Robert Pattinson is Salvador Dali

Robert Pattinson is busting out of his Twilight Edward persona in two very different films. Pattinson is portraying artist Salvador Dali in Little Ashes and the independent comedy How to Be finds him singing for his supper.

Pattinson looks completely unlike his Edward vampire in How to Be (picture at left) and check out our preview of Little Ashes below with Pattinson as Dali.

How to Be premieres on the cable network IFC Festival Direct April 29. Pattinson plays Art in How to Be, a role that allows the actor to show audiences his singing chops. Pattinson had a song on the Twilightsoundtrack and his musical ambitions are only beginning.

Pattinson has three new songs on the How to Besoundtrack in a film that follows Art as he navigates life after a breakup. In the how is this going to help department, Art moves in with his parents and enlists a full-time guru to help him find his way.

This reporter is particularly thrilled to see Pattinson as the famous painter that turned the art world on its head with his preposterously gorgeous paintings. Pattinson told me about the role when we spoke during the Twilight press weekend.

“It’s been a challenge, but one that I truly welcome,” Pattinson says sipping his tea. “I dove in and inhaled everything I could on Salvador Dali.”

The result, judging by how he effectively embraced Edward, looks to be another acting success for Pattinson. The actor is currently filming the sequel to Twilight —New Moon — and rumors also have him signed on to join the cast of the upcoming drama, Memoirs.