Oprah brings 'Twilight' star to Naperville girl's sweet 16
For her sweet 16th birthday, Naperville resident Colleen Webster learned just how tricky Oprah Winfrey can be.
The Naperville Central High School sophomore and her mom, Jeanne, drafted an e-mail a few weeks ago, sent it to Oprah's people in hopes of getting tickets to Thursday's show, which features the stars of the movie "Eclipse."
The film is the latest installment in the "Twilight" vampire series that Colleen adores. In fact, she read each novel four times and even convinced her mom to read the series, with the pair ultimately bonding over the books' love story.
"We got a reply from Harpo Studios a few days later and my mom came to me freaking out and yelling 'Oprah's on the phone,'" said Colleen. "They said they were touched by our bonding story."
This was also a thrill for Shannon Webster, Colleen's 18-year-old sister, who adores Oprah and plans to study broadcasting in college next year to follow her idol.
The show's producers told the trio their story was one of a handful chosen from 17,000 e-mails to be featured on the show. The problem? Producers said the show's lineup was full and - if Oprah had time - the Websters could video conference in to ask questions of the "Eclipse" stars.
So as they worked with producers last week to prepare the video conference, running test chats and checking for lighting, the doorbell rang. Jeanne thought it was terrible timing for a guest to arrive; she ignored the bell. But when her husband opened the door, the ruse was up:
"Twilight" heartthrob Robert Pattinson strolled into their home and presented Colleen with a birthday card and three tickets to the live taping.
The Websters created a screaming scene only fitting for a movie star hunk: Colleen jumped into Pattinson's arms, Shannon said she was "mortified" that she wasn't wearing makeup, and their mom hopped around the doorway letting out the thrill.
"Maybe it was the bright lights from the cameras, but he looked like he was glowing, like in the books," Colleen said. "It was like the most surreal thing that ever happened to me in my whole life."
Shannon added of watching the live taping that featured "Eclipse" stars Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner and Dakota Fanning (and, of course, Winfrey): "I got to see someone I've idolized for so long and fulfill one of my dreams on the same day as Colleen. I think Oprah has proved once again that she is the queen of surprises."
But they weren't the only lucky ladies to be part of the show. Eden Soroka, Lisa Griesser and Liz Donovan of Lake Villa, along with Renee Bober of Chicago, were interviewed for a three-minute segment on the show about "Twi-moms" - mothers who love the Twilight books and movies.
"We got the royal treatment," Soroka said. "They sent a limo, did our hair and makeup.
"The only thing we wondered," she said, laughing, "is why didn't they send Robert Pattinson to us, too."