Robert Pattinson was bracing himself for boos and bad reviews when Cosmopolis premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May (12) and insists he was "preparing to fight with 1,500" critics.

All eyes were on the young British actor when the drama, in which he plays a billionaire money manager, opened at the prestigious international movie event in France.

Pattinson admits the nerve-wracking experience of watching the screening with hundreds of reporters was a world away from red carpet premieres with loyal Twilight fans.

He tells culture magazine BlackBook, "I was kind of s**tting myself... I lost my mind. I was preparing myself to fight with 1,500 people. I was so amped up... I was just kind of running around with my pants down and my shoelaces untied and, amazingly, not falling. Until this. I thought, 'Oh f**k!' Most people get 15 years of doing movies nobody sees. Now I'm at Cannes."