Let’s talk about New Moon. Was it fun to go back and play the role that gave you fame?
I was surprised at how easy it was going back in his shows. I like Edward and I have a lot of fun playing him.
You’re not in this movie a lot, are you?
I’m not. Edward decides to leave Bella, but he realizes it wasn’t the best idea and he comes home again. But I’m in the best scenes of the movie! (laughs)
What’s the main difference bewteen Twilight and New Moon?
The director is extremely different, and the movie has more action scenes and everything happens faster. I think it’s very different. New Moon was much more demanding physically. i had to train a lot to get in shape.
Are you getting used to fame?
I don’t think that’s something you can get used to, but I have to confess that I am enjoying my life. I think I’m a positive person, and the truth is I can’t complain of success. The people in my life know who I am and I haven’t changed in any way. Although my mom does read the tabloids and she calls me and asks, “Robert, how could you do this?”. I have to explain to her that it’s a lie.
Do you think being British helped you add elegance and poise to your character?
Yes, I think Stephenie demanded that the person who played Edward had to be British, because of the English elegance thing, I guess. She wanted most of the actors to be British because of the whole American myth around English elegance and class.
What is it about you that creates so much admiration around you? You kept the most wanted role in Hollywood!
(laughs). I don’t know, I think having a lot of chemistry with Kristen helped a lot, especially when I got the role. In the beginning I was expecting this character to be different, and I was hoping for her to play the character a different way, but her work is brilliant; we’re not talking about a damsel in distress at all, and I’m no prince charming, so that makes the relationship between the characters more real and authentic. Also, I think that the intelligence with which Kristen took on the role is what gave strength to my character. I owe her so much.
But you’re the one who became a sex symbol, not her.
That’s weird, because I’m only a sex symbol to 14 year old girls, and that’s not the best of situations. Last year I couldn’t even get a date, and all of a sudden girls changed their mind.
What are your ambitions right now?
I want to take advantage of all the opportunities that are coming up. I hope New Moon is a big hit and that it can help me get work with actors and directors that I admire.
Are you afraid of getting typecast?
By October I will be done with three Twilight movies, and then there’s two more. But this is not like it was with Harry Potter where you only get to work on these movies for 11 months out of the year. I have the opportunity to do more things, like giving life to Dali, or acting in a film with Rachel Weisz.
Have you ever fallen in love with the same passion as your character?
I’ve never fallen in love, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be romantic. I believe that love is an evolution of friendship. But to me, the passionate love we see in these movies is just a fantasy.
What was it like filming Little Ashes, a very small production compared with New Moon?
Deep down I love small productions because there isn’t that many people hanging around while you’re working. In the beginning it was weird, but at the same time it was amazing. The energy that you feel on the set of an independent movie is very different than that of a super production. But when you get into your character, you don’t feel it.
I’ve read that you were very nervous about your nude scenes and the explicit sex scenes in Little Ashes. How did you prepare?
(laughs). I have so many stupid answers for this question (laughs). I had a penis implant! Just kidding, I don’t know… it’s fun because Latin people have no problems with nudity, but English people sure have them.
It’s just little things, like this time I saw my father changing before going to the pool, and that left me completely scarred, for life. I don’t know if I did anything to prepare for this. I drove myself mad, maybe.
Scans and Translation - Twilight Poison