Vernon actress featured in Twilight

Mariel Belanger of Vernon was thrilled to have landed the role of “Third Wife” in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which opened in theatres all over North America on June 30, 2010.

Belanger is a member of the Okanagan Indian Band, and in addition to formal actors training in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, graduated from Media and Communications General Arts and Sciences in Ottawa, as well has her first year Social Work from NVIT.

Belanger has poetry published in three anthologies – Gatherings XII, Our Words Our Revolutions and Waiting to Soar.

She has been an actor for 16 years in theatre, a theatre director for six years and theatre program director for three years.

Her first transitional role in Film and Television was PBS’s “American Experience – Tecumseh’s Vision”.

“This is definitely a “break out “ role for Mariel” says Film & Television Agent Julie Donnelly of Pure Talent Management of Kelowna.

Mariel trains consistently and encourages other First Nations Actors to follow their dreams.

Aside from acting, Belanger works as a Program Coordinator/Media mentor for First Nations Youth and is an award winning digital film maker and mother of three.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is a 2010 American romantic vampire film based on Stephanie Meyer's 2007 novel, Eclipse. It is the third installment of The Twilight Saga film series, following 2008's Twilight and 2009's New Moon. Summit Entertainment green lit the film in February 2009.

Directed by David Slade, the film stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner, reprising their roles as Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, and Jacob Black, respectively. Filming began on August 17, 2009, at Vancouver Film Studios and finished in late October, with post-production began early the following month.

The film was released worldwide on June 30, 2010, and became the first Twilight film to be released in IMAX. It set a new record for biggest midnight opening in domestic (United States and Canada) in box office history, grossing an estimated $30 million in over 4,000 theatres.