In 2007, Robert Pattinson told a lie and “bullshitted” his way to a movie career
Robert Pattinson has said he had not read the *Twilight* books or script before auditioning for the 2008 film, and improvised his way through a phone conversation with director Catherine Hardwicke. His casting launched him to global fame and helped set the course for a career later marked by varied, unconventional roles.
Pattinson auditioned alongside his flatmate Tom Sturridge, who read Bella, then screen-tested with Kristen Stewart, already cast in that role. He expected a small vampire film and found Edward Cullen difficult to play because the character rarely loses his temper and is often hard to read. The article argues that shaping this restrained, romantic figure helped develop Pattinson’s approach to transformation.
In short
- Pattinson had not read *Twilight* before auditioning.
- He improvised his way through a call with the director.
- Playing Edward Cullen helped shape his later acting approach.
Explained simply
Robert Pattinson is a British actor who was still early in his career when he auditioned for Twilight, a film based on the first book in Stephenie Meyer’s popular vampire series. The story centres on Bella Swan, a teenager who falls in love with Edward Cullen, a vampire.
Director Catherine Hardwicke cast Kristen Stewart as Bella and later paired her with Pattinson in a screen test. The film became a worldwide hit and made both actors widely known. Its success shaped Pattinson’s career, which went on to include a range of very different roles.