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Robert Pattinson was clearly the star of last night's Cosmopolis premiere in New York City, where he made one of his first scheduled public appearances after a cheating scandal involving Kristen Stewart and her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders made headlines.

But clearly, last night was all about the highly anticipated David Cronenberg film adapted from a Don DeLillo novel, and Pattinson shared what it was like working with the highly respected director.

"It's funny, everyone asks, 'Oh, like Cronenberg, he must be so strange,' [but] he's just the sweetest, most patient person. He's kind of the main reason I wanted to do the movie in the first place," he told ET.

Video: Robert Pattinson Smells of Sex in 'Cosmopolis'

Cronenberg had high praise for Pattinson as well.

"Well, he's terrific," he said. "I think because of Twilight's success, people haven't been taking him too seriously as an actor, but you look at his other movies and he's really, really good. And I think in this movie, it's obvious that he's actually sensationally good."

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"He was great," Pattinson's costar Paul Giamatti added. "I mean, when I showed up to do it, he had already been working on it and he was so ready, and so into his character it actually calmed me and helped me, because I just got thrown into the middle of it. He was huge. Thank God he was there, because he was great ... and so good."

Check out the video to hear how his costar Emily Hampshire felt about giving him a prostate exam during their scenes together, and Sarah Gadon on why "there are not a lot of 25-year-olds" like Pattinson.

Cosmopolis opens this Friday, August 17.