Twilight Co-Stars Deny Dating
Twilight co-stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have denied tabloid reports that they are embroiled in an off-screen romance.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Pattinson rejected any supposed romantic link between him and Stewart, saying they are just ``good friends.''
Pattinson became an overnight heartthrob after starring in last year's movie adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's bestselling vampire romance novel.
``It doesn't make any difference what you say [to the tabloids],'' Pattinson said. ``I've literally been across the country [from Kristen], and it's like 'Oh, they were on secret dates!' It's like 'Where?' I can't get out of my hotel room!''
Stewart, meanwhile, offered a withering dismissal of the reports.
``It's so retarded,'' she told the magazine.
Still, the hunky 23-year-old actor who plays sexy blood-sucking vamp Edward Cullin in the popular film series revealed he is inspired by the 19-year-old starlet nonetheless.
``She's influenced how I've done all the 'Twilight' stuff,'' he told the magazine. ``It's quite nice to have someone who is genuinely indifferent to the whole spectacle of everything.''
Pattinson said his fame has caused him real-life grief when it comes to his dating life and said it's difficult for him to get dates because everyone only wants to date his character. Still, he has had to bat down rumors about him and his sultry co-star.
``Twilight'' was one of the biggest hits of 2008, grossing nearly $400 million worldwide. The next film in the franchise, ``New Moon,'' is due for release on Nov. 20.
Pattinson also talked about reservations he had early on in his acting career.
He said there was a point before ``Twilight'' where he almost gave up on acting completely.
``I was going to all these auditions and telling everyone how I got fired [from a play in London's West End] because I stood up for my principles. ...I kind of went nuts for a while,'' said Pattinson.
He couldn't land another job, stopped talking to his agent and began performing with a guitar in bars.
But after receiving a role in a BBC thriller ``The Haunted Airman,'' in which Pattinson appeared in a wheelchair and got to act like ``a weirdo,'' his outlook changed.
``I just changed my whole opinion about everything,'' he said, noting he was more willing to go for broke.