Robert Pattinson says he's still unsure what "Twilight" filmmakers were thinking when they coated him with makeup for his role as the U.S. movie's vampire lead.

The 22-year-old Hollywood newcomer said he was routinely adorned with white makeup and lipstick to make his character appear to be a blood-sucking member of the undead, The Boston Globe reported Sunday.

"I don't know, I never understood why I had lipstick on. I never understood a lot of things," Pattinson said. "I think I looked a little bit too dead."

Pattinson also questioned the fitness regimen he was forced to undertake to play the muscular vampire in the film adaptation of author Stephanie Meyer's book of the same name.

"In the book it's talking about him having this rock-solid body and blah, blah, blah, and I didn't want to just do that for aesthetic reasons," he said.

The Globe said the movie, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, tells the story of a vampire, played by Pattinson, who becomes the object of affection for a mortal woman. It is to hit U.S. theaters Friday.