at a good, solid point in their relationship.

But he leaves?
Kristen Stewart: So how do you relate to a guy who gets to be a fleeting thought passing through your mind? I'm interested to see him leave because that's what the first one is entirely based on, that abandoned-devotion-ultimate love story. Now she's going to be stripped of that. And Bella is actually an interesting character on her own. And she loses what basically gives her the drive to do anything in her whole life.

She loses Edward?
Kristen Stewart: She loses the man she’s in love with, but she also loses her entire life plan. And she’s so young to have to be forced into a decision like that. It’s just a glorified, elaborate version of the worst breakup you’ve ever been through. And all of a sudden, you question everything. All of a sudden you know nothing, and you’re dropped in the middle of a freezing cold ocean.

Is there a scene that's your favorite?
Kristen Stewart: Yeah, the break-up scene. We call it a break-up scene, because Taylor basically tells me that we can't be friends anymore, and he's transforming. And if Taylor ever, ever treated me like that, it would kill me!

Why should everybody go see New Moon?
Kristen Stewart: Anybody who has ever [gone through a break-up] will probably watch this movie and their temperature will probably go up. And there are vampires and werewolves, too, so that makes it even more exciting. And Robert Pattinson is just so cute. So is Taylor Lautner.

What do you think has gotten people hooked on Twilight?
Kristen Stewart: I always say that it's because you're so very much inside of Bella's head, that it's closer to home. You know, you feel like it's not happening to someone else. You feel like it's sort of happening to you.

Which story resonates most for you?
Kristen Stewart: I like New Moon, just in terms of how far I can push myself within the series. I feel like, after New Moon, it's smooth sailing for Bella. You know, she's very solid, content and happy. But in the second one, she's nothing. She's literally just lost. And I got to find her again.

You're still so young, so what do you want to do with the rest of your life?
Kristen Stewart: I absolutely have no foresight. I used to think I had a lot when I was younger. I worked really hard in school to give myself options, and I’ve literally taken those options and thrown them down the toilet! But this is what I want. I want to keep doing what I’m doing. Acting is a strange thing.

How so?
Kristen Stewart: Well, you just never stop caring about people. And I’ve never stopped doing that. So I’m sure it’ll seep into other areas of my life. I want to write because writing is a skill and it is something that you can hone. I am also interested in photography. I would like to write books. I’m not going to school, because I can’t take the structure of it, but I’m not going to stop learning.