Mytwilight

- According to what we’ve heard you were so hilarous on set that Taylor Lautner says you always had to reshoot because of your jokes.
Not really, I’m not funny at all (laughs), he is just kidding. These rumors are spread so that I won’t look too grumpy in interviews (laughs louder).

- But isn’t it like a caricature that you are a romantic vampire and that Taylor is a muscular werewolf? You should be laughing about this a lot when cameras are off.
Yes, it is in fact funny but what’s funnier is that actually I have to be as muscular as he is (laughs). I can’t go to the gym, what can I do. -What makes this new movie enjoyable for you?
I think the increase in the number of actors. In the first two movies there were only two couples and no more. This time cast is expanding and everybody has an important part in the story. This means a large cast with small roles. Also in this movie there are grandiose fight scenes as opposed to the first two movies. And this is a different stand for a Twilight movie.

- What is your most favorite scene in this movie?
There is a scene where Bella kisses Jacob. She comes back to ask forgiveness and Edward acts very understanding about this. I think this is a very nice moment. This is the only scene in the whole series that I can identify with Edward. I don’t think there are many guys who can do this and for me this scene is a sign that he is a good guy.

- But it’s hard to watch another guy kiss and hug the girl you love, isn’t it?
Yes but thinking that he always was right… (missing sentences)…. promises that he will do everything as she likes it. This is one of the main themes of Eclipse. Edward tells her that he will never push her again and he stands behind this promise. There is nothing for him to do but wait to see if Bella will come back to him or not.

-What makes this new movie enjoyable for you?
I think the increase in the number of actors. In the first two movies there were only two couples and no more. This time cast is expanding and everybody has an important part in the story. This means a large cast with small roles. Also in this movie there are grandiose fight scenes as opposed to the first two movies. And this is a different stand for a Twilight movie.

- Do you believe in pre-marital sex?
I think in that era everyone had sex (laughs loudly), and they were covering it. Few people stick to the rule of not having sex before marriage. The idea that a woman should wander always with his man is ridiculous. I don’t like that men and women act insincerely just to show off or to look decent. If you are a real gentleman, you act like a gentleman anyhow. But if you are doing this just because of rules, there is something wrong with it.

- You said “It achieves to be sexy without sex” for the movie. Do you think this is important in a relationship?
That sentence was an answer to an argument. There was a claim that “the movie is supposed to be sexy but they never have sex.” I said “Why is it supposed to be sexy?” Also when it comes to those moments filled with expectation, there is a certain sexiness and that’s why Twilight is a movie with so many fans. Everybody loves that moment where you see if someone’s love for you is strong enough or not. Fear of sex makes the movie more attractive. If both sides haven’t had sex before this fear is doubled and there are four books written about it, thick books too. I think people like to stay at that moment for a long time.

- Is there anything you kept in mind while playing this character? What do you think about Edward?
Not much, because everything develops naturally. He is someone who hates himself, thinks he is not good enough for anything and does not think he has a right to live. All his lines, all his movements reflect this. So you have to stop thinking and act what is written. But as the series move forward things get easier for Edward and you have to look back and be happy for him. Edward is an anti-hero while at the same time a super hero who doesn’t accept that he is. …(missing sentences)… He always wants to stay modest and doesn’t want the world to know that he is different because he hates himself.

Musician at the same time!

- How did it feel like hearing the song you made for the movie while watching it?
This may sound weird to you but I watched the Twilight series from beginning to end for the first time just last week. They aired it on television. While watching the movie I thought how come I accepted to have my song in the movie. Back then I didn’t think this series would be this popular. If I had known that it was going to be this huge, I would worry about it and would not accept to put it in the soundtrack. If I hadn’t done it before and if they asked me to do it now I would never accept it. Director Catherine Hardwicke has used the song in such a key scene that in a way I’m happy that it made the soundtrack, especially when I think about the circumstances under which the song was written… Two of my friends were staying with me in my apartment in London and they wrote the lyrics randomly while playing a game that we didn’t even think it would become a song. After six months I found the lyrics they wrote, I liked it and suddenly it made the soundtrack!

- You mean acting is your profession but music is your private life. Because we haven’t seen much about your musical side.
You can’t act just because you enjoy it (laughs). Acting is not something like that…

- Do you keep your music hidden just because you want to keep it to yourself or are you afraid of people’s reactions?
Yes, because I don’t know if I can deal with the criticism about my music. I like making music and if I release an album now, a lot of people who hate popular things can go too far and say awful things about me.

- Does negative criticism about your music effects you more than negative criticism about your acting?
Yes, because when it comes to acting I’m at a place where I have to deal with this kind of stuff. But when it comes to music, I don’t want to get up and say “Come on, tell me what you think about it”. I don’t care what anybody thinks because I’m not trying to sell my music, and I don’t need to sell my music, so it’s pointless. I’m playing for my friends and for myself all the time. There are certain people I want to get feedback from but you see how people react to most of the things, they are ready to criticize everything.

- Your new movie is still being shot. Do you request three hour breaks when you want to watch the World Cup games?
No, I record them. Also I requested that there be a TV behind every interviewer I meet with but they didn’t accept it (laughs loudly).

- Do you know where you will be on the day of the final game of World Cup, on July 11th?
I’m still here. I hope some of my friends will come visit. But I work everyday, it’s a little boring.

- You are so busy… what is the definition of the perfect day for you?
I don’t know. Sometimes I find myself in such weird environments because of my job… I’m shooting a movie in a desert in Los Angeles and I work in a circus! There are animals and many interesting stuff, every day is a different unbelievable day. A few days ago they brought a 1920’s train that runs with steam and it was such a long train. A scene was being shot in which there were 300 extras. It was the scene where they built the circus tent and really that many people built the tent! Everybody was dressed in 1930’s style and since we were in the desert there was nothing that belonged to the modern world. I stopped and looked around, I was watching elephants, tigers and a steam train. Even if it’s purely fiction, the fact that everything is happening in front of you makes it very real and it’s an incredible experience. I can do such a thing everyday and not consider it as a job.

- You work with Reese Witherspoon in Water for Elephants. Did you start shooting your shared scenes?
Yes, we shot our first scene. In the past we acted in Vanity Fair together. I was her son in that movie, and now we’re acting as two lovers (laughs).

- Did Reese Witherspoon’s children want to meet you?
I don’t know if they did but I met them a few days ago. They looked comfortable…

- What about Uma Thurman with whom you acted together in Bel Ami?
I think her daughter is a fan of the movie. She came by with a friend and they asked for autographs.

- What about Uma?
She is really a wonderful, funny and strong person. By strong, I mean physically strong. In the movie I’m playing a man with leadership spirit and she is playing my wife. There was this scene where I made her subdue …(missing sentences)…

- (missing sentences)… Do you read what is written about you in the media?
I just want to be ready if I have to answer to what is written. I don’t do interviews much, I do it mainly when there is a movie promotion. I rarely go outside, so most of the stuff that is written about me is made up.

(rest of the interview is cropped)

- How is it working with Kristen Stewart? Is it easier compared to before or is it harder?
Some things are easier now. One of the most important things about Kristen is that she is a very good actress. You can’t just stand and act when acting with her, you have to be good at this too, which is actually a good thing. It is not possible to relax and rest while working with her. The first two movies we shot were more stressing because we constantly repeated scenes. None of us are a 60 year old actor who has been acting for years but we are pretty proud. Especially Kristen, she is a very serious actor and always aims for the best.

- Do you think you look out for each other? For example, do you share your thoughts when you think a scene could be acted better?
I’m a diferent person while acting and a different one while dealing with movie promotions. I don’t get those people who think movie promotions are very serious stuff. We’ve reached the third movie and people will watch anything with Twilight in title anyway and I have nothing left to say about this. But yes, Kristen likes speaking for me and this can be annoying (laughs loudly).

- Does she want to repeat the scenes often?
Yes, she looks at the director and says let’s shoot again but this doesn’t happen so often.

[källa.]