Robert Pattinson has harsh words for people who are still upset by Twilight (despite having slagged offplayfully made fun of the movie franchise himself in many interviews prior).

Speaking to GQ Spain, the star said he’d been told, “Man, Twilight ruined the vampire genre,” to which he responded: “Are you still stuck on that shit? How can you be sad about something that happened almost 20 years ago? It’s crazy.”

But as it happens, Robert very nearly didn’t land the undeniably iconic role at all.

Speaking on The Graham Norton Show in 2019, Superman lead Henry Cavillclaimed he was Twilight author Stephanie Meyer’s “first pick” for the franchise. 

“I got close to a bunch of stuff and didn’t get it,” he told the show’s host, who then asked the star: “Wasn’t Twilight written for you?”. 

“I wouldn’t go that far... but you can!” Henry laughed. “I think the writer of the books, when the movie came around, I think I was her first choice. I think... that’s the rumour I heard,” the actor said. 

“And she wanted me to play the role, but it wasn’t up to her. And instead, a very talented actor played it,” Henry continued.

IMdB seems to confirm the story, with a post on the site claiming that Stephanie Meyer wrote on her blog: “The most disappointing thing for me is losing my perfect Edward... Henry Cavill is now 24 years old. Let us have a moment of quiet in which to mourn…”

Robert Pattinson, who played 17-year-old (and centenarian, because vampire) Edward Cullen, was two years younger at the time.

Henry mentioned other missed roles in the clip, saying he’d been turned down for Superman the first time he auditioned, and lost the role of James Bond to Daniel Craig.

The British actor had also been hired to star in JJ Abrams’ early ’00s movie Superman Flyby, before this project was scrapped. He then auditioned for 2006′s Superman Returns, only to lose out to Brandon Routh, before finally landing the superhero role in 2011, making his debut two years later in Man Of Steel.

Henry told Graham in the 2019 interview: “It’s funny that people think that that’s a bad thing, where, in Hollywood, everyone’s auditioning... everyone’s trying to get a role, and they’re not necessarily getting them.

“And so, to get an opportunity to be in the limelight by missing out on the big roles is actually a good thing, as opposed to a bad thing. I count my lucky stars for each one of those.”