London, April 3 (IANS) Actor Robert Pattinson says he "didn't realise" how big his role was in "Water for Elephants" until he started shooting the movie.

The 24-year-old actor plays vet Jacob Jankowski who falls in love with circus performer Marlena Rosenbluth in the film.

"When I first read the script - because I didn't have that many lines - I just thought, 'Oh OK I get it. I'm like the eyes of the audience. It's going to be a big spectacle movie that isn't solely resting on my shoulders.' So I was very relaxed about it, going in," contactmusic.com quoted him as saying.

"I only realised about halfway through. I was working every single day. Reese was hardly ever in and Christoph only came in sporadically. I was like, 'How did this happen," he added.

The "Twilight" star is hopeful fans will enjoy the movie because it is so different to anything else being made till now.

"Hopefully people will think it's a good movie. I have a feeling that a lot of people will like it. I don't think a lot of other movies coming out are anything like it, and when I was working on the film, it didn't feel like anything else that was being made," he said.