The Insider.com

While defending girlfriend Kristen Stewart against critics, Robert Pattinson revealed that she was an integral part in his decision to join the cast.

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"The reason I did Twilight in the first place was I saw her in Into the Wild," Robert told reporters in Cannes, explaining that Kristen wasn't just an overnight sensation.

"She was the go-to girl then. She was one of the top three young actresses, and everyone has forgotten," said Robert, citing the actress' prolific career in more indie films before Twilight's enormous success.

In addition to Into the Wild, Kristen also appeared in The Messengers, Cold Creek Manor and Panic Room. In the latter, the 22-year-old was only 12.

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The box office gold mined by the Twilight series seems to have been a gift and a curse for the young star. Despite the acclaim she garnered early on in her career, Kristen has been nominated for four Razzie Awards in association with the vampire series.

Robert noted that with a franchise as popular as Twilight, the actors have to work harder win over critics.

"If you get success too quick, [critics] will keep fighting with you the whole time," said Robert. "You have to prove every movie. You're judged on a much higher level than everybody else ... It's crazy but it's cool at the same time -- at least people care."