Robert Pattinson On Fame: 'I'm Pretty Much Exactly The Same'

'New Moon' star also contemplates a fight with Taylor Lautner and separating on- and offscreen romance.

As we enter December, "New Moon" is still riding high at the box office. And although it's a few weeks until Christmas, that doesn't mean "Twilight" fans aren't already dreaming of finding RPattz under their tree.

Well, we're always willing to start the party a bit early. Today, we present the final installment of an MTV Radio interview with Robert Pattinson, following up on his thoughts about romance and Taylor Lautner's transformation. Read on for candy-cane-flavored as Spunk Ransom talks fame, fighting Lautner and the danger of romancing a leading lady.

MTV: How are you dealing with the franchise's explosion into a full-blown phenomenon?

Robert Pattinson: I guess it's inevitable that you become more comfortable. You still fight against some things, but there's nothing really scary about it. I like all the people I work with. I generally have very few disagreements about the script or anything when we're doing it, especially on "New Moon." It just seemed so relaxed and easy. I mean, I've been on three different sets since January 14th. I've had, like, three days off. [So when people ask me,] "Has your life changed?" I don't know. I'm still on set. I'm going to be on set all next year as well. As for [running] errands and things, I don't know what that really is like, because I haven't had a sustained period of time where I've been off. ... I still feel like I'm pretty much exactly the same, which is maybe not a good thing.

MTV: Tell us about what was going through your mind during the pivotal scene where you break up with Bella.

Pattinson: It's strange, but something weird about it [is that I was helped by] people's anticipation of the movie and fans' idea of what Bella and Edward's relationship is, what it represents to them. Playing a scene where you're breaking up the ideal relationship, I felt a lot of the weight behind that, and also it took away your fear of melodrama as well. It felt seismic, if that's the right word, even when we were doing it. It was very much like [shooting the Italy] scene at the end [of the movie]. You can really feel the audience watching as you're doing it.

MTV: What personality traits do you share with Edward?

Pattinson: I guess stubbornness, in some ways about some things. He's pretty self-righteous too. And I guess I get quite obsessive about things — possessive as well, I think.

MTV: What are you obsessive about?

Pattinson: Well, I do have very, very specific ideas about how I want to do my work and how I want to be perceived — to the point of ridiculousness, sometimes. I don't listen to anyone else. That's why I don't have a publicist or anything. I can't stand it if someone is trying to tell me to do something, which is maybe a mistake sometimes. But I like being meticulous, and it's quite difficult as an actor to have that much control.

MTV: And how does the "Twilight" saga fit into that meticulousness?

Pattinson: Well, that's a good thing about the "Twilight" series. It does give you a lot more control over tiddly little things, which I want to have. I'm a control freak about it.

MTV: In a no-holds-barred fight between yourself and Taylor Lautner, who wins?

Pattinson: I don't know. I did hear the other day that Taylor had agreed to an interview where the interviewer was going to fight him. I don't think I'd ever agree to that. Also, looking at Taylor's martial-arts videos from when he was, like, 9, I wouldn't really want to do anything [to make him angry]. Maybe if I had some kind of weapon. But if Edward and Jacob [fought], I think it's actually a fact that Edward would win — I think, if I read the books correctly. So I guess I could hold onto that for my ego.

MTV: Love plays such a major role in these films, and so many fans want what happens onscreen to happen in real life. How do you separate what happens in movies from real life with women you're casted opposite?

Pattinson: You've always got to remember that you're being paid and that there's a lot of connotations that come with that. I think that's one of the major separations. Yeah, I think so.
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