Brit actor eyes vampire film success

By Frances Cronin
Newsbeat entertainment reporter

Robert Pattinson and co-star Kristen Stewart at the LA premiere

British actor Robert Pattinson is set to become a major star with his new film Twilight that has just premiered in America.

Most famous for playing Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter, he's starring in the teen vampire romance that's been causing chaotic levels of hype in the US.

There have been near riots when he and the cast have made promotional appearances in malls across the States.

There were hundreds of fans camping out for the LA premiere and constant screaming that Robert's still not used to.

"It's the most distracting thing in the world," he says.

The film is based on the cult books by Stephanie Meyer whose devoted readers are compared to Harry Potter fans.

The movie has been shot on a budget with a cast of relative unknowns but is expected to make big returns.

Robert plays Edward Cullen, one of a family of eternally young vampires who refuse to drink blood.

In pictures: Twilight premiere

He admits the hysteria surrounding the film has caught him by surprise: "I went into it as a normal job - I mean it was just an audition and then it became this thing incrementally over the last few months.

"And every day that goes past it seems to get a hundred times bigger. Nothing surprises me to do with Twilight any more."

While the excitement in America is getting to fever pitch the books aren't as popular in the UK.

The film will premiere in December and is on general release from 19 December.

Robert's not sure how long his anonymity will last: "I'm curious to see what happens in England because in all this madness I think I can always go home to England and it'll all turn off."