Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart Deserve Fans' 'Respect': Director

By Mike Fleeman

08/08/2012 at 04:45 PM EDT

Attention Twihards, it's time to give back.

The director of Breaking Dawn: Part 2 is issuing a challenge to Twilight fans during the cheating crisis for stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.

"The fact is, these are actors playing parts, and maybe it's not such a bad thing that people be reminded of that,” Bill Condon tells Entertainment Weekly in this week's issue. "Both of these actors gave heart and soul to the Twilight movies, not only during shooting, but also by navigating so graciously the whole life-in-a-fishbowl aspect of the phenomenon."

"Above all they have always shown great respect for the fans who made these movies such a success. Now it’s time that some of that respect be returned to them," he said.

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Pattinson, 26, has been described as devastated by the admission by Stewart, 22, that she cheated on him with her Snow White and the Huntsman director, Rupert Sanders. Stewart and the married Sanders have both issued public apologies.