Robert Pattinson: “I’ve Been Beaten Up a Few Times”

The Twilight hunk, who stars in the new film Remember Me, says that he got into fights when he was younger and reveals how he feels about being compared to James Dean.

-Cindy Pearlman

After starring in the first Twilight movie, Robert Pattinson couldn’t wait to sink his fangs into something else entirely: playing a rebellious college student who falls for a cop’s daughter (Emilie De Ravin) in the romantic drama Remember Me, which opens today. “It was great, especially not having to put all that makeup on,” admits the 23-year-old star. But even though his character, Tyler, is a mere mortal, Robert jokes that the dashing vampire Edward Cullen was never far from his mind during filming. “I could have done a little biting in this movie,” he says with a laugh. “I could have done it in those fights!”

What attracted you to this role?
There was something different about this. It didn't fit into a typical teen movie thing. And I never read a script like it. The character seemed realistic, and I really connected to it.

Tyler seems a lot like Edward. Are you worried about becoming typecast as the brooding, wounded guy?
Ah, maybe I just am brooding and wounded! And I'm only just realizing it. Nah, I'm not. All the projects I've been doing, not in a calculated way, are little baby steps towards other things. But I'm always quite aware of how people are going to view things. People do judge me differently after Twilight. But there's nothing you can do about that.

In what way did you relate to this character personally?
He's always the one being harmed. I mean, looking back into the past, bearing grudges and things, I don't really do that. But the way his violence comes out and doesn't have legitimate targets, I related to that.

Read Kristen Stewart: “My Life is Very Good”

There's a lot of fighting going on between your character and his father, played by Pierce Brosnan. Is that anything like your relationship with your own father?
My relationship with my father is the opposite! Actually, Pierce's character in the script was more controlling and arrogant. But Pierce is just a nice guy. So he wanted the character to not be a monster. And that completely changed Tyler's relationship with him.