Ashley Greene was Joe Jonas' friend first

Ashley Greene admits she didn't feel love at first sight with Joe Jonas.

The 'Twilight Saga' actress - who split from the Jonas Brothers star earlier this month after nine months together - believes friendship is the most important factor in starting a lasting relationship.

Asked if she felt love at first sight with Joe, Ashley said: "A friendship developed first, and that's the most important thing for me. If you are going to be with someone all the time, they need to be your best friend."

The 24-year-old beauty also admitted communication is important to her, but she isn't interested in what has happened in the past to her boyfriends, particularly with their old relationships.

In an interview with America's Glamour magazine conducted before she split from Joe, Ashley said: "You need to be able to talk about the difficult things. I don't want us to talk about our ex-boyfriends or ex- girlfriends. The past is the past. As long as it's not a mass-murderer past! You're with the person who you're with as they are now."

Ashley is aware she is a role model for young people and doesn't want to do anything in public that could tarnish her image.

She said: "I keep to the ground rules. I'm not going to get drunk at a bar. There are younger girls who look up to me. So I do my best not to stray too far.

"My parents are very proud because it's a hard thing to not let Hollywood change you."