Courtesy of Wikipedia

If you haven’t heard of “Twilight,” then you may have been living under a rock in Siberia for the past couple of years.

“Twilight” is the first book of the “Twilight” series by Stephanie Meyer that chronicles two star-crossed lovers who face problems with the supernatural phenomenon of vampires. Bella Swan is a normal girl who falls in love with Edward Cullen, a not-so-normal boy. He is a vampire, and the two must fight to stay together and keep their endless love strong, despite that he is actually 108 years old and she’s 17.

In the film, Robert Pattinson, a London native who recently made the jump from stage actor to the silver screen, plays the role of Cullen. His credits include Cedric Diggory from “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” and “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” Salvador Dali in “Little Ashes” and a small role in “Vanity Fair” with Reese Witherspoon. Named No. 23 on People’s “Top 25 Under 25” list, Pattinson has gained early recognition as not only a heartthrob but also as an up-and-coming actor.

In a recent phone interview, Pattinson discussed his newfound fame and the fear of being pigeonholed in the role of Cullen, considering the large-scale popularity of the books and the blood-thirsty anticipation of the movie. His response was light-hearted and realistic stating that anyone can have a fear of being typecast, but he’s “not expecting it.” “Anything I do is going to be different,” Pattinson said, considering there aren’t too many vampire roles floating around. As far as the heartthrob status goes, he says he “doesn’t pay attention to it” but his “mom loves that stuff.”

As aforementioned, Pattinson started his acting career by performing on stage. When asked which he prefers, the dynamics of the stage or film acting, he distinctly identified the major reason any actor pursues a big-screen acting career: the moolah. “I like both, I mean it’s a very, very different dynamic when I was doing stage stuff, I wasn’t getting paid.” Pattinson does recognize that the stage provides a certain form of freedom for an actor. “You don’t care about getting fired, and you can do whatever you want,” he said. “So, my memories of doing stuff on stage are great. It’s just so much more satisfying when you feel you can do whatever you want. It involves a certain amount of bravery is all.”

Another point of recognition for Pattinson is his appearance on the film’s sound track. “Never Think” is an acoustic love song performed in the low, luscious singing voice of Pattinson. But when asked if he would like to pursue a music career, the actor shrugged it off. “I have absolutely zero plans in actively pursuing music,” he said. “I would like to record an album at some point, but I don’t really care if anyone buys it or not.” He also says he toys with the idea of “having enough money to start a recording studio,” but that at this point in his career he wants to put acting at the forefront.

But don’t be fooled into thinking Pattinson will be a one-hit wonder. He has the down-to-earth attitude needed to stay grounded in a “look-at-me” industry. There is no question that “Twilight” will be a huge success, but this actor accepts his newfound stardom and takes it as a blessing, reiterating: “You should do what you want and just hope.” Smart words from an equally smart man.

“Twilight” will be released nationwide on Nov. 21.