Robert Pattinson has gained fans worldwide for his role as vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight series. But the 23-year-old star admits that he didn’t envision himself for the part at first.

“When I read Twilight, and there are these moony descriptions of Edward as a godlike figure, I thought there was no way I could play him,” Pattinson told People.

And despite shooting down rumors of a real-life romance with co-star Kristen Stewart, Pattinson reveals that his onscreen love inspired him to take the role. “When I got in the room with Kristen [Stewart], there was a certain chemistry. She’s basically the reason I did the movie,” he said.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon hits theaters Nov. 20.

Source: Parade