Seemingly overnight, Robert Pattinson went from playing Voldemort's roadkill in 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' to being the immortal half of one of the hottest screen couples of all time. He spoke with TIME about how he landed the role of Twilight's Byronic vampire Edward Cullen, what it's like to be a generational crush and how to walk unmolested along the streets of Vancouver.
I had no idea it was going to be like this. I really had no idea until … I guess I still don't. The time that it hit me really was when we were shooting in Italy and the emotional reaction — it wasn't just screaming. It was like people were so intently listening and watching. After every take there was polite applause. And it wasn't hysteria. It was literally devotion to the characters. It was amazing. I haven't felt that in any other situation.
Casting Edward was crucial to the franchise. What did Catherine Hardwicke see in you?
I don't know. I was a little intimidated by Kristen [Stewart] in my audition. So I played it like a guy who is beating himself up a lot about everything. I don't think anyone else did it like that. I think they concentrated on the confidence aspect. If you read the book, you know he's the perfect man, ideal man. If you're a guy, you have certain ideals about what you think is attractive. And that's why I didn't go into it for ages, because I thought I'd end up being silly in the audition. I'd be posing. I guess I tried to ignore every aspect of the confident hero of the story. And I played the extreme opposite. It didn't end up being that in the film.
If they had cast anyone else as Edward, would the franchise have been as successful as it is today?
I honestly don't know. No matter how famous I get as an individual, it's always evened — or even surpassed — by the fame of Edward Cullen. That's got to mean something. I don't mind that. That's just the way it is.
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