Robert Pattinson Daily

Can 100 million screaming "Twilight" fans be wrong?

Robert Pattinson, in layered flannel and T-shirts that offset an unruly mop of carefully mussed hair, may be the only person in the world who wonders. After two phenomenally successful movies based on Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" novels, he's known all over the world as Edward Cullen, a vampire since 1918 who will be 17 years old forever.

At 24, he can still convincingly play 17, but unlike Edward, Pattinson's youth won't last forever.

The first "Twilight" movie opened in November 2008 and took in $70 million in its first three days. With that kind of fame, Pattinson could phone in a rip-off movie and still watch it gross multimillions.

But who remembers Fabian or Tommy Sands or dozens of other teen idols who never grew into movie stars? Even the $10 million Pattinson will earn for the vampire gig might run out. He needs something different.

He has found it in the role of Tyler Hawkins, the son of a wealthy New York businessman (Pierce Brosnan) who rebels against his father and falls in love with the daughter of a cop. Some compare the character to the one James Dean played in "East of Eden," a disillusioned teen who fights against once-trusted elders.

The movie, an original script, is called "Remember Me" and opens in local theaters today.

"I read tons of scripts the summer after the first 'Twilight' movie but this was the only one that didn't fit into a formula," Pattinson said as he sat in The Waldorf Towers hotel in New York City.

"Remember Me" could be described as romantic melodrama, in which many obstacles impede the two lovers. Rated PG-13, it's a bit depressing for the 12- and 13-year-old girls who are his noisiest fans. Pattinson mused about whether they should see it.

"I suppose it depends on the parents," he said. "I mean, there's nothing in it that will harm them but it's a little dark."

Feisty blonde Emilie de Ravin of the television series "Lost" replaces "Twilight's" Kristen Stewart as his leading lady. In a separate interview, she talked about how Pattinson handles his star status. During filming at Central Park in New York City, she said, a bodyguard escorted her from her trailer. He was one of many extra security guards, she said.

"It took me a few moments to figure out they weren't for me," she said. "I sympathize with Rob in this situation, but he seems very grounded. He's adjusted to it as well, I believe, as anyone could."

So is he a good kisser? De Ravin just laughs.

After all, Pattinson and Kristen Stewart won the MTV award for Best Movie Kiss last year.

"She just laughed?" Pattinson said. "You see, I'm a bore, really."

Pattinson's role in "Twilight" casts him as a teenager who, despite having lived about 100 years, will never get old. In "Remember Me," Pattinson sees Tyler as a young guy who has some growing up to do, a character he connects with.

"Tyler is at that point where you stop being so kind of existential and you start to not feel like an island," Pattinson said. "His feelings are honest and have worth. He can trust himself a little more. He's maturing. That's what the part is about."

As for his role as one of the producers of "Remember Me," he said, "I'm a little embarrassed about that. It came about after shooting was finished and I was asked to help in developing the film. Reluctantly, I accepted, but it was kind of a token job."

Chris Cooper, who won an Academy Award for "Adaptation," plays the father of the leading lady. In a separate interview, Cooper denied reports that he hurt Pattinson while filming a fight scene.

"Everything was carefully choreographed," Cooper said. "That boy is worth a lot. He's worth gold. No one was punching him too hard."

Pattinson said his new paycheck hasn't changed him, and that he has no interest in material things. Until recently, he shared his hotel apartment with his older sister and a longtime acting friend, who slept on couches. He didn't want to insult other friends who are broke by showing off his new wealth.

He's much more at ease than he was a year ago when we talked to him about vampires.

"I think I'm adjusting pretty well. I've learned that no one is happy all the time," Pattinson said. "If we were happy all the time, we wouldn't know the difference. But, for a short time, I am happy. Other people take antidepressants and go into therapy. I just wait. Things will happen."

The next "Twilight" movie comes out in June, to be followed by the fourth and last (although there are rumors of a two-part movie treatment of the fourth book).

After that he'll star in a Western in which he will mostly speak Comanche.

He will then play "a real villain" in "Bel Ami," adapted from a Guy de Maupassant novel. As Pattinson puts it: "He thinks like an animal and rips off all his friends. He's a long way from what I consider to be the nobility of Edward Cullen."

That's good. Pattinson clearly plans to have an acting career long past the time of the full moon - or the age of 17. When vampires are only creatures from his past, he hopes people will still "Remember Me."

Mal Vincent, (757) 446-2347, mal.vincent@pilotonline.com

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