David Cronenberg lets paparazzi go wild with ‘Cosmopolis’ star Robert Pattinson

David Cronenberg has made movies in Toronto about exploding heads, a man who turns into a fly and people who could get aroused by a car accident.

Never before, though, had he been involved with a production that risked the potential horror show associated with attempting to fend off celebrity hunters.

Robert Pattinson, best known for his role as Edward Cullen in the "Twilight" films, arrived last week to shoot his starring role in "Cosmopolis."

The story, based on a novel by Don DeLillo, is focused on a young asset manager who experiences a dramatic luxury limousine ride across midtown Manhattan, en route to a haircut.

While previous Cronenberg films shot in Toronto brought Hollywood stars to town, most notably former real-life couple Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis for 1986 science fiction thriller "The Fly," they preceded the present-day appetite for candid shots of famous faces.

A staged promotional photo, taken by David's photographer daughter Caitlin Cronenberg in the back of the stretch limo where Pattison's character was posed alongside co-star Sarah Gadon, was immediately published on every celebrity website on the planet.

The image stood out because Pattinson was given the kind of makeover required to convincingly play a self-made Wall Street multi-billionaire, which required slicking back his trademark tousled hair.

But he wasn't entirely into method acting, either. The 25-year-old British actor arrived for work in an Aerosmith T-shirt and a cap that bore the insignia of a California State University college team, the Long Beach State 49ers.

Pattinson wore that casual getup as he rehearsed a scene with Gadon on Sunday in the window of the decidedly unglamourous downtown diner Café Victoria. Afterward, he sat down to breakfast for the movie cameras while in costume, although it appeared he wasn't going to let too much cholesterol affect his performance, let alone appearance.

Meanwhile, an atypical number of high-quality photos have surfaced from the set.

Canadian Tabloid, a blog run by Toronto celebrity sleuth John R. Kennedy, noted the fairly rare circumstances: "The film crew is one of the most professional in the city, choosing not to waste energy and resources battling the paparazzi."

Watch some "Cosmopolis" shots featuring David Cronenberg and Robert Pattinson below:

(Reuters Photo)