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Tuesday, March 29, 2011
A NEW Italian interview - Rob talks music, England, and more
Via: RPLife
Translation is bad - Google translate AGAIN! Hopefully someone will translate the interview
From Di Piu TV # 13 Magazine
From Di Piu TV # 13 Magazine
Robert Pattinson, from the vampire saga Twilight, looks tired but smiles because he is promoting his new film Water for Elephants, and is ready to talk about everything but Kristen Stewart, who everyone says is the his girlfriend. All except for the fact that he does not want to even talk.
Q : What about the new film Water for Elephants : just starting, the screen displays a sign that says that hir character is waiting to begin his life in the sense that so far nothing has happened not important. Have you ever had this feeling? Also consider what was the turning point in his life?
R : My life has started, while I have not yet reached a turning point, although I seem to get every two years. Let me explain: every two - three years, it is as if my life had an accelerated growth and each time I find myself thinking: now what will happen?
So what do you expect to happen now?
I don't know. I think I'm reaching the end of something.
Are you talking about your private life or work?
Of both. The work affects the privacy, and we say that all three films is as if change and become something else
Now what would you like to do?
I would like to have more 'voice in the preparatory work on a film. The next that I will shoot, after finishing the Twilight series will be Cosmopolis with David Cronenberg: I think that will be fun and it'll be something completely different from the Twilight saga. And then, after turning Cosmopolis, I think I will work on some project that I will start from scratch. I already have a few ideas in mind.
Are you talking about music? Do you still want to be musician?
Yes, even if they are not sound more 'for some time. I mean I do not play more 'every day. For example, some time ago I was in New Orleans and I started playing the piano with a local group. It was fun, I wondered: Why I stopped playing the piano? . It 'was amazing, I enjoyed it very much. However, to devote myself to music, I think I should leave everything I'm doing now, take six months just to play and 'take my hand' with the guitar and piano. In this moment of my career however, I cant afford to do that.
In fact you're now only focused on your acting career: what it feels like to be the guy who now creates more 'batticuori around the world? The love of women of all ages, not just teenagers.
I can't explain how I feel. Yeah, sure is nice, but really I hope that all this love depends on me and my work and not the public imagination that sweeps over me. I hope to please as they are and not what the public image that I am or what I perceive to be his eyes. I'm happy for that love and all I can do to thank everyone who loves me so much is to do my job well and hope that my films to be appreciated. I do not know how else to thank my audience.
You seem too modest. Yet when you look in the mirror you should notice that you're very handsome and loved for that reason ...
Yes, I realize. But it's funny because before Twilight I have never played the handsome guy. Then, after Twilight, everything has changed and it is strange because, suddenly, everyone started to look differently.
I read that once you went to dinner with a fan, is it true or is it just a rumor invented?
It 's true, it happened in Spain. But before Twilight. The girl was a fan of Harry Potter and had recognized me: I was in Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire.)
In which city of Spain?
Barcelona, where I was shooting Little Ashes . I was shooting in the Catalan city, and this girl was always waiting for me outside my apartment and always asked for an autograph. Every day. I dont know anyone in Barcelona, and she could speak English and seemed like a normal person. One night while I was going out to dinner alone, as I always did, she was there as always out of my apartment, then I asked "Do you want to have dinner with me?". We had dinner .. and then returned to wait no longer! She took me to dinner in her parents' restaurant to 'pay' the bill.
Congratulations! Change the subject: how do you relax when not working?
I don't relax, I can't. While it is pathetic to say so I want to plan a trip by plane only to have the time to be able to sleep.
But what do you do when not working? How is your perfect day?
When not working I spend time sitting and I'm terribly boring. I try to watch a movie, but my concentration is very short, so after twenty minutes I get distracted and start to play video game on my Iphone. It 's a game that requires no concentration, just to roll a small ball. I can stay seated and engaged in this game for sixteen hours at a time!
It 's almost like meditation ....
Yes! And it is everything I do on my days off: I sit, play and I feel more and more 'frustrated!
Do you have a very stressful life? And if so, is to relax from the stress of making this game?
More than stressed, I'm always tired. It 's a strange feeling to feel always tired, always tired. Would you like to be at peace, but you can not even rest, It 's like if I keep running even when they are stationary.
Could do to get better sport. Go to the gym or train in some other way?
Unfortunately I had to train at the start of filming of Breaking Dawn, the latest film in the saga of Twilight. I did not want any, but I had to do because I had to shoot many scenes without shirt and it haunted me: I did not look bad. So I started eating healthy, doing a lot of gymnastics and cycling. I spent a lot of the gym and then, as soon as I finished shooting the scene without my shirt I stopped. I hope now, nevr have to exercise and eat all the sandwiches Pretzel I want!
Why pretzel?
I love them! It 's crazy, but I eat more' than a pound a week. And I also love the peanut M & M's with peanuts. E 'foolish, but I can not resist the pretzel and M & M's. Pretzel I also love my dog!
Do you have a dog? How does it deal with all the constant move?
I have no idea yet, given that I took a few days. It 's a hybrid, I took it from a shelter where he was to be shot down. I've seen and I've got. I didnt want it to die. I have not yet given a name yet. When I was a teenager I had a dog for years and it was very relaxing around forever. And now my pleasure to have my new dog always with me is like a lifeline.
Do you feel homeless, because you always have to travel?
A lot, and it's a weird thing. When I am overwhelmed by work, I do not think, I roll forward. I go home, set the alarm, I fall asleep, I wake up and go to work. No matter where I am. I could be in 'my' London but would still be the same wherever I am.
What do you miss from England when you are in the United States or other countries?
The dailies. I still prefer the English ones. But, in fact I miss the sports pages of newspapers.
What in the sports pages?
Football
What is the lesson he has learned in recent years?
That it is impossible to please everyone
Q : What about the new film Water for Elephants : just starting, the screen displays a sign that says that hir character is waiting to begin his life in the sense that so far nothing has happened not important. Have you ever had this feeling? Also consider what was the turning point in his life?
R : My life has started, while I have not yet reached a turning point, although I seem to get every two years. Let me explain: every two - three years, it is as if my life had an accelerated growth and each time I find myself thinking: now what will happen?
So what do you expect to happen now?
I don't know. I think I'm reaching the end of something.
Are you talking about your private life or work?
Of both. The work affects the privacy, and we say that all three films is as if change and become something else
Now what would you like to do?
I would like to have more 'voice in the preparatory work on a film. The next that I will shoot, after finishing the Twilight series will be Cosmopolis with David Cronenberg: I think that will be fun and it'll be something completely different from the Twilight saga. And then, after turning Cosmopolis, I think I will work on some project that I will start from scratch. I already have a few ideas in mind.
Are you talking about music? Do you still want to be musician?
Yes, even if they are not sound more 'for some time. I mean I do not play more 'every day. For example, some time ago I was in New Orleans and I started playing the piano with a local group. It was fun, I wondered: Why I stopped playing the piano? . It 'was amazing, I enjoyed it very much. However, to devote myself to music, I think I should leave everything I'm doing now, take six months just to play and 'take my hand' with the guitar and piano. In this moment of my career however, I cant afford to do that.
In fact you're now only focused on your acting career: what it feels like to be the guy who now creates more 'batticuori around the world? The love of women of all ages, not just teenagers.
I can't explain how I feel. Yeah, sure is nice, but really I hope that all this love depends on me and my work and not the public imagination that sweeps over me. I hope to please as they are and not what the public image that I am or what I perceive to be his eyes. I'm happy for that love and all I can do to thank everyone who loves me so much is to do my job well and hope that my films to be appreciated. I do not know how else to thank my audience.
You seem too modest. Yet when you look in the mirror you should notice that you're very handsome and loved for that reason ...
Yes, I realize. But it's funny because before Twilight I have never played the handsome guy. Then, after Twilight, everything has changed and it is strange because, suddenly, everyone started to look differently.
I read that once you went to dinner with a fan, is it true or is it just a rumor invented?
It 's true, it happened in Spain. But before Twilight. The girl was a fan of Harry Potter and had recognized me: I was in Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire.)
In which city of Spain?
Barcelona, where I was shooting Little Ashes . I was shooting in the Catalan city, and this girl was always waiting for me outside my apartment and always asked for an autograph. Every day. I dont know anyone in Barcelona, and she could speak English and seemed like a normal person. One night while I was going out to dinner alone, as I always did, she was there as always out of my apartment, then I asked "Do you want to have dinner with me?". We had dinner .. and then returned to wait no longer! She took me to dinner in her parents' restaurant to 'pay' the bill.
Congratulations! Change the subject: how do you relax when not working?
I don't relax, I can't. While it is pathetic to say so I want to plan a trip by plane only to have the time to be able to sleep.
But what do you do when not working? How is your perfect day?
When not working I spend time sitting and I'm terribly boring. I try to watch a movie, but my concentration is very short, so after twenty minutes I get distracted and start to play video game on my Iphone. It 's a game that requires no concentration, just to roll a small ball. I can stay seated and engaged in this game for sixteen hours at a time!
It 's almost like meditation ....
Yes! And it is everything I do on my days off: I sit, play and I feel more and more 'frustrated!
Do you have a very stressful life? And if so, is to relax from the stress of making this game?
More than stressed, I'm always tired. It 's a strange feeling to feel always tired, always tired. Would you like to be at peace, but you can not even rest, It 's like if I keep running even when they are stationary.
Could do to get better sport. Go to the gym or train in some other way?
Unfortunately I had to train at the start of filming of Breaking Dawn, the latest film in the saga of Twilight. I did not want any, but I had to do because I had to shoot many scenes without shirt and it haunted me: I did not look bad. So I started eating healthy, doing a lot of gymnastics and cycling. I spent a lot of the gym and then, as soon as I finished shooting the scene without my shirt I stopped. I hope now, nevr have to exercise and eat all the sandwiches Pretzel I want!
Why pretzel?
I love them! It 's crazy, but I eat more' than a pound a week. And I also love the peanut M & M's with peanuts. E 'foolish, but I can not resist the pretzel and M & M's. Pretzel I also love my dog!
Do you have a dog? How does it deal with all the constant move?
I have no idea yet, given that I took a few days. It 's a hybrid, I took it from a shelter where he was to be shot down. I've seen and I've got. I didnt want it to die. I have not yet given a name yet. When I was a teenager I had a dog for years and it was very relaxing around forever. And now my pleasure to have my new dog always with me is like a lifeline.
Do you feel homeless, because you always have to travel?
A lot, and it's a weird thing. When I am overwhelmed by work, I do not think, I roll forward. I go home, set the alarm, I fall asleep, I wake up and go to work. No matter where I am. I could be in 'my' London but would still be the same wherever I am.
What do you miss from England when you are in the United States or other countries?
The dailies. I still prefer the English ones. But, in fact I miss the sports pages of newspapers.
What in the sports pages?
Football
What is the lesson he has learned in recent years?
That it is impossible to please everyone
Ask Rob Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon a question
New Unscripted Interview
In 'Water for Elephants,' Robert Pattinson plays Jacob, a young veterinarian student, who falls for a circus performer named Marlena (played by Reese Witherspoon). Their relationship blossoms while taking care of an elephant in the show, but they soon encounter danger together at the hands of Marlena's husband .
If you can't wait for 'Elephant''s April 22 release date, Moviefone is offering you the chance to participate in the next episode of 'Unscripted,' with the movie's stars, Robert Pattinson and Resse Witherspoon. This is your opportunity to find out what it's like to be an Oscar-winner or a vampire -- whatever you think is a bigger deal.
Submit your question in the Ask! box HERE, including your name and location, by 12PM EST on Saturday, April 3. Once your question pops up on the screen, other users can vote on it. Simple, right? You can also vote on questions submitted by others.
CNN also wants your questions - on video
You have the chance to interview the cast of the historical drama “Water for Elephants”. They will be sitting down soon with CNN.com!
Robert Pattinson, along with Academy Award winners Reese Witherspoon and Christolph Waltz, will be joining us to talk about what it was like joining a circus and working with their animal costars in this movie adaptation of the New York Times bestseller novel.
Be sure to upload videos with your questions for the cast by Friday, April 1. Please keep them to 15 seconds or less. Look for the answers soon on CNN.com!
Upload your question HERE
Via
Preview of Robert's interview in Vanity Fair (Italy)
While waiting to come back for working on the Twilight Saga, he is playing the lover of a married woman. But being a cheater for him will be really hard.You don't have to be smart to understand that, generally speaking, there is worst than became a poster-guy who needs to hide from the fans in a five star hotel room around the world. And it looks like Robert is a very smart guy. But is also looks like, in his everyday life, that he didn't took his destiny from the bright side. He is young (25 years old in May), he has money, success, a job, actor, which half of the world would love to have and all the women whom he could have. But you can see he is not happy.
The reason, I believe, is because he is smart enought to understand that he is not that special. He is still down-to-earth even when the whole world is going crazy for him. That makes him a good person, but so so lonely. I met him a few weeks ago, for the promotion of the movie "Water for Elephants".
Born in a normal English family - his mother working for a model agency, his father used to sell vintage cars - he was going to work on international relations. His role as Cedric in Harry Potter and the Globet of Fire was a lucky event and the same was for the role that was going to change is life: the Vampire Edward Cullen in Twilight.
Water for Ekephants is a romance movie. "What attracted me was the historical period, the great depression, the circus, it's fascinating".
The main plot is however the story between Jacob and Marlena. "Even if at the beginning you are thinking "oh now he comes and sees her, they like each other they run away together" the story is more than that. Jacob is ready to give, not to take. Best relationship ever".
Could you have an affair with a married woman?
"Life is not black or white. There are married people that don't see each other, can we define that as marriage? There is one thing I've never understood: why people cheat"
You can't understand something that most people do???
“I understand the impulse, but not how you can maintain 2 relationships for long. And though I realize that can happen to those who have children, I can't really understand how someone free of any commitment could possible choose to have four women at the same time. it must be like hell for a man”
You don't believe in cheating. What about in the happly ever after, like a movie ending?
“My parents met when my mom was 17 and my father 25, they are still together and seem very happy. I grew up believing that you can be together all life."
The whole interview will be on the next issue of vanity fair out on March 30th. (Tomorrow)
Preview of Rob's interview with Empire Magazine - Talks Cosmopolis, Cronenberg & Twilight
Love him (teenage girls everywhere) or loathe him (their boyfriends), Robert "R.Pattz" Pattinson is apparently here to stay. With Water For Elephants out soon, he's gearing up to star in Cosmopolis for David Cronenberg. Yes, you read that right. Yes, this may mean that you have to start liking him. Here's what he had to say about his role."I'm just astonished that I've been cast. I'd read the script before and thought, 'Wow, this is insane. But insane and difficult.' And then, out of nowhere, my agent said, 'Do you want to do it?' I'd never thought about working with Cronenberg, but I've always loved his movies. It just never came into my head that there would ever be that opportunity.
"Y'know, there are so few auteurs left. The one thing that pisses me off about working in films is when you start a project and then, suddenly, two days before you start, there's a massive rewrite to make an R-rated movie into something that's PG-13, and it's a totally different story. As soon as that line's been crossed, you know you're not making a movie anymore. You're making a...a... fridge magnet. But with people like Cronenberg you know that, no matter what, there will be a movie at the end, and it will be solid and self-contained, and it's not made for any other reason than it being a movie."
Pattinson also confirmed that, as far as he is concerned there will be no further Twilight outings following the two-part Breaking Dawn which finishes the current series. And he swears that he didn't know what he was getting himself into with Stephenie Meyer's massive vampire saga.
"I thought at the time, with Catherine Hardwicke and Kristen Stewart, it was going to be an indie movie. It seemed really interesting: a teen vampire movie that was going to be like Thirteen and really serious. I had no idea it was going to be this big thing you'd get on Burger King hats."
Water For Elephants is out on May 4, and the full interview with His Dreaminess is in the new issue of Empire, out Thursday.
New article - A day on the set of 'Water for Elephants' + Interviews with Rob, Reese and Christoph
From Cinemania Magazine - April 2011
Water for Elephants: Life is a circus.
Wild animals, trains, dwarfs and acrobats. This is what Robert Pattinson’s life has turned into: a circus
It’s the time of the recession in the United States, during the 30’s in the XX century. The inhabitants of Weehaken, New Jersey, wear the clothes of the time: the men with hats, ties, suspenders and coats, the women with long flower print dresses; the children with crops and caps. The crowd maintains itself in expectation of the parade of the fabulous Benzini brothers’ circus, whose promotional posters announce it as “The most fabulous show on earth!” Everything would be perfect of the technicians and production team of a film was not walking on the same street, which break the illusion of a trip to the past.
This is the Water for Elephants set, film shot in the 20th Century Fox studios, in Los Angeles, under the direction of Fancis Lawrence (Constantine, 2005: I am Legend, 20007), and is one of the most anticipated productions of 2011 due to its appealing story of romance, based on Sara Gruen’s best seller (adapted by Richard LaGravensee), and above all for its stellar cast: Reese Witherspoon, Robert Patinson and Cristoph Waltz.
The story is centered on Jacob’s history (Pattinson), who, about to graduate as a veterinary, abandons his studies upon his parents deaths. Chance unites him t a traveling circus, where he will become sentimentally involved with Marlena (Witherspoon), star acrobat and wife to the abusive tamer August (Waltz), which will create a fiery love triangle.
THE CIRCUS OF FILMING
Before interviews, reporters are placed in a convenient place to observe the circus parada, composed of a musical band, the clowns, the strong man, the dwarves, the tumblers and trapeze acts, as well as the different animals; a giraffe, a lion, two camels, two lamas, three ponies, three zebras, some mounting horses, a hippopotamus, and trained dogs. However, the main event is Reese’s revelation, mounted on Rosie the elephant, accompanied a few meters away by Waltz and Pattinson. The corwd of about 300 extras which have been called for this job, applaud this circus troop.
The filming of this scene, with three cameras, is repeated several times, until finally, the director is satisfied. Then, some shots are filmed in silence in which the extras must simulate the hand and facial gestures of their cries. Later, the principal camera changes locations and the fields and backgrounds are filmed, along with the foregrounds and details. The execution of all this is the result of long work of planning alongside the director of photography, who is none other than Mexican Rodrigo Prieto (Amores Perros, Secreto en la Montana, Biutiful), whom at any given moment makes himself visible giving instructions to his assistants, with script in hand and focused on the monitor of what is shot on steady cam.
There’s a time in which Reese shows off her gymnast and animal training gifts. She has become great friends with Rosie. She gracefully hangs from her trunk to reach the ground, and then to get back on, she receives the elephant’s help, which shows an advanced training job.
“Of course I was scared,” she confeses later. “The first time I got on I screamed, but it went away afterwards. I learned her personality and earned her trust.”
Reese comes to our interview accompanied by Pattinson who wears his characters clothes: knee high boots, tight pants, button up shirt.
“Its very gratifying participating in a film like this,” says Reese, “where there’s authentic sets, with real characters and a good story. There’s no computer effects, except for a few. I think the audience is hungry for authentic stories that they can relate to. Besides, every specialist that has participated in this film is a craftsman: the set designer, costume designer…its beautiful watching the work they do.”
Photo captions: top – The circus tops were raised with the same techniques used in the 30s.
Bottom- Reese Witherspoon does not lose her glamour any second. Her costumes were designed by Jacqueline West, also responsible for the costumes inRed.
MEMORABLE CHARACTERS
This visit during filming turns out to be very illustrative – to which Cinemania was exclusively invited – each time that one of the most colorful and spectacular scenes of the film is enacted: the circus parade through town. At first look, one is dazzled by the wardrobe, and the first level ambiance, in this old set that has been used by Fox to film classic films like The Grapes of Wrath (1940), or Hello Dolly! (1969).
“I always had a fascination with the circus,” Reese tells us. “I was a gymnast, did some acrobatics, trapeze tricks, stuff like that.
“Yea, me too,” says Pattinson, “although I wasn’t particularly obsessed with that world. I think I was afraid of it when I was younger. I supposes circuses caused a more profound effect during the time that was recreated in the film, when there was no Zoo or television.”
Both protagonists are very friendly towards each other, because despite the age difference, they’ve known each other a long time and make a good pair onscreen, due to Reese looking younger than her age. “ I hate this story, it makes me look old (laughs). We met in a movie. I was 24 and they needed a younger woman that had a child. Reese blushes joking with Pattinson to whom she cedes the floor. “She was my mom,” he comments between laughter, “it was in Vanity Fair.”
Whatever the case was, they are both very enthusiastic with their roles n Water for Elephants, because in it some very rich and intense roles. “My character has a very intense and interesting journey,” describes Reese, “because she starts to work very young, during the Great Depression, when everyone is looking for a way to survive. She has a true survivors attitude. On the other hand, she finds herself in the middle of an abusive relationship from her husband, and Rob’s character (Pattinson) makes her see that there are better things out there and that it’s possible to have a better life.”
“What I’ve enjoyed the most about my character is being surrounded by animals,” says Pattinson. “I’ve never interacted with an elephant. There’s something very peaceful in her (Rosie), that I enjoy,” he states.
ONCE AGAIN THE VILLAN
In another conversation, Christoph Waltz shares a similar opinion: “One fascinating thing about the older circuses was the animals. There are hardly any circuses like that because they are under greater projection (luckily, we say). If you whip an elephant it’s more likely you’ll receive one in return. Having spent three months with a paqyderm is the most incredible experience you can imagine, because they are very intelligent, “comments the Austrian actor.
He also jokes when remembering the training session before filming. “Rosie, the elephant, did everything she was required with precision – mentions Waltz – She’s very obedient and intelligent. So I told the director, ‘Wouldn’t you love if all the actors were like her, patient and focused? They are the ideal actors!” he laughs.
Waltz has a strong personality, a European elegance, a firm attitude and a subtle humor that is evident in all his replies. “I can’t describe my character,” he replies to my query,” I don’t do it because what I do for a living is to interpret the character and what you do for a living is to describe the character. So, let’s keep our positions.” Late on he gives us some hints to understand the difficulties of his job. “It’s a therapeutic exercise to have sympathy for an unsympathetic character,” explains Waltz about his role. “I wouldn’t say this character is detestable because that would be a judgment. What I do is translate his rhythm into actions and emotions. If I gave you an opinion about my role, frankly it would seem boring. I think the opinion should be formed observing how he develops,” he states.
Photo captions: top – Robert Pattinson had to get very dirty during this shoot, due to a nomadic life and cleaning animal cells don’t favor cleanliness.
Middle – Love blooms between Jacob and Marlena: it was difficult for both actors to be serious when filming romantic scenes.
Bottom – Christoph Waltz once again appears as a brutally intelligent but violent man.
Middle – Love blooms between Jacob and Marlena: it was difficult for both actors to be serious when filming romantic scenes.
Bottom – Christoph Waltz once again appears as a brutally intelligent but violent man.
Entertainment Weekly senior writer, Sara Vilkomerson talks Rob, Water For Elephants, Twilight & more
Josh Benson: Can you explain Robert Pattinson to me, please?Sara Vilkomerson: Oh well gee, where to begin! I guess we should start with Twilight. Are you familiar with it?
Josh: How about let's assume I'm not totally up to speed on it. Just for the sake of this exercise, you understand.
Sara: Mmmhmmm, sure.
In my humble opinion there is an essential part of Twilight that girls go nuts for that has got a lot to do with the whole vampire, undying-love (literally!) stuff. Which is that the main character, Bella, considers herself clumsy and awkward and not particularly beautiful, which I think speaks to at least 90 percent of how girls felt in high school. And then the coolest, hottest, most unattainable boy in school picks her out as the object of his affection. This is heady heady crack-for-girls stuff already. So then they cast Robert Pattinson in the role.
Oh look, I wrote about this in the Observer when the first one came out!
Josh: I remember that place! That piece, too.
Sara: Anyway, Robert Pattinson had the tough job of filling the shoes of a character that is described at length as being preternaturally good-looking, and he succeeded because, among other things, he happens to be preternaturally good looking. He just is.
And Twilight became a huge success. And now he can't walk down the street without people asking him to bite them, which means he did a very, very good job. And now, three films later and with two more on the way, he has a tough road ahead getting people to forget about him as Edward Cullen but to see him as Robert Pattinson, the actor.
Josh: Given the fact that he is at this point kind of the embodiment of vampiretainment, is it not slightly unrealistic to expect that people are going to stop asking him to bite them anytime soon?
Sara: If this is a delicate way of asking me if I asked him to bite me during our interview, let me state clearly for the record that I did not.
Josh: Phew. What about people who are less professional than you are, though?
Sara: I think he must get it a lot. Which must be one of those things that is hilarious the first three times but not at all the next 3,000 or so. The next two Twilight movies, Breaking Dawn 1 and 2, come out this November and next November. So he'll be living with the Edward Cullen stuff till after that. And then ... who knows? I hope for his sake it stops!
Josh: He described that enduring recognition for a certain thing as the "horrible" aspect of being part of a franchise.
What's the textbook career-management example for an actor who goes on to become much more Serious than his breakout role? Can Twilight end up being Pattinson's "21 Jump Street"?
Sara: Clooney did it! But I think you raise an interesting point about actors who happen to be blessed/cursed with extraordinary good looks, like Johnny Depp or Brad Pitt, which is that they have to work harder, I think, to make you stop thinking about them that way.
Josh: Did it help those other guys, in a way it wouldn't necessarily help Pattinson, that their breakout roles were somewhat less massive, culturally? (I'm going to go ahead and guess, without referring to the internet, that "21 Jump Street" was never quite the prevasive franchise that Twilight has become.)
Sara: Maybe. But look at Harrison Ford. He was Han Solo AND Indiana Jones—that's two massive mainstream franchises—and he still went on to play all sorts of other roles successfully. So I think it's going to be really interesting to see what all these Twilight actors, not just Pattinson, end up doing in the future.
Josh: May I ask you another question about vampires?
Sara: You may.
Josh: I'm aware this has already been hotly debated (I refer you to my earlier statement about my level of attention), but can you please explain how much the Pattinson phenomenon has to do with the vampire-affected sexual politics of Twilight?
In the movies (and in the books they're based on) the whole point is that actually he won't ever defile the girl he loves by biting her, if I understand right. So ... has Pattinson, by virtue of playing a very handsome, very devoted vampire on TV, become a sex symbol for chastity? Is there such a thing?
Sara: I don't know I can explain the sexual politics of Twilight. But! I do think in the first few books there is something remarkably chaste and appealing on a YA level about two characters who want to have sex with each other but cannot for life-and-death reasons. And that while he is inexplicably drawn to the scent of her blood, he restrains himself from doing anything that would harm her, and in fact, goes out of his way to make sure no harm comes to her any other way, either.
Josh: Might that help explain the Pattinson craze? The fact that he played a character that tapped into the, how you say, "crack-for-girls stuff"?
Sara: It's a really good question, I don't know if I or anyone can say where the appeal of the character and the appeal of the actor split or begin. But clearly they've become conjoined. (That's a word, right? I'm on Dayquil!)
Josh: Yes! I hadn't even noticed.
Sara: I do what I can.
Josh: So after all that, what was he like in person?
Sara: I was really curious beforehand, because how many people are there that are THAT kind of famous? And I was very pleasantly surprised by how sweet and charming he is. And mostly, how easy it was to talk to him.
Because, as you know, doing any long interview is like having a long conversation with anyone. The real worry is, what if you run out of things to talk about? Or sometimes, when someone is really interviewed a lot, will this person be saying the same thing that he says to everyone? But I found him remarkably sincere.
Josh: It occurs to me that you improved your odds of having him say something new by making the first question about whether the elephant in his new movie, which is actually called Water for Elephants, would remember him the next time he was on set. Was this one of your fancy "journalism" tricks?
Sara: It's more of a Vilkomerson is Interested in the Animals trick. Kidding (sort of). But actually I think when people see the movie, they'll be struck at how much he and that elephant seem to like each other! And I knew we were reuniting them for our photo shoot. So I was genuinely curious.
Josh: Yes, he definitely seemed to like talking about the animals! Even, to his credit, about the zebra who chased him away.
Sara: I loved it when he called the zebras "wily." I never once thought about zebras in that way. I always thought they were like really weird-looking horses.
Josh: Did you not detect something backhanded in his comment about the zebra's williness? Maybe his sincerity fails to come through in text.
Sara: Well, it sounded like his colleagues all teased him from running from the zebra. Though if you think about it, zebras are big. I wouldn't want one running at me, either.
I talked to a lot of other people from this movie—including the director and the screenwriter—and it sounds like the animal aspect was really intense. Also, I learned that lions are somewhat harder to work with than tigers. Now you know too!
Josh: Wait, hold on, I'm writing that one down.
Sara: You Never Know.
Josh: Did it strike you that he was happier talking about the circus movie with the elephants than he was about the aforementioned massive Twilight two-parter?
Sara: I think this has been a very long shoot—they are doing both the first and the second movies in one session. So he joked that he feels like they've been shooting it all of his life. But he seemed very enthusiastic about it and about the director, and about how dark and odd these last two chapters are going to be. Cause you know what happens in the last book, right? It's bananas!
Josh: Um, yes. Yes, I know what happens in the last book.
Sara: So ... that is going to be interesting to see how they did that AND kept it PG 13. Because it's pretty dark up in there!
Josh: That's what he said!
Sorry.
Sara: Haha.
Josh: I just mean, he talked to you about how deeply weird it actually is, to the point where he was wondering how they might go about advertising it.
Sara: Right. And of course, it's all very secretive and no one knows anything for sure yet. So I'm sure there were things he could not tell me. But I'm very intrigued about how it's all going to go down.
Josh: I don't suppose weirdness will be at all off-putting for the Twilight fans who are going to see these movies in the zillions. Like, I am presuming that advertising strategy will be the last of their worries.
Sara: Oh, I think if you are a fan you are a fan. And no, I don't think it will put anyone off in the slightest
Josh: I have one more question for you!
Sara: You can ask me a million more!
Josh: Don't tempt me! As you know, I have a proven track record of wasting your time. But my question is this: When a celebrity says to you, as Pattinson did, and I'm sure lots of your other fancy story subjects have, that his life is actually super-boring, what is Inner Vilkomerson's reaction?
Sara: I actually believe him! Which is not to say I'd believe it from anyone, but this guy works ALL the time. And I mean ALL the time.
Josh: That's what--
Sara: Haha. You take the fact that he works all the time and combine it with the fact that he can't walk amongst us in public life without crowds of girls going nutty, and it seems possible that he really doesn't get into any trouble. He buys things on Ebay! He talked to me about various youtube videos.
Josh: You know, when you put it like that, he does sound boring. No wonder he couldn't stop talking about the zebra incident.
Sara: Come now, when was the last time a zebra ran at you?
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