Rob just wants to have fun...

British actor insists he's nothing like the somber Edward Cullen

Fans of Twilight star Robert Pattinson often mistake him for Edward Cullen, the alluring vampire he plays in the blockbuster film. But Rob, 22, insists he's nothing like the brooding Edward.

"I’m not stiff as Edward. I want to have fun," says Pattinson. "He's this 108-year-old adult [trapped inside a 17-year-old body], but I’m still a 6-year-old boy [at heart]," he laughs.

Rob's moving portrayal of the introspective, lovelorn vampire has won him millions of admirers around the world. But Pattinson—who says he's unattached—finds the hysteria inconvenient.

"I don’t like going outside anymore," he jokes. "It’s so embarrassing to see pictures of yourself at the airport when you look terrible." Indeed, Rob—now a major paparazzi target—gets photographed wherever he goes.

Yet despite how photogenic the handsome 6'1" Brit is, Rob has the same answer whenever he's asked the usual question: Does he think he's sexy? "Not really," he says. Pattinson revealed that he was shy and awkward as a teen, confessing he had no self-esteem at 17.

Ironically, Rob says he is drawn to strong women. "Even though it sounds odd, I like self confidence," he says. "What's strange is that I mostly like strong girls, but with them, I have the most problems.

"Rob, who's scheduled to start shooting New Moon (the sequel to Twilight) in March, won't have much time for a love life for a while. While Twi has catapulted him to overnight superstar, there's one aspect to being Edward he's not looking forward to.

"Wearing [amber] contact lenses is the most terrible thing I had to endure to be Edward," Rob recounts. "I have very sensitive eyes and it was a daily torture to put those lenses on every morning. I was waking up at 4 a.m. to suffer this living death. It was like having sand in my eyes all day long."

But isn't Rob willing to suffer for his art? "Never!" he jokes. "I already told the producers they had to find something else more practical. They can change the color of my eyes with special effects! I don’t ever want to see those damned lenses again (laughs).

"No matter what color his eyes, fans are sure to flock to New Moon when it hits theaters in November, 2009.

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