Bella's 'dad', aka actor Billy Burke, still gets spotted

Chris Pizzello/ Associated Press

"The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" cast members, from left, Jackson Rathbone, Peter Facinelli, Julie Jones and Billy Burke pose together during a visit with fans awaiting Thursday's premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Wednesday, June 23, 2010.

Chris Pizzello/ Associated Press

"The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" cast members, from left, Jackson Rathbone, Peter Facinelli, Julie Jones and Billy Burke pose together during a visit with fans awaiting Thursday's premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Wednesday, June 23, 2010.

Billy Burke was prepared for “Twilight” fever.

The 43-year-old actor, who has played Bella’s father, Charlie Swan, in all three of the films — the third movie, “Eclipse,” opened Wednesday — had a feeling that a little camouflage would help keep the teenage fans at bay.

“I had a suspicion when I read the script and saw what the books were doing it would have an audience,” says Burke by phone from Los Angeles. “My porn ’stache was part of the plan. I thought, do I want to be recognized every day of my life? How do I alleviate that?”

Nonetheless, Burke, who is married with a daughter who turns 2 next month, still gets stopped at airports and other public spots. “Kids are very savvy,” acknowledges Burke, who has played cops in the thrillers “Untraceable” and “Fracture” and a Secret Service agent in “Along Came A Spider.” “I’ll notice they’ll poke at their mom, then the whole thing starts. No one could have predicted the cultural phenomenon ’Twilight’ has become.”

No time to rest, either: Burke is doing double duty, promoting the movie as well as his country-bluesy album, “Removed” (listen to a sample at billyburke.net).

“I thought it would be a good idea to piggyback the two, and it turns out I was right,” says the Washington State native. “It’s been a whirlwind. I get probably four to five hours a night. Sleep is my friend; it’s been rough.”

But a working actor can’t complain.

“You spend so much time in this lifestyle bored, posing a danger to yourself, it’s better this way,” he says with a laugh. “I’d rather be busy than not.”

Next up: filming TNT’s new series, “Rizolli & Isles” — he’s back playing an FBI agent — and gearing up to promote the dark comedy with Nicolas Cage, “Drive Angry,” in which Burke plays a cult leader. The character is a mix of “Jim Jones, Jim Morrison and a little Louis Cypher,” says Burke, who wore prosthetic nails this go-around.

Working with Cage was great. “He’s such a gentle, sweet guy who is genuinely interested in the outcome of the movie,” says Burke, whose teen fans may be rubbing off on him. “It was dope.”

© 2010 Knoxville.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.