Kellan Lutz became "stressed and desperate" in the pursuit of post-Twilight success.

The 41-year-old actor shot to fame playing Emmett Cullen in the vampire movie series and admitted he "lost" sight of himself and what was important as he chased high-profile roles and tried to change himself to fit in.

He told the Inside of You podcast: "There were times even post Twilight when I was, you know, going out for Captain America and Thor and the pressure was really, really on.

"I was like, I need to be so regulant and strict and do this and do that. And then I'd get so bummed on myself.

"I'm like, man, I lost me. I lost Kellan. I lost that light."

Kellan admitted he even began adopting a deeper speaking voice in auditions like his idol Jason Statham before being called out by his manager.

He said: "I would go into auditions thinking my voice was deep like that and sexy like that.

"I think it was my manager who was like, 'Hey, you know I love you, right?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, what do you mean?' 'Can I ask you why you're doing that with your voice?' and telling him, "'You're just not you anymore.' "

But despite his concern at the time, Kellan admitted fame that came with Twilight was tough, particularly having photographers waiting outside his house "all the time".

He said: "I wasn't able to leave. And then I lived at the beach and you know I'd be in magazines topless like, 'Oh look at this guy. He just cares about his physique.' I'm like, I love the beach! I live by the beach!"

The Due Justice actor insisted he doesn't care about awards success and is thankful he realised the realities of fame at a relatively young age.

He said: "I'm so grateful that I got a taste of the dragon.

"A lot of actors are like, 'Oh, I want to win an Oscar. I want to win an Emmy.' I don't care about awards. I like what I get to do. I like playing characters. It's adult make-believe and I really do love it.

"As far as the fame, I didn't realise what Twilight would be. I'm so grateful that I got a taste of the dragon because a lot of people strive for that. I still have friends who unfortunately… They gave up their families. They're still staying there. They've sacrificed a lot -- in unhealthy ways -- to still chase this dragon of fame."

Kellan has always tried to keep advice in mind that he received on the set of his first-ever film, 2006's Stick It.

He recalled: "I remember Jeff Bridges, when I was on a Stick It, his advice to me.

"He's like, 'Kellan, make your life outside of the industry because if you make your life the industry, it is made to chew you up and spit you out."