Robert Pattinson: The Only Time He Smiled in Twilight Was After Being Threatened to Be Fired
- Robert Pattinson has often cited his criticism for the Twilight franchise on various fronts which led him to be sullen on set.
- The actor was just 21 when he landed the role of Edward Cullen, the lead of the fantasy franchise.
- Pattinson even went on to compare Cullen to an axe murderer.
The Hollywood rulebook says you need to be proud of every project you undertake, but even actors know that it’s too big of an ask. There’s no dearth of actors hating on their most iconic roles, the projects that made them who they are in the industry now. Yes, that includes Robert Pattinson and his dislike of the massively popular Twilight franchise.
As soon as the movie hit theatres, Edward Cullen became the cult vampire boyfriend every girl dreamed of. With his broody good looks and a penchant for mystery, Pattinson’s young adult fans couldn’t resist his charm.
Robert Pattinson was threatened to make him Smile
The actor was just 21 years old when the Twilight movies came his way and changed his life for the better. Robert Pattinson didn’t realize the stardom and fame he would be thrust into with just the first movie. As the franchise developed further, his popularity increased at the cost of his love for the project.
In an interview with GQ, he recalled feeling so terrible on set, perhaps a side effect of being 21. His manager was scared he would be fired from the movie if he didn’t smile and act cordially on the set. The young actor was scared for his livelihood, so he eventually had to give in and do as he was instructed. Pattinson revealed,
You know, I was 21 and kind of wanted to make it as arty as possible, and we had this strange tension where the studio was kind of a little bit scared to make things a little bit too emo and stuff, and I thought that was the only way to play it. It just seems so ridiculous talking about it now, ’cause I spent so much time just infuriated. It’s definitely something about being 21 as well, ’cause I was-, I can’t believe the way I was acting half the time, when I think back on it.
He continued:
The scene [Robert chuckles] when Edward introduces Bella to his family the first time, I remember that being the day, ’cause my agent and my manager came up as a surprise visit, and I was like, “Oh hey,” and just thought everything was fine, and then at lunch they were like, “Okay, so whatever you’re doing right now, “after lunch just do the opposite, “or you’ll be fired by the end of the day,” and I was like, “Okay.” And so that was the only thing that got me to sort of smile a little bit.
The Batman star has often cited his dislike for the franchise for being too weird. Though he now looks back at those interactions as hilarious anecdotes, there was a time when people were skeptical about Pattinson’s appreciation for his craft and even deemed him entitled. Nevertheless, the actor understands the depth and gravity that the movies add to his filmography and is glad to have been a part of them.
Robert Pattinson likened Edward Cullen to an axe murderer
The dashing vampire Edward Cullen from Twilight was the subject of fantasies and fan fiction by many readers. When the movies were made, the entire love for the character shifted to Pattinson who basked in the glory, at least in the eyes of the viewers. In reality, he likened the guy to an axe murderer. According to MTV, he said,
With virtually anyone, the nice guys always seem to come last. You always get weirdos like Edward who seem to attract women for some reason. If Edward wasn’t a fictional character and you met him in reality he is like one of those guys who would probably be an axe murderer or something.
Undeniably, the actor’s got a point. Cullen was strange and distant throughout the entire franchise. Alternatively, fans believe that is the recipe to get a girl closer as the mystery reels her in. The Twilight movies ushered in a new era of love stories and are still widely celebrated by fans.
The Twilight movies are streaming on Netflix.
