Twilight turns 10: before they loved Robert Pattinson as vampire Edward Cullen, they hated him
- People said, ‘He’s revolting. He’s disgusting’, film’s director recalls – but she and Kristen Stewart knew he was the one
- British actor was an unknown when he was picked to play world’s sexiest undead man
As the first Twilight movie turns 10, many remember the screaming crowds and frenzied fan adoration for the film’s vampire lover Edward Cullen, played by Robert Pattinson.
Few remember the online outrage that roared when the then-unknown British actor was cast. Twihard legions hated that Pattinson was chosen to play Cullen to Kristen Stewart’s human Bella Swan, director Catherine Hardwicke recalls.
“People were like, ‘He’s revolting. He’s disgusting,’ ” Hardwicke says of the early days of the super-franchise, which surprised Hollywood and took US$3.4 billion in worldwide box office.
Even on the set, Pattinson was rattled by the online onslaught of negative reaction.
“Robert was like, ‘Look what they are saying about me!’ I was like, ‘Don’t read that stuff,’ ” Hardwicke says. “And he goes, ‘My mom sent me these emails about how revolting I am.’ I guess it’s that wry British sense of humour. I just told him, ‘You better avoid your mom’s emails.’ ”