Twi-hard teens flock to Oak Brook for 'Eclipse' actors

When they emerged from the room that was cloaked in black curtians, 11-year-old Caroline Makauskas and her sister Anna, 7, joined hands and jumped in triumph.

"I think it was the best 20 seconds of my life," said a beaming Caroline.

Both Wheaton girls were among the first of 200 fans Monday to meet two actors from "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" inside Nordstrom at Oakbrook Center mall in Oak Brook. BooBoo Stewart, who plays werewolf Seth, and Tinsel Korey, who portrays werewolf pack mother Emily, appeared at the store to meet fans before the film's June 30 release, as well as to launch Nordstrom's "Eclipse"-inspired clothing and makeup line.

Teen girls (and many of their supportive mothers) flocked to the store to get makeovers from staff, shop while a DJ spun tunes by artists such as Ke$ha and Katy Perry, and, of course, come face-to-face with the stars.

Caroline Makauskas said she has read each book in the "Twilight" series six times and the character Seth always has been her favorite. Meeting Stewart, she said, was the chance of a lifetime.

"What makes it so great, for sure, is that I got to hug BooBoo," Caroline said.

Stewart and Korey agreed the books are the reason why fans like the Makauskas girls get so thrilled about the films.

"So many people just love the books and we just facilitate bringing the characters to life," Korey said.

But the heartthrob status of the "Eclipse" stars Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner also bring out fierce emotion from fans young and old, many who are firmly camped in either Team Edward (Pattison's character) or Team Jacob (Lautner's werewolf). Stewart, who will make his first appearance in the series with "Eclipse" as a Team Jacob werewolf, said Monday he is learning to deal with a bit of that attention.

"Just two days ago a woman in her 40s came up to me at an event and asked if I wanted to make out," said the 16-year-old, wincing. "I was just like 'Whoa! Next fan please!'"