Chelsea Rendon, (pictured far left) who gives a fantastic performance as a girl who future is uncertain because of her gang connected family, wanted to work with Chris Weitz not only because of A Better Life but also because of New Moon.

“18-year-old actress Chelsea Rendon, who plays Luis’s tough-as-nails gang-related girlfriend, also drew on real-life relationships for her role. “I grew up in the East L.A. Montebello area, and I do have family that has been in gangs and has been in jail,” said the high school senior, who graduates on Thursday — a day before A Better Life debuts in limited release.

Still, Twilight fan Rendon was especially excited to land the role for a very specific other reason. “I first heard about [A Better Life] through the Twilight circle, because Chris had mentioned it in a New Moon interview,” she recalled. “I read it and my mom said, ‘Oh, you have an audition for this,’ and I was like, what!? I got all excited. And when I got to the auditions and first met him I was like, ‘Oh my God, I love you so much!’ Then I touched his hand and was like, ‘Oh my God, I technically touched Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner in some way or form!’”

(For the record, she’s on Team Switzerland.)

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Also check out Chelsea at the 1:05 mark on this video