ONE of the many curiosities of the Twilight films, which have so far grossed about $US2.5 billion at the box office worldwide, was that their determinedly chaste hero has become the lust object of the millennium. As Edward Cullen, the vampire who has to find the strength to keep his fangs out of his true love’s neck, Robert Pattinson has won an oceanic female (and significant male) fan base that consists not only of the breathless pubescent girls who read Stephenie Meyer’s books in their millions – although there are plenty of those, of course – but their mothers.

Pattinson – pale, interesting and just 26 – is not only a nice boy they would like to feed a hot dinner. He’s hot enough on his own, oh, yes. And for whatever reason – possibly to do with the fact he plays something supernatural, possibly just the times in which we live – this is not regarded as distasteful or sleazy or even disquietingly suggestive of filthy feelings lurking in middle-aged women that society in general would prefer not to know were there. It’s fine. R-Patz is the family-friendly mascot of cougardom.

This is possibly not an unalloyed joy for Pattinson, who is witty and personable and seems as normal as anyone worth £40 million ($64.3 million) can be expected to be. At the Berlin Film Festival this year, you could see him smiling as if grateful for the screaming and being squeezed like a lump of meat on stage when he stepped up with the rest of the cast of Bel Ami, one of a brace of new films with which he is clearly trying to break out of the Twilight mould.

The glamour girl presenting the film’s team to the audience ignored Christina Ricci and the two directors to pull R-Patz out of the line. ”Look, ladies!” she squealed. ”I’m touching him!”

The catch here, however, is that Bel Ami capitalises on exactly this aspect of the R-Patz phenomenon, despite being an adaptation of a story written by Guy de Maupassant 130 years ago. Pattinson’s character is an achingly beautiful young man who claws his way up the social ladder by seducing the wives of influential men. Uma Thurman (42) plays the bluestocking political operator who takes him on as an unformed protege; Christina Ricci (32) is a frivolous society wife who sets him up in a love nest; Kristin Scott-Thomas (51) comes late to his charms and makes a fool of herself trying to please him.

Their respective ages are never mentioned in the film’s script – this is literary France, after all, where liaisons dangereuses are de rigueur – but it is noticeable that as the oldest contender, Scott-Thomas’s Virginie is played as absurd, even grotesque. Georges Duroy, meanwhile, has no talent aside from rat cunning and, we presume, a few French tricks in the bedroom to put between himself and the poorhouse. Unlike de Maupassant’s anti-hero, Pattinson’s Duroy is not truly vicious. Of course, he exploits these women’s weaknesses, but he is also clearly fascinated by their sophistication.

Older women who take younger lovers are not a new theme in cinema, any more than they are in real life…

We’ve said it in the past, but in Bel Ami, Robert Pattinson has sex with everyone. Seriously.

We saw an early screening of Rob’s latest flick ( it hits theaters June 8 ) and—after peeping all those simmering pics of him and his many female costars—became slightly worried when his onscreen alter ego, George Duroy, wasn’t instantly bedding someone within the first 30 seconds of the movie.

But fear not, loyal R.Pattz lovers! Because while there’s talk of politics and money and plenty of newspaper business, Rob & Co. seriously deliver on the sexiness. Let us count the ways…

Let’s put it this way: If you’ve been dying to see Rob’s tush, you’re gonna! A couple times!

Like, say, exactly six minutes into the movie, when his French playboy scores his first hookup…with a hooker! And that might be the most revealing skin-on-skin scene of the whole movie, though far from the sexiest in our humble opinions.

It’s certainly sexier than the Breaking Dawn scene though, that’s for sure.

So we took this opportunity to rank for you the sex scenes into three categories:

Hottest Chemistry: Robert Pattinson and Christina Ricci

The first babe Rob beds post-prostitute is none other than Christina Ricci’s va-va-voom-worthy Clotilde de Marelle. The two quickly decide to shack up in a love nest together and get busy. Lots and lots of times.

Which means…more butt shots of our very own Edward Cullen! And some nudity from Ms. Ricci too, who was a standout among the cast. But their relationship turns from no strings attached to d-r-a-m-a, which means George must find a new gal. Like…

Most Awkward Sex Scene: Robert Pattinson and Uma Therman

Get ready to cringe. George gets his cougar on with the brassy broad Madeleine Forestier (played by Uma Thurman), who cares more about politics of the world than of the bedroom. Rob fans, her indifference in the libido department toward her hunky costar will drive you crazy—who would pass the Pattinson up?!

Until…the most awkward sex scene of the whole movie! In one shot that seems to last an eternity, the twosome has a very angry (and very clothed) quickie. And you may never be able to look at Rob the same way again.

Honorary Robbing of the Cradle Award: Robert Pattinson and Kristin Scott Thomas

We’ll be brief on this one and leave some of the juiciness for your personal viewing, ‘K? Good old Georgie gets his seduction on with Kristin Scott Thomas’ Virginie Walters…at a church. Cougar? This babe is more like a saber tooth. You’ll have to watch to see what goes down between these two.

But don’t think we spoiled all the sexy stuff. There’s plenty more going down between the sheets…you’ll just have to wait until the movie comes out to see it!

6/8/2012
Scottsdale, AZ: Camelview 5 Theatre
Berkeley, CA: Shattuck Cinemas 10
Palm Desert, CA: Cinemas Palme D’Or 7
San Diego, CA: Hillcrest Cinemas
San Francisco, CA: Bridge Theatre
San Rafael, CA: Smith Rafael Film Center
New Haven, CT: Criterion Cinemas 7
Washington, DC: E Street Cinema
Atlanta, GA: Midtown Art Cinemas 8
Indianapolis, IN: Keystone Art Cinema 7
Cambridge, MA: Kendall Square Cinema 9
Royal Oak, MI: Main Art Theatre
Frontenac, MO: Plaza Frontenac Cinema
New York, NY: Sunshine Cinema 5
Philadelphia, PA: Ritz at the Bourse
Seattle, WA: Guild 45th Theatre

6/15/2012
Minneapolis, MN: Lagoon Cinema

6/22/2012
Denver, CO: Chez Artiste
Chicago, IL: Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema
Columbus, OH: Gateway Film Center 8

Source

New podcast by Magnolia Pictures available on itunes.

“Bel Ami is the story of Georges Duroy, who travels through 1980s Paris, from cockroach ridden garrets to opulent salons, using his wits and powers of seduction to rise from poverty to wealth, from a prostitute’s embrace to passionate trysts with wealthy beauties, in a world where politics and media jostle for influence, where sex is power and celebrity an obsession”.

Update: Here is an English translation provided by our visitor Christine who posted this in our comments section. Thank you Christine!

ROB TELL US ABOUT THE NEW FILM. THEY SAY NIKOLE KIDMAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOUR PARTNER IN THE FILM
right.i don’t know what happened. but nikole cancelled it at the last moment. In the end Uma thurman got the part
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO “BEK AMI”?
last year when my agent sent me the scriot i had no idea who Maupassant was.i liked the script. i had never seen the novel though.
WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT THE STORY?
it seemed to me that the story is relevant now. the world is full of such men as my character-under their suits lust, envy unhealthy jealousy and other sins.such guys are neber satisfied with anything. they get what they wanted and start another hunt at once.
JUST THER OPPOSITE OF EDWARD
yes, i like it a lot. i think it is a huge step forward-betray the vampire, playing the disgusting guy.
IS THIS CHARACTER AT LEAST A LITTLE LIKE YOU?
well i can say that I really felt the character, i manged to drag something demonic from my subconscious.
WASN’T IT HARD? DEALING WITH YOUR DARK SIDE CAN’T BE EASY
no I liked it a lot.the experience working on a negative character, all these beauiful costumes. All in all it was cool.
DID YOU ADOPT HIS TYPE OF LIVING? FOR EXMPLE HOW MUCH MONEY IS THERE IN YOUR WALLET RIGHT NOW?
A thousand dollars
WOW, COOL. WHAT DID YOU BUY BEFORE THE INTERVIEW?
toilet paper which means i am ok. the same old rob.
DON’T YOU CHANGE AT ALL?
of course i change, for the worse. At 17 for exmple i was so much cooler, because I did not know so many things about myself.(laughing)
REALY? AND WHICH IS YOUR SCARIEST SIN?
it is really terrible- I am simply indecently talkative.

If Robert Pattinson was in the midst of a quarter-life crisis, we sure couldn’t tell.

The Twilight thesp, who celebrates his 26th birthday today, kind of ruled when it came to the young Hollywood scene during the last year (he was dubbed our own celeb of the year, after all), scooping up People’s Choice Awards and heating up things off-screen with co-star Kristen Stewart to boot.

And let’s just say Pattinson didn’t kick off the year leading up to his big 2-6 as one of Time Magazine’s most influential people for nothing.

Before the handsome star, who turned millions into Twihards, wrapped up his last scene on the Breaking Dawn: Part 2 set, Pattinson was busy wooing Stewart, canoodling with the starlet around the globe, and more local stomping grounds like Indio, Calif. for the Coachella Music Festival.

But, it wasn’t all X’s and O’s for the ubiquitous actor.

Pattinson geared up for a post-Twilight transformation, moving on from the hypnotizing heartthrob role that made him famous, to darker characters like a billionaire who nearly loses everything (along with his sanity) in one day in Cosmopolis (set to be released this year).

Along with Cosmopolis came Bel Ami, a romance flick in which he had quite the steamy scene with Christina Ricci.

Pattinson also went on to nab the role of a military interrogator who hunts down Saddam Hussein in a psychological thriller flick called Mission: Blacklist due to hit theaters next year.

And being the do-gooder that he is, Pattinson helped build a school for teen girls in Cambodia.

Needless to say, we can’t wait to see what the next 12 months have in store for R.Pattz.

And we’re hoping today’s celebration involves Stewart (lest we forget, he helped her ring in her 22nd birthday this year).

In an interview with ELLE US Magazine in a Sunset Boulevard bookstore:

“Oh my God, my fucking boyfriend just did this movie,” she says, referring to Robert Pattinson while pulling down a copy of Bel Ami.”

Later in her car:

“Stewart taps her hands on the steering wheel, her short nails lacquered in bloodred. On her thumb is a silver spoon ring. “All four of my brothers and my mom and dad have these,” she says. “My mom went and got them for Christmas.” And the gold ring circling her index finger? “Everyone wants to know,” Stewart says slyly. She shakes her head. “Everyone knows already – it’s ridiculous.””

Thank you to @Mctwilighter1 for the picture!

Thank you to Gossip_dance for the information!

Robert Pattinson turns 26 on Sunday! He’s heading into his next year with a lot on his plate. Robert has three movies on the way, with Breaking Dawn Part 2, Cosmopolis, and Bel Ami coming out. He’s France-bound this month with Cosmopolis premiering at the Cannes Film Festival. Hopefully the busy actor will find some downtime to relax and celebrate with lady friend Kristen Stewart, who will also be at Cannes with On the Road. Also, if you want to show Rob some birthday love, make sure to vote for him in this year’s PopSugar 100!

CLICK HERE to see over 100 pictures of Robert’s sexiest looks — and happy birthday to Rob!

Twilight sweethearts Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are heading to the Cannes Film Festival for their respective films, On the Road and Cosmopolis, both of which are in competition.

As if that weren’t nerve-wracking enough, the couple may lend support to each other’s film premieres, which would entail some fashion coordination on Stewart’s part. The actress is reportedly already in Paris and has done some French TV interviews to promote Snow White and the Huntsman.

We can’t help but think there may some final fittings on her Cannes gowns going on while she’s in Paris. She wore Balenciaga to the Met Gala earlier this week and there are some style seers who think she may wear the house again when she walks the red carpet on the Croisette up to the Palais.

But besides the fashion challenges for Stewart, both she and Pattinson are clearly working hard to make the leap from being teen idols to being taken seriously as thespians and ridding themselves of the Twilight tag.

Stewart has less of a struggle ahead, having already established herself with a breakout role in Panic Room with Jodi Foster, and a small but memorable role in Sean Penn’s Into the Wild. Plus she has major indie cred (Welcome to the Rileys, The Runaways, Yellow Handkerchief) prior to portraying Bella Swan in the Twilight Saga trilogy.

Pattinson, has a tougher task. Prior to being Edward Cullen, he was best known for playing the doomed Cedric Diggory in yet another teen fantasy series, Harry Potter. Since then, he’s starred in a syrupy Water for Elephants and the upcoming Belle Ami, an adaptation of Guy de Maupassant’s novel about a young man who sleeps his way to the top of French society. Sadly, the film, which also stars Kristen Scott Thomas, Uma Thurman and Christina Ricci, has gotten rather tepid reviews.

So it falls upon David Cronenberg’s vehicle Cosmopolis, a nihiistic futuristic drama (is there any other kind?) with a lot of drug-fueled sex and craziness to showcase Pattinson’s acting chops. The film could be another chance for Rob to be just another pretty (if tortured) face (does that remind anyone of Edward Cullen?). But Rob says this is the first film he’s been able to watch himself in (that’s high praise) and claims that Cosmopolis has given him “balls.”

If anyone can create a challenging, provocative and disturbing role for Pattinson, it’s Cosmopolis author Don Delillo and Cronenberg, who is a much beloved director at Cannes.

Both actors’ films have already found distributors so there’s no worry there. And even if neither film wins the festival’s coveted Palme d’Or, it will be great to see this good-looking couple on the Cannes red carpets.