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Edi Gathegi, from the new upcoming movie "New Moon," answers questions as hundreds of other "Twilight" fans gather at the Fashion Place Mall to get autographs and hear the actors speak on Saturday.
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Murray » Jamie Campbell Bower read the question from an audience member: "Jamie, can I get a kiss?"

"Who is this question from?" Bower, a 21-year-old British actor, asked the crowd of screaming women and girls.

Immediately dozens of hands went up, proof of the power of the vampire saga "Twilight" to excite its fans.

Bower and actor Edi Gathegi, who both play vampires in the upcoming "Twilight" sequel "New Moon," descended on Murray's Fashion Place Mall on Saturday, signing autographs and answering questions for about 500 rabid fans.

How rabid? Most of them bought a $30 Hot Topic T-shirt on Halloween, for the privilege of getting autographs from Bower and

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Twilight actors at Fashion Place Mall
Gathegi. About 75 more bought $75 in Nordstrom merchandise for the chance to get their pictures taken with the actors.

Saturday's visit was the final stop on a 15-city tour, in which "New Moon" cast members met fans and promoted the movie's national release planned for Friday.

"Twilight" fan Jessica West, of Holladay, stood in line at Nordstrom with her sister Lisa.

"We came the night before [Halloween] and slept at the mall," said West, a 19-year-old pharmacy student at the University of Utah. "When it's anything that has to do with 'Twilight,' you have to do it."

After the brief encounter and picture-taking, West said, "My heart is still beating out my chest. ... I was scared they'd be like, 'OK, let's

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get this over with.' But they're nice, they're fun."

The scene outside the Hot Topic store was more chaotic, as hundreds waited in the mall's food court for autographs.

Midway through the session, Bower went out of the store, saying "let's go rile them up a little." Sure enough, the fans screamed appreciatively.

More screaming was heard outside Nordstrom, where singer/guitarist Anya Marina performed a five-song set -- including "Satellite Heart," a song she wrote for the "New Moon" soundtrack.

"I wrote this song for Bella -- I hope she likes it," Marina told the crowd, which screamed at the mention of "Twilight's" willowy heroine.

In "New Moon," Gathegi reprises his role as Laurent, a vampire who threatens Bella (Kristen Stewart) when her vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) isn't around. Bower, new to the franchise, plays Caius, a member of the Volturi, the vampire world's royal family.

The fans' questions reflected their intense devotion to the saga and swooning love for the movie's stars.

Gathegi read one question about what it's like to battle werewolves: "They're not really there -- so you're just swinging in the air. ... They insert the wolf in later."

What is Robert Pattinson really like? "He's a lovely guy, very sweet and a very talented actor," Bower said. (Bower was tickled to realize that just saying Pattinson's name got the crowd screaming -- so he did it repeatedly.)

What it's like to play an evil vampire? "I'm not evil -- the Volturi are the government," Bower replied defensively.

Gathegi chimed in: "Laurent is not evil, he's just hungry."

spmeans@sltrib.com