The interviews are published in 'Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner – In Their Own Words', by Talia Soghomonian (www.theebookpeople.com). Available at iTunes and Amazon, £3.74 and as enhanced version with audio for £4.99.


Robert Pattinson: Every actor is just a vain moron

Looking extremely casual in an old t-shirt, baseball cap, faded jeans and a little unshaven, Pattinson, 26, looks happy and relaxed to have the movie that changed his life behind him. As usual, he doesn’t talk about his relationship with co-star Kristen Stewart, but talks a little of what’s to come post-Twilight, as well as addressing the rumours about him playing the lead in the film adaptation of 50 Shades of Grey. He will next star in David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis.

Q: So now that it’s finally over, let’s go back. What was the most touching moment for you in the movie, including the one we haven’t seen yet?

Out of the whole series?

Q: Yeah, what touched you the most and the hardest one?

Probably that a bit in the first one, just when Bella is in the hospital, and she says, ‘Don’t ever leave me again,’ and I say, ‘Where am I going to go?’ or something like that. I still think that’s kind of my favorite scene in it mainly because it was so different what happened after it, and we made up the lines there and that’s how different the shoot was. Like every movie afterwards, the idea of making up lines, is kind of just unheard of and so I loved that bit. But the hardest was probably the birth scene in the first part of this one mainly because it was hilarious, and it was supposed to be really serious. (laughs) And there was one shot where we had to look directly into the camera, and I was crying with laughter, and I’d have to go down and chew the baby out and I would like, I was stopping tears from coming out of my eyes, and it looks like I’m crying in the thing. And I’m not supposed to be able to cry as a vampire and I’m like crying in the scene but I was laughing.

Q: Is it cool to see Kristen play and look different as a vampire? She’s sexy and not clumsy anymore?

For some reason, I listened to Taylor at Comic Con talking about the clumsy thing, and I thought, ‘Was she clumsy?’ (laughs). And everyone always talked about the clumsiness. But yeah, I never understood it. It’s always the aspect of female characters and young female characters that’s supposed to be unattractive about them when they are clearly not unattractive? (laughs) It’s like, she’s really clumsy, and I’ve never met a genuinely clumsy person or noticed someone who is like handicapped by being so clumsy, (laughs) like it’s so weird.

Q: Do you think you have a quality of timeless gentlemen?

I don’t know. I guess I’m like relatively sensitive. Also, I had two older sisters so I grew up with lots of girls and so I guess I kind of have a different mentality cause of that. And I never really played any team sports or anything, (laughs) so I guess all those things add up to that. But yeah, I mean, I don’t know why but I’m not getting cast as them anymore. (laughter)

Q: Do you like that type of character?

Yeah, sometimes, sometimes it’s really nice. I was watching Water For Elephants on TV the other day, because it’s not got to the point where it’s far enough away and I don’t even recognize myself, and I just thought it was really sweet. It’s like an old-fashioned movie, and yeah, it is quite fun playing it. When you are doing it, it’s kind of annoying, because my instincts, they want to go to the absolute possible place and you know that it never, this person would never do this, and most of the characters I play are innately kind people which is quite nice, because people aren’t genuinely very kind.

Q: So do you have this sort of urge now to do something, play the mean guy, play the meathead?

I kind of always did that up until Twilight. Like, apart from Harry Potter, I mean every part I played is always kind of like sort of weird. But I don’t know, I find kind of random things, the movie I’m doing next, is a real guy, an interrogator and he’s not particularly weird or anything, he’s just like, he’s kind of, well he’s a little weird.

Q: What is your next project?

It’s about the guy who found Saddam Hussein. It’s a military interrogator, based on this guy called Eric Maddox. It’s this crazy story, but he basically talked to about 250 people, none of whom were on any of the US Armies Wanted Lists, and found Saddam Hussein when no one even knew he was in Iraq. So it was an interesting story.

Q: Have you read 50 Shades of Grey and did you know it was based on you and would you star in it?

I think the author has written me out of it. I saw some interview earlier and they went, oh, it could never be him. And I’m like ,’Hey, I’m going to make you pay for that.’ (laughter)

Q: She said you could never play the role that was based on you?

It’s funny seeing all these other actors so openly like vying for it. I’ve never seen that happen before. It’s so strange. I haven’t read the whole thing, I read bits of it, there’s a book called 50 Sheds of Grey, (laughter) have you seen that book? That’s amazing, just a picture book of 50 Grey Sheds, (laughter) and it’s literally on the New York Times Best Seller List. People have got the wrong read. (Laughs)

Q: You said you just watched Water For Elephants. How do you feel when you watch your own movies? Does it always take a while for you to separate yourself?

Yeah, a couple of years at least. But I really like the first Twilight movie now, cause it’s on TV constantly, (laughs) so I’ve seen it like six times, but I remember watching it the first time at the premiere and I had to leave. I left and I sat in the car and it was also kind of overwhelming to me. I started to have a panic attack in the cinema, and then I ran out and got in the car, and I didn’t even realize there was someone videotaping me through the car window, they are right next to me sitting and I was like ‘Oh god!’ Now it’s kind of different. But I find it really hard to watch stuff although I watched Cosmopolis and because it’s so stylized I found that not too hard to watch.

Q: What do you think about when you watch yourself in movies?

I don’t really know what I’m doing when I’m doing it, (laughs) I find a lot of the time it’s like tossing a coin and if something comes out good or not when you are doing it, even in the scene… I don’t understand these actors who can consistently turn up to work and just be like in ‘acting mode.’ And just be really good all the time. Like I can literally walk onto a set and have absolutely no idea, I’ve done all of my preparation or whatever and have no idea what’s going to happen until I open my mouth at all. And I can also feel that something went terribly, when it’s the best scene in the movie or whatever. I have no idea ever.

Q: You are a method actor.

(laughs) I don’t know if I’m completely together in my own method.

Q: Did you have to prepare differently for this one? There was a lot of physicality and also and also, anything you can give us about the final sequence, how was it to shoot?

It’s so funny, (laughs) it’s supposed to be a secret, but they put it in the trailer, like Summit was saying, ‘Don’t talk about the battle.’ And I’m like, ‘It’s in the trailer, what are you talking about?’ (laughter) But yeah, I did tons. I worked a lot at the beginning, because I had to start with my shirt off, but that’s it, (laughs) but we shot the battle stuff at the end. And so I was totally out of shape by that point. (laughter)

Q: How did you do it?

I’m all right at doing it. It’s film fighting, you don’t really have to be that fit, cause it’s not really like normal fighting, like you have to kind of be quite flaily, and I’m quite like mal-coordinated. I’m quite gangly, and so it’s easy for me to kind of do, because if you are throwing a punch, you throw a punch and it’s so huge, where most people who like actually box a lot or something, are so used to keeping it tight, and it feels so fake to them. But I find that kind of stuff quite easy, and can do it on one or two takes. Like everyone else who were really physically fit has to do like ten. But the only annoying thing is the wire stuff, but I never see anyone who’s good at like anything on a wire, it’s always through the operator. If you get a good wire team, then you will look good. If something is not that well organized, you will just look terrible, no matter how good you are at it.

Q: Were you scared?

I mean, most of the time you were just so tired, (laughs) the whole time you were just going through the motions.

Q: Do you have a memento from the set?

I have almost every costume from the first one because I was wearing that stuff for about two years, (laughs) afterwards.

Q: You are in the baseball scene, do you have a baseball outfit?

No, that was like rented. We were pretty low budget on the first one. (Laughter)

Q: What was your favorite one that you kept?

I had these jeans which I kept. I literally bought all these clothes and then got the company to pay me back on the first one. You could do anything on the first movie, it was crazy. I was stuck in Vancouver getting my Visa by myself. I started just borrowing my costumes (laughs) and I kept them all for years afterwards.

Q: What a huge difference.

Yeah. And the funny thing was, I had all these kinds of things from the first one. I was wearing independent little labels from cool shops in Vancouver and then by the last one, the more and more money that became involved, then there would be these contracts with clothes companies and so like if you look at the last one, every single vampire is wearing G Star or Bellstaff. (laughter) No matter which side they are on, (laughter) it’s crazy. And they all have the label on the side as well. It’s nuts. (Laughs)

Q: After all these years, what will you miss the most?

There is something incredibly familiar and nice about it and it’s normally what you are doing when you turn up on a movie set when you know everyone is so, like normally it’s like the first day of school every time you start, but when you know people. It’s strange, and it is pretty nice. Like when you are doing a job where everything changes all the time, say doing a TV show, but at the same time, that’s one of the greatest things about acting as well, (laughs) you can just leave everybody behind.

Q: After all this success, what do you do to keep grounded?

I don’t know, I mean I guess I’m quite a genuinely insecure person, and so it’s not very hard for me. I mean, it’s sort of like, I think even if someone says that something is good you’ve got to be pretty dumb to let your head get big, especially now when everything about your life is reported. I don’t understand people who still have a big ego who are actors. It’s like, everyone knows who you are, everyone knows you are just a vain moron, (laughter) and that’s what every actor is. (laughter)

Q: What do you miss doing the most that you can’t do now?

I really miss going to the cinema, especially in LA, because LA has the best cinemas in the world. I used to go four times a week, five times a week, and that and just being able to just I mean this obvious anonymity kind of thing, you want to be able to sit in a place and not worry and just listen to people or watch people and it’s the camera phones, it’s the camera phones and TMZ, it just ruined everything. And in a few years, people will be like oh Goddamnitt I wish we never bought into TMZ, now we’ve ruined it for ourselves. (laughter)

Q: What’s the best thing that you’ve got?

Just being able to do this job. I mean, it is the best job in the world. I just wish I had gotten it like 12 years ago. (laughs)

Q: Thank you.

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Kristen Stewart: Don’t protect me, I’m fine

Looking casually stylish in a pair of black skinny jeans, black heels and a white shirt, Kristen Stewart, 22, is in a friendly mood and seems excited about this next chapter of her life. She talks about the end of Twilight, the transformation Bella goes through from human to vampire, how the franchise has changed her life, and the downside of fame. A fan of Fifty Shades of Grey, her role inspired the book and she says she’s not too prudish to accept the role, should it be offered to her.

Q: Can you talk about the transformation from human to vampire?

One thing that I liked about Bella’s human version is that she gives as much as she wants to and doesn’t feel pushed. To me, she’s always been really honest, even if she’s technically lying to people, she’s emotionally very honest. Because of that, she’s sometimes unsteady, and sometimes I allowed her to be kind of just teenagerish. It’s like, you are this very developed, mature version of what we all know her to be, but at the same time, you are this very young, new animal, quite a baby, and you are figuring out how to like use the tools that you have been given. It’s like a 12-year old getting into a six-speed sports car and being like, "Whoa, so that was fun."

Q: How about just the physicality? Any challenges to that? She’s so strong.

Yeah, that’s the thing. You want to get as close as you can to those experiences. I want to feel that strong, but obviously, you can’t always. Sometimes you have to fake certain things. I really appreciated it when we weren’t on treadmills. I liked being able to actually run on ground and get movement, actual space behind me, and there were different ways that we accomplished looking strong and fast and all that stuff, and my favorite bits were always the ones that we could actually do.

Q: You look very different. You’re wearing a great jacket and the running and the new attitude. Did you have any input on that too?

Yeah, absolutely. One answer to that is that Alice dresses her after she becomes a vampire, because she’s so busy afterwards and she’s so focused on other things, one having the self-control to not rip everyone’s throat out and even though that comes very easy to her, and the fact that she’s got this child, all these things, they dress her. So, for a second, I was like, "Do we hold onto the idea that Bella doesn’t think about it, and so she just kind of looks plain (laughs) and puts on whatever is handed to her and it’s a natural, easy thing, or did she choose these things?" Now her clothes are pretty straightforward, and she will wear a random pair of high-heeled boots, so it’s like, "Whoa, Bella, what are you doing? This is weird."

Q: You have all become huge stars since the first movie. Did you notice any change, like the way people treat you on set?

On the Twilight sets, towards the end, I found that people didn’t really talk to us anymore, which was weird. It was like they possibly were even told, "Hey, leave them alone. If you don’t have a reason to talk to them, don’t just go up to them." And I hate that. Don’t protect me, I’m fine, it’s like, now you are just completely isolating me, so thanks. And then it makes them seem like you are the one possibly who said that to people, which is like, do not represent me, ever. That is the most horrifying idea that that happens unbeknownst to me, but I am sure it does. Just really annoying.

Q: Is it important for you to stay grounded and normal and effectual?

No, I just want to sit by myself all day. (Laughs) Yeah, God of course.

Q: Are you looking ahead to new projects after Twilight and do you feel like thesemovies are going to cast a long shadow in some ways because you will alwaysbe referenced, or is that something that you aren’t thinking about at this point?

I mean, people will always talk about the fact that I got really super-duper famous on Twilight. If people who really love the books have a hard time seeing me in other parts, it’s kind of the ultimate compliment to really understand that. I can’t think of an example, but I’m sure that there are people who have experienced that and it hasn’t seemed to put a damper on anything that has to do with my personal experiences. I am so challenged, I’ve gotten myself into a position where I get to pick and choose my challenges, which is close to unparalleled. It’s very lucky and unique, it doesn’t happen as an actor and if I didn’t have that, then I would be pissed. If I didn’t have that, then I really would be worried. I think that I’m really proud of it and hopefully people keep talking about it, you know?

Q: Have you read Fifty Shades of Grey?

I’ve read large excerpts.

Q: Did you know it was based on your character? And if there were a movie, would you be in it?

Uh, (laughs) first of all, they haven’t called me or anything, they haven’t offered me the part.

Q: Maybe you are being protected? Maybe someone didn’t take the call. (Laughs)

No, probably not, I mean if they probably told me about that, it would be funny.

Q: But it’s pretty spicy.

It’s spicy. Yeah. I don’t know, I haven’t read the whole thing and it’s also a highly coveted part everyone is trying to. I don’t know, it’s… I don’t even…

Q: But do you think you would be brave enough to do something like that?

I haven’t read it, and so I mean, I know what you are talking about, I’ve definitely read some of those bits, (laughs) and it’s really nuts, I couldn’t believe it. I see people reading it and I’m like, "Dude you are in public, what are you doing?" (Laughs) But I’m pretty daring. It just takes the right story, and so I don’t know because I haven’t read it. I’m not avoiding it or anything. I just think it’s been made this big deal, so I don’t even know how to answer it.

Q: And what kind of character would you like to do after this movie?

I don’t know. Right now I’m about to do a movie called Cali that I’m really excited about. And it’s hard for me to project into the future like that, because I don’t know ever what it is going to feel like. You can tap into qualities that you don’t know you have, and always the first step of that process is reading something and being surprised by it, or being moved by something and going, "Wow. I didn’t know that part of myself."

Q: Now that Twilight is over, can you reflect back on what was the scene that most touched you or was the hardest to shoot?

There are so many of those moments throughout the entire shoot. She lives a whole little life and in five years, or four years, whatever it is, and God I think probably there have been a lot of challenges. I don’t know, ‘cause all the ultimate life milestones happen and I think maybe in New Moon I was definitely not excited about having to play ultimate death.

Q: What was the most awkward scene you had where you felt like you were completely off?

I think that if I should go back and do that moment again, I could do it better.

Q: Did you take any mementos from the Twilight set? Have you stolen anything? Thumbtacks?

No, I didn’t take those. I took all of her rings and stuff, I have all the bracelets, the wedding ring. I think I have a fake one, actually. I don’t think I have the real one. And I love how I don’t even know that. It’s probably sitting in some baggie somewhere, like a real big diamond.

Q: What are you going to miss the most now that it’s definitely over?

Sometimes there’s just like a feeling. Every set has its own feeling. It’s very consistent, there’s a mood on every set, and we recently did reshoots and as soon as we were back there, it was like, "Oh, fun. Wow, I can’t believe we are doing this again." And it’s crazy how it just assumes the exact same tone, and I will definitely miss that. That’s what people attach themselves to. I think it’s just day in and day out, and you find certain relationships and comforts and creative charges and highs and lows and then just like boredom with certain people, and then at the end you’ve made something and you are like, "Oh good job," and you can pat each other on the back. I always will have that. Even the other day at Comic Con when we saw everyone, it was like, "Here we are again." Instantly right back into that same mood, and I like that mood, it’s a good one.

Q: And what do you miss doing the most doing that you can no longer do because of your insane fame? What would you like to do if you could?

Well, there’s nowhere in the world that I’m not like [that] at some point. Even if I feel like I’m the most remote, even if I feel like I’m literally at the bottom of the ocean, I’m always going to be recognized. I swear, behind that shell, there’s going to be a lens popping out or something, and so I think to maybe just feel like I literally could actually do anything without someone seeing.

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