Robert Pattinson calls his own ‘Twilight’ acting choice ‘very strange’ years later
The actor says he recently spotted an unusual detail in his 'Twilight' performance
Robert Pattinson is revisiting his breakout role in Twilight and noticing details in his performance as Edward Cullen that he says went completely unnoticed by him for nearly 20 years.
The 39-year-old actor, who rose to global fame as the vampire romantic lead in the 2008 film, recently reflected on one particularly unusual acting choice he made during filming, something he only realized while rewatching the movie years later.
In a recent interview with Vogue, Pattinson pointed to a brief cafeteria scene in which his character lowers himself into a seat in an unconventional way.
“There was one thing I did see the other day, which is quite funny, where I’m sitting down in the cafeteria the first time,” he said. “I’ve literally never noticed this, and I, for some reason, I go like this on the table to sit.”
Pattinson explained that he used two fingers on each hand to lower himself down, believing at the time it conveyed an “elegant, vampiric” quality.
“I thought it was an elegant, vampiric thing to do,” he said with a laugh. “But looking at it 20 years later, you’re like, ‘Huh, it’s very strange.’”
Despite his retrospective amusement, Pattinson said he still holds affection for the film and the performance that launched his career.
“I really love that movie,” he said, adding that he likely would not approach the role any differently today. “Everybody was approaching it so earnestly and took it really, really, really seriously.”
The actor also noted that there was no self-aware humor built into the production, describing the tone as fully committed to its romantic fantasy world.
“There was no kind of tongue-in-cheek element,” he said. “It’s like it’s very real, which is strange for a movie about a vampire romance.”
Pattinson has previously acknowledged the unusual nature of Twilight’s story, which became a global phenomenon following its release and spawned a multi-film franchise. Still, he said he admires the sincerity with which the cast approached the material.
“I envy that,” he added, referring to his younger self’s commitment to the role.
Twilight, released in 2008, starred Pattinson opposite Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan and Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black, and quickly became one of the defining pop culture franchises of its era.