Expanded Q&A: Robert Pattinson of “Twilight”
Robert Pattinson (Associated Press photo)
Until recently, British actor Robert Pattinson was best known for his small role in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” in which he played Cedric Diggory, the Hogwarts heartthrob who competed against the Boy Who Lived in the Triwizard Tournament. (He also reprised the role as a flashback in “HP and the Order of the Phoenix.”
Now, Pattinson is a heartthrob in his own right. He plays the incredibly beautiful courtly vampire hero Edward in “Twilight,” the film adaptation of the first book in Stephenie Meyer’s mega-popular four-novel series.
At the recent “Twilight” press junket in Beverly Hills, Calif., Pattinson, 22, was going for the casually attrative look, with his dark ample hair mussed – it got more dishelved as he ran his hands through it frequently during the roundtable interview I participated in – and his jaw covered in scruff.
Pattinson talked about the his newfound teen idol status, his onscreen chemistry with Kristen Stewart, who plays heroine Bella, and his thoughts on adapting the “Twilight” sequels to the big screen in the interview. Here’s an edited version of it:
Q: So, are you particularly prepared for the teenage female frenzy, which apparently seems to be in the cards that is going to surround this movie, but you in particular?
A: I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know why it still shocks me. I mean, I’ve been going for the last three weeks, just going to different cities all around the world, just to get to these planned mobbing, where everybody just screams and screams and screams.
But every single time, I get so nervous, and kind of cold sweats, and everything. So I doubt that I am ready.
Q: So that’s how you react to the screams and the …
A: Every single time. I started crying in Italy. Like, completely involuntarily.
Q: Really?
A: Yeah. Like, do you know when you have the wrong reaction to something? It was really embarrassing. I didn’t even know I was. Kristen, I think, turned around to me. And she’s like, “Are you crying?” I just found out there’s a whole pile of stuff. So. Yeah. I started crying when people are screaming at me. I really didn’t think that would happen. So.
Q: Conversely, did you pay any attention to any of the online complaining? “Oh, he’s not right. It should have been this person or that person.” Did you pay any attention to that?
A: I did at the beginning, for a little bit. I was expecting it, but I kind of – I agree with them. But …
Q: Why?
A: I don’t know. I completely expected it. That’s the reason I didn’t want to go in for the part initially. Because it’s really putting yourself out there. You say, like, “Oh, yeah. I think I can play this part, the perfect guy. Best-looking guy in the whole world.” …
Even going in for the audition, I felt like a bit of an idiot going into the audition. I felt pre-judged by anyone who turned up to the casting. It’s like – I mean, I just thought even having the gall to go in means you’re a bit of an arrogant p—k.
Q: Really?
A: Yeah. I mean … I was sort of put off by it. I was quite happy when they all said, “He’s not good-looking enough.” I’m like, “Thank you.”
Q: Did you feel the chemistry with Kristen from the beginning? Right when you first were cast, when you first auditioned together?
A: Yeah, I think so. … I definitely felt like there was some kind of, I don’t know, connection or something. I definitely had a reaction to her, which I really wasn’t expecting.
Q: What makes her a good co-star?
A: She doesn’t back down to people. And it was quite good working with her, for me. Because I don’t like backing down to people. But it’s quite difficult when you’re the only person.
Q: She gave as good as …
A: Yeah. And also, when you’re fighting with producers and things, and when you want to do things a certain way, it’s good if you have, like, two leads that just, they’ll back each other up.
Q: Did you fight with the producers?
A: Well, not really fighting. But, I mean, we just didn’t want to make it a teeny movie. I mean, because – and that’s the reason – Kristen being in it was like it was my insurance. I mean, she was on a good roll of classy jobs. And so I was just thinking when I found out she was doing it, I was like, “Well, this isn’t gonna be a silly movie. Because why would she want to do a silly movie when she was on a roll?”
Q: Talk about the particular constraints of doing this picture, and how you dealt with the wire work, and – because you have some pretty amazing physical moments in it. And also, apparently, you’re not really a baseball player.
A: I can’t play baseball at all. (laughs)
Q: How was that experience?
A: Yeah, it kind of was pretty intense. I mean, I’m really not a kind of action-movie kind of guy at all. And so doing these kind of – I mean, it was set up – a lot of the scene were like – you know, kung fu movies. That kind of Hong Kong, wire kung fu movies.
Q: Is that hard to master and get comfortable with?
A: Yeah. I mean, I’ve done wire work before. But just getting hit, which is easy. Because you’re just getting hit with the wire. I mean, you don’t have to do anything. But trying to maintain your center of gravity and stuff, it’s tough. It can look really fake, really easily.
Q: So, when did you have to practice, to get it …
A: I didn’t have that much time to practice. I mean, they took a pretty big risk, letting me do a lot of it.
Q: Stephanie Meyer said that you and she actually had some disagreements about the character. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
A: Not big disagreement. Just kind of when I was breaking down the character, I just thought if you looked at his life and his situation before he met Bella – and in a way, even after he met Bella - he’d be very unhappy. Extraordinarily unhappy. And Stephanie kind of disagreed with me about it. I guess because, you know, most girls, in the long run, don’t want to be with a manic-depressive. So, like, he’s not really a perfect guy. But at the same time, I thought initially – the initial attraction, when you have some really troubled soul who can’t get himself together at all – I thought it’s always much more attractive to people.
Q: Going back to the probably enormous girl fan base that you will gain after this movie: I mean, you’ve really exploded on the scene lately. You’re on Perez Hilton probably at least once a week. How are you dealing with dating in Hollywood? Do you avoid it? Are you seeing anyone, for those teenybopper girls out there to know?
A: I’m not dating anyone. But I don’t know. I mean, I theoretically don’t avoid it. But it’s weird. … I’ve been going to the same places every time I go to L.A., because they’re the only places I know. And now everybody kind of knows me in those places. So it’s like – I don’t know. Just knowing that people will talk about stuff, and – you know. It’s very uncomfortable.
And also, if you try and chat people up, everyone’s like, “You’re just an actor. You probably go around sleeping with everybody.” So it kind of has the converse effect of what you would have thought.
Q: Are you not moving to Los Angeles? Are you interested in making that leap?
A: I think there’s no reason to. I mean, and also, London’s in my heart. I need it. And I haven’t been there for a very long time.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about once you put the makeup on, and sort of get the hair done and everything: Is that the final step in slipping into this character?
A: No. I mean, it really wasn’t so much about the makeup and stuff on this. I mean, I thought – in fact, it didn’t even really help to be, like – there were a lot of scenes where I have to be scary and intimidating, and stuff. And you know, just the whole thing, having a bouffant haircut and stuff, it’s not really that intimidating.
So, yeah. It wasn’t really one of those parts where you could put on the coat or put on the shoes, and you kind of feel different. I didn’t really feel any different. And it worried me. But a lot of the stuff which works was just not – I didn’t talk to any of the cast about anything other than the film for at least a month and a half of the shoot. And it creates a strange aura around you, and people don’t really know what to make of you.
Q: You stayed away from them? Is that what you’re saying? Like, socially?
A: I didn’t stay away from them. But I made sure that – you know, most films, people just want to have, like, a good time when they’re doing it.
Q: Like, hanging out off-set.
A: Yeah. And I would, but I’d make it clear that the only reason they wanted to hang out is to get the film better. And it’s kind of annoying for someone to be around like that. And it wasn’t necessarily even exactly what I was talking about. I just wanted the rest of the cast to think about me as a character being this intense person.
Q: Why do you think vampires or the vampire culture is so enduringly fascinating to this day? I mean, it never wanes.
A: It’s the most go-to stock character to make a mysterious character. I mean, the template of a vampire. Only coming out at night - even though even Dracula could come out in the daytime – but only coming out at night. Having literally a dark secret, which is lethal and also intrigues people.
I think it’s just such a simple basis, where you can – just saying the word “vampire” promotes so many ideas of mystery in people.
And there’s also all the sort of sexual connotations as well, like biting people’s necks and stuff. …
You either have, in paranormal stories, you have a zombie. Zombies aren’t that interesting. It’s like, whatever. You have a gargoyle, or whatever, which are ugly. Every single thing. A vampire can be good-looking and also dangerous. That’s the only character which can.
Q: I’m curious, have you gotten any advice from people, be it acting advice or dealing with newfound fame, possibly from “Harry Potter” co-stars? And if so, what kind of advice have you gotten from people?
A: No one’s ever really given me any advice. I mean, I don’t really ask for it.
But I guess just seeing how the Harry Potter people have dealt with it, and they’re still very, very normal and sane. And I think it’s just because they just ignored, like, the surrealness of their lives from an outside perspective, and just dealt with everything as complete reality, and just live their lives normally. And didn’t treat anyone any differently, and didn’t treat themselves differently. And they’ve ended up being completely fine.
I think there’s no reason to change, really, that much. I mean, the only reason to change if you want to be an actor is if you’re completely insane and you don’t want anyone to find out. I mean, if you’re a normal person, you can pretty much do whatever you want.
Q: What was it about the role that made you overcome those initial misgivings you had about trying out for it? That made you think, “Okay, I really want to do this?”
A: Just going to the audition. I mean, I went in having no idea how to play the part at all, and thinking there was no chance of getting it. And just meeting Kristen. I mean, Catherine literally didn’t say anything during the whole audition. She just filmed. And just, Kristen did it so differently to how I was expecting Bella to be played, that it kind of shocked a performance out of me.
And it was the first time in a long time that I’d had an organic experience in an audition. And that’s kind of why. And I thought that there could be a lot of depth to the story. But I only realized (that) in the audition.
Q: Do you sign your life away when you take this on? Do you automatically sign on for three movies?
A: Yeah, I’d signed on for three. But, I mean, I’d read the books, so I knew he wasn’t in it that much in the second one, and not in it as much for the third one. And also, that I’d have to be 17 for the whole time, so I knew it couldn’t go on ’til I was, like, 30.
Q: Are you looking forward to doing these sequels?
A: Yeah. I mean, it’s such a sort of intimate story. And you rarely get a chance – I mean, even in “Harry Potter,” the entire university, which (it) is based in changes every single movie. But in this, it’s just like, a character study for a trilogy, which is very, very strange. And I can’t think of another movie which does that, and where the story has so little – the scenery doesn’t change. Nothing changes. And it’s in a very, very small town. It’s very claustrophobic. And so, yeah. I planned the character for another two.
Q: Will you be doing any other projects before the sequel starts?
A: I’m doing this movie called Parts By Billion, with Dennis Hopper, in January. It’s a kind of surreal love story. And that’s shooting in January. It’s a very, very small film.
Q: Here in the States?
A: Yeah, in LA.
Q: Is there one scene in the film that you think defines Edward and Bella’s relationship?
A: Is there one scene? I don’t think so. I think – I mean, there are definitely key lines.
The thing is, the way me and Kristen did it, I think, is kind of different. The power balance is different to how it is in the book.
I mean, basically, it just seemed more interesting having this guy who is an all-powerful, perfect creature, and he’s utterly at the knees – on his knees - to this normal girl. And she has complete power over him. And it’s like – even in the audition, there was kind of – we did the meadow scene in the audition. And it seemed like Kristen took on, instead of this wonder and love thing which is in the book, it was a much more comforting role. Like, he looked to her for strength. And literally even the scene, she was a sort of (doing a) mothering thing at the end. Which is strange, even in reality, because I’m quite a lot bigger than her, and older than her. And it was just a really strange experience doing that in the audition.
Q: Do you think the movie gets it right about teenage love, first love, and passion that can come out of that?
A: I think in some ways. But I think in a lot of ways – I mean, when I was 17, I always just looked at people who would be like, “Oh, I’m in love,” and then they break up three weeks later, and just think, “Ah. You know, that’s what love is when you’re 17.”
Q: Did you have anything like that in high school?
A: No. I was so anti-anyone who said they were in love, I just thought, “They’re idiots.”
Q: What were you like at that age? What was your high school experience?
A: I was just, like, a loner.
-BAM
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Comments
It is interesting…people always read people differently…I would have never pictured him a loner, and DEFINATLY not dating…I can really see him getting into the “Edward” role. Everthing I have seen him in, I have really been impressed. He will come far, and he will do well. Here’s to you Robert…may you do well, go far…and be blessed.
omg a loner? i did not see that one coming!i thought he would be supper popular and he is going to go far and i cant wait for the other 3 movies to come out!
A loner? wow , I never thought he would be a loner he has a great personality! I will be your friend robert !
I could see him being a loner. He is shy. He seems like the kind of guy in high school that you never really talks to until you had him in a class and then he is really cool.
AH!!! I can relate to Robert..I feel like I know exactly how he feels! And I know that he will do well in the future!!!
Good that Robert was a loner in high school, and not Rah Rah Joe popular. Being a vampire is a largely solitary existence, so perhaps he drew on his own social isolation to propel Edward to a different level.
The fact that he was a loner in school made him the great actor he is today, I belive.
He is totaly down to earth because he know what it’s like to have no one and not be the famous one.
Keep up the good work Robert.
I wish you the best in life.
…true LoVE comes unexpectedly… give LoVE unconditionally… good luck to your LoVe life Rob’:-)… life is too short… just enjoy the life that you have now… in a right positive way… God bless
k so ya he’s gorgeous and so what if he was a loner? the past is the past. he’s a good actor and, unless you’re close to him, it doesn’t really matter how he acts now. that’s his business. who he dates is, also, none of our business…unless you know him personally. i don’t believe we should be worried about who he is dating or whatever because it’s his personal life. HIS PRIVATE life. let it be private. stop stalking him. if you didn’t notice, he is pretty much scared of people who basically stalk him just to get a glimpse of him. HELLO! we see him on tv and in movies all the freakin time! get over him. he just a person like the rest of us. CHILL OUT!!!!
ROBERT ERES EL UNICO GUAPO EN ECLIPSE TE VEZ COMO UNA ESTRELLE LLENO DE LUZ TE AMOOOOOOOOOOO MIAMOOOOOOOOR ERES EL UNICO OK
he was a loner? he has a very cool personality, thought he would have been really popular!