Another Reason Robert Pattinson Was Almost Fired From Twilight

Twilight Robert Pattinson Edward Cullen parking lot shot

As if landing a role in a major literary adaptation wasn't hard enough, apparently it's harder to keep a role in such a project. Just ask Robert Pattinson, who had already previously admitted that he almost lost his role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise, due to some rather rowdy behavior on set. But, in addition to that debacle, there was another problem that almost kicked Pattinson off of the project: he wasn't smiling enough. The actor explained the problematic situation thusly:

If you're going into a relationship with someone, the way to make it really intense is if you can barely talk to each other, you can barely touch each other, it's incredibly serious all the time. That's what teenage relationships are. But everyone kind of wanted it to be, like, 'No, they should just be, like, happy and having fun. That's what people want.'

You have to admit, Robert Pattinson's explanation is a pretty method approach to the role that would eventually bring him the fame that he currently enjoys today. In fact, it's a risky proposition to say so, but there's a possibility that Twilight might have benefited from such an approach, particularly when taking into account that Pattinson and former co-star Kristen Stewart were also going through a similar courtship of their own.

But, obviously, when turning something like Stephenie Meyer's runaway sensation into a major motion picture, there's going to be a lot of oversight and protection over how such a project is approached. As such, Robert Pattinson's agents stepped in to give him some pointers on his performance, as he recalled in the blurb below:

I thought I was pretty safe. They flew up and were like, 'You have to do the opposite of what you're doing now or you're going to get fired today.'

In the middle of Twilight mania it was probably easy to just follow that advice, and ultimately get on with the job at hand. But years later, and during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, things like this tend to come up in conversation. And to be fair, Robert Pattinson does explain the whole situation with the tone and attitude of a good sport, reflecting on the whole scenario as a fun story to tell in this phase of his career. Come to think of it, someone should seriously cast him in a straight up comedy, as he does have a rather charming demeanor during his interview that most wouldn't think of when recalling his work.

In the meantime, you can see Robert Pattinson fighting to save his brother from prison in the crime drama Good Time, which will debut in theaters on August 11, 2017.

Mike Reyes
Senior Movies Contributor

Mike Reyes is the Senior Movie Contributor at CinemaBlend, though that title’s more of a guideline really. Passionate about entertainment since grade school, the movies have always held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, but swore off of running for public office a long time ago. Mike's expertise ranges from James Bond to everything Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. He fights for the user.