Robert Pattinson has revealed why his former modelling career stalled – he looked like a girl.

The 23-year-old British actor modelled as a child before turning his hand to acting.

In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Pattinson said his previous career never took off because he didn't have the right image.

“I always looked like a girl up until a few years ago and because I never did any sports or anything I was always kind of gangly,” he said.

“I was never really a good model. I was terrible at it.

“I wasn’t skinny enough to be a little waif and I didn’t want to work out to be a beefy guy so I was always stuck between two things and so I never got any jobs.”

Pattinson has since found fame as vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight Saga. He is currently shooting third film, Eclipse, in Vancouver.

Robert Pattinson - Too Girlie To Be A Model?