Star Zoom Magazine and Translation

We know you as a very shy person. Aren’t you too stressed out about the millions of fans who have eyes only for you?
Yes, but as everybody would, I think. Sometimes is embarrassing. But I’m aware that I’m playing some sort of ideal man. I try to take it to any opposite view, to break this image of the perfect man or to be more relaxed over the whole pressure. Edward is a very lonely person. At first he doesn’t want any relationship with Bella and doesn’t want to hurt her. This is more emphasized in the book that in the film.

Does all the madness around you make you afraid?
I especially fear the extreme behavior of some fans. Once, a mom made me hold her baby and pretend that I was going to bite her head, so she could be immortal too, like me. Not to mention dozens of girls who want me to bite her neck! People sometimes try to ambush me and try to figure out how long I’ll stay in a hotel, waiting for me in the halls, shouting as soon as I appear. Some fans just want to touch my hair, others want to kiss me. It’s very surreal.
Fortunately, most of the time, it’s not as scary. People project their ideas of the characters and think sometimes that we are them, when we’re not.

You play a character who is very handsome, but at the same time he’s scary. Is it hard to play that?
Yes, playing a vampire and keeping the power of attraction is very difficult. I tend to wrap my head too much around too many things. I’m a very stressful person. On my first movie, The Goblet of Fire, I was so sick I threw up all the time. All the time I was told: “Don’t do it like this! don’t do it like this!”. In New Moon, I’m a lot less stressed. Fortunately! I’m starting to get used to it.

Did you know about the books by Stephenie before being offered the role?
No. I just read he script, I didn’t know there were books. The only reason I went to audition was because I saw Into The Wild with Kristen and became a fan (laughs). I was a little embarrassed when I got the role. In the book, Edward is a mystery and he represents everything a perfect man should be. And I felt like a complete idiot auditioning for that. It’s rather cheeky when you think about it. But I don’t regret anything.

Twilight Poison