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"La Transizione di Robert Pattinson da rubacuori di adolescenti a star ben avviata a tutti gli effetti. - dice Michelle Manelis - Se solo la smettesse di farsi prendere dal panico."
Robert Pattinson sta cercando di abbracciarmi. Ma io non sto giocando, io non sono una da abbracci, quindi gli porgo la mano, cosa che lo fa ridere.
- OK , facciamo in questo modo? - Sorride divertito e un po' sorpreso. Nel tentativo di recuperare il mio apparente passo falso, e forse spinta dallo Champagne consumato nella Sala del Polo del Beverly Hills Hotel , in attesa di essere convocata dai rappresentanti Dior, ricambio alla fine il suo gesto, anche se goffamente.
Scambiati i convenevoli, passiamo alla zona salotto della sua suite dell’albergo , dove una bottiglia di Dior Homme, di cui Pattinson è il nuovo volto , è posata strategicamente sul tavolino . Gli ricordo prontamente delle tante conversazioni che abbiamo avuto, durante le quali ha insistito che le fragranze non avrebbero fatto parte dei suoi programmi d’agenda . Lui aggrotta la fronte e dice:
- Sì, hai ragione, ma ero diventato così puzzolente, che ho dovuto iniziare a metterlo.
Suggerendogli che il suo discutibile discorso promozionale è nella migliore delle ipotesi un approccio insolito, lui ride e annuisce. Il modo di fare di Pattinson rende facile dimenticare che la sua fama è di proporzioni olimpioniche . Lui si presenta come lo stesso sconosciuto attore inglese che ho incontrato nel 2008 , direttamente dal proverbiale barcone a Los Angeles per la promozione di Twilight . Allora si lamentava che le ragazze di Hollywood non lo notassero. Aveva anche dubbi sulla fattibilità commerciale del film indie a tema vampiro che stava promuovendo .
Robert Pattinson sta cercando di abbracciarmi. Ma io non sto giocando, io non sono una da abbracci, quindi gli porgo la mano, cosa che lo fa ridere.
- OK , facciamo in questo modo? - Sorride divertito e un po' sorpreso. Nel tentativo di recuperare il mio apparente passo falso, e forse spinta dallo Champagne consumato nella Sala del Polo del Beverly Hills Hotel , in attesa di essere convocata dai rappresentanti Dior, ricambio alla fine il suo gesto, anche se goffamente.
Scambiati i convenevoli, passiamo alla zona salotto della sua suite dell’albergo , dove una bottiglia di Dior Homme, di cui Pattinson è il nuovo volto , è posata strategicamente sul tavolino . Gli ricordo prontamente delle tante conversazioni che abbiamo avuto, durante le quali ha insistito che le fragranze non avrebbero fatto parte dei suoi programmi d’agenda . Lui aggrotta la fronte e dice:
- Sì, hai ragione, ma ero diventato così puzzolente, che ho dovuto iniziare a metterlo.
Suggerendogli che il suo discutibile discorso promozionale è nella migliore delle ipotesi un approccio insolito, lui ride e annuisce. Il modo di fare di Pattinson rende facile dimenticare che la sua fama è di proporzioni olimpioniche . Lui si presenta come lo stesso sconosciuto attore inglese che ho incontrato nel 2008 , direttamente dal proverbiale barcone a Los Angeles per la promozione di Twilight . Allora si lamentava che le ragazze di Hollywood non lo notassero. Aveva anche dubbi sulla fattibilità commerciale del film indie a tema vampiro che stava promuovendo .
Sotto molti aspetti egli esemplifica l'adagio. "Fare attenzione a ciò che si desideri", riflettendo su tali preoccupazioni gravemente inesatte scaturite da un'altra vita. - Io non mi aspettavo niente di tutto questo e non l’ho chiesto - dice, quasi scusandosi. - È stata letteralmente tutta fortuna. Mi ci sono imbattuto fra un lavoro e un altro.
Il franchise di Twilight , che ha incassato 3,7 miliardi dollari in tutto il mondo , gli ha concesso il lusso di avventurarsi in percorsi più difficili, come Water for Elephants , Remember me e Cosmopolis . Presumibilmente dovrebbe essere soddisfatto del modo in cui la sua carriera sta procedendo?
Egli riflette sulla domanda: - Beh, sì. - dice, con un pizzico di esitazione. - È una specie di percorso, ma è difficile rimanere sani di mente. È davvero difficile. - Aspira dalla sua sigaretta elettronica. - All’inizio non ho nemmeno notato che la mia vita fosse cambiata così massicciamente , perché lavoravo sempre. Suppongo che alla fine mi ci sia abituato.
Nei nostri primi incontri, quasi sempre intervallati da un film che stava promuovendo, era di solito vestito in generale elegantemente , ma con un aspetto di studiata trascuratezza . Oggi, però, ha adottato un look più casual . Sembra che uno dei benefici del successo sia la libertà di vestirsi come gli pare. Egli incarna il cliché della star cinematografica incredibilmente bella , ma indossa una camicia grigia insignificante, vecchi jeans American Eagle e scarpe da ginnastica Vans. Sul volto una sportiva ricrescita di due giorni, appollaiato in testa un berretto da baseball all’indietro, senza un capello in vista. Nonostante il suo status di uno degli attori più bancabili e più pagato di Hollywood , questo pomeriggio, Pattinson appare più come qualcuno che si potrebbe incontrare in una bettola.
A quanto pare i dirigenti di Dior sono stati apparentemente attratti da questa atmosfera da rockstar. La casa di moda e di bellezza ha coltivato Pattinson per il ruolo di protagonista nella sua nuova campagna pubblicitaria, un cortometraggio di Romain Gavras (che ha diretto Born Free video di MIA). Con la colonna sonora di Whole Lotta Love dei Led Zeppelin , lo spot è interpretato da Pattinson nei vari scenari che illustrano questa nonchalance da spirito libero. Egli guida una decappottabile d’epoca lungo una spiaggia, accompagnato da un trio di passeggeri altrettanto fotogenici e scarmigliati dal vento. Lo vediamo anche seduto su un tetto e, più tardi , a fare capriole con una bella donna in un albergo . È un degno successore del precedente ambasciatore della fragranza maschile di Dior, Jude Law.
Non sorprende che la stella abbia ottenuto approvazione mondiale nel web. Con una base di milioni di devoti fan, che vanno da adolescenti a mamme, questo volto è il sogno di ogni marketing manager.
Rispondendo alla domanda del perché abbia scelto Dior, spiega: - Guardavo a Dior come marchio, piuttosto che al singolo prodotto, anche se probabilmente non dovrei dire questo...- Abbassa la voce e lancia uno sguardo ai due rappresentanti di Dior arrivati da Parigi. - Ho guardato le altre società -e non è che lo dico e basta- ma, per un uomo, non credo ci sia qualcosa di più lussuoso di Dior.
Notando che sta ora facendo riferimento a se stesso come un uomo , sorride e guarda un po' imbarazzato.
- Beh , sì, sono in una fase vagamente di transizione della mia vita. Sto cercando di uscire dall’essere percepito come molto giovane e credo che fare questo aiuti in questo senso . Ho 27 anni ora e sento che le persone mi guardano in modo diverso. È un anno strano. Con la fine di Twilight e gli altri film che ho fatto, come Cosmopolis, improvvisamente mi sento come se venissi trattato come un attore vero, piuttosto che… - Si smorza, senza finire la frase, qualcosa che tende a fare spesso.
Si sporge in avanti con fare cospiratorio: - Ho indossato più colonia negli ultimi tre giorni di quanto io abbia mai fatto in vita mia. E tra l’altro, non è una colonia , cosa che ho imparato oggi : è un eau de toilette.
Sunday Style: - Quindi , ora è un adulto che indossa eau de toilette , qual è la prossima mossa nella tua traiettoria di carriera? Dato che spesso sei al top nelle liste degli uomini più eleganti , potrebbe esserci una linea di moda nel tuo futuro?
Robert:- In realtà, ho progettato un paio di abiti - dice, con entusiasmo. - Uno di questi era un pied de poule verde smeraldo che ho indossato per l’ultima premiere di Twilight.
Ha creato questo modello molto fotografato in collaborazione con Gucci, il marchio che Pattinson ha indossato più spesso a tali eventi.
- Lo farò ancora di più in futuro.
Sunday Style: - Chiaramente, sei un uomo che apprezza un buon vestito .
Robert: - Sì, assolutamente. Ho una strana relazione con gli abiti - confessa. -Li ho sempre indossati una sola volta e così ho un armadio con circa 1000 abiti. Di tanto in tanto li darò ad amici, ma, a dire la verità, sono un po’ un accaparratore. Trovo davvero, davvero difficile dare via le cose , non so perché.
Si tratta di una sorpresa che questa icona di alto profilo , che appare ingannevolmente a proprio agio quando calpesta il tappeto rosso, sia, in realtà , un guazzabuglio di nervi. Mi guida attraverso la sua esperienza tipica di star coi riflettori puntati addosso ad un evento glamour.
Robert:- Mi impanico molto. Ho un sacco di ansia. - dice- Fino ad un secondo prima di uscire dalla macchina per l’evento, poi, improvvisamente, si dissolve completamente. Ma fino a quel momento sono un caso pazzesco.
Non è insolito per gli attori inglesi parlare in termini auto -ironici , ma Pattinson sembra sinceramente turbato da questi momenti.
Robert: - Da cosa mi lascio gettare nel panico? - Ripete la domanda, apparendo seriamente turbato. - Beh, niente, davvero. È come una dismorfia del corpo. Nel complesso ansia tremenda.
È scioccante sentire che Pattinson soffra di un disordine dismorfico.
Robert: - Suppongo che sia a causa di queste tremende insicurezze che non abbia mai trovato un modo per diventare egocentrico. Io non ho addominali scolpiti e odio andare in palestra. Sono così da sempre. Non voglio togliermi la maglietta. Preferirei ubriacarmi. - dice con un sorriso.
Evidentemente, a Hollywood, un uomo protagonista deve affrontare le stesse pressioni di una donna protagonista; preservare il proprio aspetto ad ogni costo è indispensabile per il bene del lavoro futuro.
Robert: Sì, investi su te stesso, è il tuo marchio - concorda. - Ogni lavoro è, auspicabilmente, un passo per ottenerne un altro. E ora che sto invecchiando, suppongo che dovrò andare in palestra. Ma in realtà, ci vado tutti i giorni, tutta la settimana.
Ci sono, naturalmente, modi più piacevoli per mettersi in forma rispetto alla noia di lavorare con gli attrezzi in una palestra piena di sudore.
- Te lo dico io - dice, ridendo. -Stavo cercando di imparare a fare surf. Ero a Malibu e non mi rendevo conto che mi stavano fotografando; sembravo un completo idiota . E quando accade ogni volta, sei un idiota, quindi in termini di pura vanità mi sono reso conto che non avevo più intenzione di farlo.
Nato e cresciuto a Londra, Pattinson ha due sorelle più grandi . Sua madre lavorava in un’agenzia di modelle e suo padre ha importato auto d’epoca provenienti dagli Stati Uniti.
Rammenta uno dei suoi ricordi d’infanzia preferiti. - Ricordo un Natale, quando furtivamente sono sgattaiolato al piano di sotto per vedere i miei genitori mettere un regalo sotto l’albero. Era la Morte Nera della Lego - dice sorridendo. -Ero così entusiasta. Ce l’ho ancora. È ancora intatto da quella mattina di Natale quando avevo circa 10 anni.”
Sunday Style: Questo dono memorabile è nascosto nella tua memoria remota sotto lo stock di abiti firmati?
Robert: - (Ride) No , in realtà è nella mia camera da letto a casa dei miei genitori.
Il breve percorso di Pattinson fino alla notorietà iniziò quando apparve in un paio di produzioni teatrali dietro suggerimento del padre come modo facile per conoscere ragazze, se fosse diventato un attore. Ha subito ottenuto il ruolo di Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Questo piccolo ma fondamentale ruolo ha catturato l’attenzione della regista di Twilight Catherine Hardwicke. E il resto, come si dice, è storia. C’è stata una costante, se non turbolenta , presenza nella vita di Pattinson in questi ultimi anni la sua co-star di Twilight e ex-fidanzata Kristen Stewart. Ironia della sorte , il rapporto Pattinson & Stewart non è stato mai confermato fino allo scioglimento. Nel luglio dello scorso anno, scoppiò uno scandalo quando è stato scoperto un incontro illecito della Stewart con il regista sposato Rupert Sanders . Anche se l’infedeltà non è certamente un’anomalia nei circoli di Hollywood , si trattava della Stewart, la metà non sposata dell’equazione romantica, che è stata denigrata dai media per aver tradito.
Dopo aver fatto le sue pubbliche scuse a Pattinson (e più tardi ai suoi fan), la coppia si è finalmente riunita. Ma è stata una cosa di breve durata. Pattinson è stato visto traslocare le sue cose fuori dalla sua casa di Los Angeles nel maggio di quest’anno.
Robert: - Non ci sono molte cose che mi disturbano veramente- non ho mai sentito il bisogno di perdonare, né mi aspetto che le persone siano… si smorza nuovamente . “Io giudico le persone dalle loro azioni. Non mi interessa se è giusto o sbagliato, io do loro il beneficio del dubbio . Se fanno qualcosa che non mi va di affrontare, le taglio fuori della mia vita e basta.
In tema di romanticismo, dice: - Sono molto sensibile e mi piace fare dei grandi gesti, ma questo è solo la mia ego, mi piace dare alla gente regali e penso di essere il migliore dei donatori, ma solo perché ricevo le cose per me e poi faccio questo lavoro per l'altra persona.
Dalla rottura in poi, è stato legato a varie celebrità, da Katy Perry alla modella francese Camille Rowe, sua co-star nella campagna Dior
In questo momento, è apparentemente single.
Sunday Style: - Dopo aver fatto tanta esperienza così giovane , c’è qualche consiglio che avresti dato a te stesso se potessi tornare indietro nel tempo?
Robert: - Non molto - afferma.
Sunday Style: - Questo implica che hai preso tutte le giuste decisioni finora? Si ferma a pensare.
Robert: - Non lo so. Forse. - Sorride. - O forse semplicemente ancora non non l’ho capito.
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Transcript Via
The Evolution of Man
Robert Pattinson’s Transition From Tween Heart-Throb To Fully Fledged Star Is Well Underway, Say Michelle Manelis. If Only He’d Stop Panicking…
Robert Pattinson’s trying to hug me. But I’m not playing; I’m not a hugger, so I offer my hand instead, which sets him off into fits of laughter. “OK, this is how we’re doing this?” he smiles, amused and a little taken aback. In an effort to recover from my apparent faux pas, and perhaps propelled by the Champagne consumed in the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel while waiting to be summoned by the Dior representatives, I finally reciprocate his gesture, albeit awkwardly.
Pleasantries exchanged, we move to the lounge area of his hotel suite where a bottle of Dior Homme, of which Pattinson is the new face, rests strategically on the coffee table. I promptly remind him of the many conversations we’ve had during which he insisted that fragrances would not be a part of his future agenda. He frowns. “Yes, you’re right, but I just got so smelly that I had to start wearing it.”
Suggesting his questionable sales pitch is at best a novel approach, he laughs and nods. Pattinson’s manner makes it easy to forget his fame is of Olympian-sized proportions. He comes across as the same unknown Brit actor I first met in 2008, straight off the proverbial boat to LA to promote Twilight. Back then he lamented that girls in Hollywood didn’t
notice him. He was also doubtful about the commercial viability of the vampire-themed indie he was promoting.
In many ways he exemplifies the adage, ‘Be careful what you wish for,’ reflecting on those sorely inaccurate concerns sprung from another lifetime. “I just didn’t expect any of this and I didn’t ask for it,” he says, almost apologetically. “It was literally all luck. I just stumbled from job to job.”
The Twilight franchise, which has grossed $3.7 billion worldwide, has afforded him the luxury of venturing into edgier fare, such as Water for Elephants, Remember Me and Cosmopolis. Presumably, he must be pleased with the way his career is progressing?
He ponders the question. “Well, yeah,” he says, with a whiff of hesitation. “It’s kind of heading there, but it’s difficult to remain sane. It’s really difficult.” He draws on his electronic cigarette. “In the beginning I didn’t even notice my life had changed so massively, because I was always working. I suppose eventually I got used to it.”
At our first few meetings, almost always punctuated by a movie he was promoting, he was usually clad in an elegant ensemble but with an appearance of careful dishevelment. Today, however, he’s adopted a more casual look. It seems one of the benefits of success is the freedom to dress as he pleases. He fulfils the impossibly handsome movie star cliché, but he’s wearing an unremarkable grey shirt, old American Eagle jeans and Vans sneakers. His face is sporting two-day growth and he has a backward baseball cap perched on his head, with not a hair in sight. Despite his status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable and highest-paid actors, this afternoon, Pattinson looks more like someone you might find in a dive bar.
The powers that be at Dior were apparently attracted to this rockstar vibe. The fashion and beauty house pursued Pattinson for the lead role in its new ad campaign, a short film by Romain Gavras (who directed M.I.A’s Born Free video). It’s set to Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love and features Pattinson in various scenarios illustrating this free-spirited nonchalance. He drives a vintage convertible along a beach accompanied by a trio of equally photogenic windblown passengers. We also see him sitting on a rooftop and, later, cavorting with a beautiful woman in a hotel. He’s a worthy successor to Dior’s previous male fragrance ambassador, Jude Law.
Unsurprisingly, the star has been offered virtually every endorsement deal on the planet. With a devoted fan base in the millions, ranging from tweens to mums, this face is a marketing manager’s dream.
Answering the question of why he chose Dior, he explains: “I was looking at Dior as the brand rather than the individual product, although I probably shouldn’t be saying that.” He lowers his voice and glances at the two Dior reps who have flown in from Paris. “I looked at other companies – and I’m not just saying this – but, for a man, I don’t think there’s anything classier than Dior.”
Noting that he’s now referring to himself as a man, he smiles and looks slightly embarrassed.
“Well, yes, I’m in a vaguely transitional phase in my life. I’m trying to get out of being perceived as really young and I think doing this helps along those lines. I’m 27 now and I can feel people looking at me differently. It’s a weird year. With Twilight ending and other films I’ve done, like Cosmopolis, I suddenly feel like I’m being treated like an actual actor rather than…” He trails off, not finishing his sentence – something he tends to do frequently.
He leans forward conspiratorially. “I’ve been wearing more cologne in the past three days than I’ve ever worn in my life. And by the way, it’s not a cologne, which I learned today; it’s eau de toilette.”
So, now he’s a grown-up who wears eau de toilette, what’s the next move in his career trajectory? Given he frequently tops bestdressed lists, could a fashion line be in his future? “Actually, I designed a couple of suits,” he says, enthusiastically. “One of them was an emerald-green houndstooth I wore to the last Twilight premiere.” He created this much-photographed outfit in collaboration with Gucci, the label Pattinson most often wears at such events. “I’m going to do more of it in the future.”
Clearly, he’s a man who appreciates a good suit. “Yes, absolutely. I have the weirdest relationship with suits,” he confesses. “I only ever wear them once and so I have a storage unit with about 1000 suits. Occasionally I’ll give them to friends but, to tell you the truth, I’m a bit of a hoarder. I find it really, really difficult to give things away; I don’t know why.”
It comes as a surprise that this high-profile icon, who appears deceptively at ease when treading the red carpet, is, in reality, a jumble of nerves. He walks me through his typical experience in the lead-up to a glamorous event. “I do a lot of panicking. I get a ton of anxiety,” he says, “right up until the second I get out of the car to the event, when suddenly it completely dissipates. But up until that moment I’m a nut case.”
It’s not unusual for British actors to speak in self-deprecating terms, but Pattinson seems genuinely troubled by these moments. “What do I panic about?” he repeats the question, looking seriously perturbed. “Well, anything, really. Body dysmorphia, overall tremendous anxiety.” It’s shocking to hear Pattinson suffers from a dysmorphic disorder. “I suppose it’s because of these tremendous insecurities that I never found a way to become egotistical. I don’t have a sixpack and I hate going to the gym. I’ve been like that my whole life. I never want to take my shirt off. I’d prefer to get drunk,” he says with a smile.
Evidently, in Hollywood, a leading man is confronted with the same pressures as a leading lady; preserving one’s appearance, at any cost, is imperative for the sake of future employment. “Yes, you’re investing in yourself, it’s your brand,” he agrees. “Every job is hopefully a step towards getting another job. And now that I’m getting older, I suppose I’ll have to go to the gym. But in reality, I’ll go every day and that will last a week.”
There are, of course, more pleasurable ways to get fit than the tedium of pumping iron in a sweaty gym. “I’ll tell you,” he says, erupting into laughter. “I was trying to learn how to surf. I was in Malibu and I didn’t realise I was getting photographed; I looked like a complete idiot. And when that happens enough times, you are an idiot, so in terms of pure vanity I realised that I wasn’t going to surf any more.”
Born and raised in London, Pattinson has two older sisters. His mother worked in a modeling agency and his father imported vintage cars from the United States.
He recalls one of his favourite childhood memories. “I remember Christmas, sneaking downstairs and seeing my parents putting a present under the tree. It was a Lego Death Star,” he grins. “I was so excited about it. I still have it. It’s still intact from that Christmas morning when I was, like, 10.”
Is this memorable gift tucked away in his storage unit under the rack of designer suits? He laughs. “No, actually it’s in my bedroom at my parents’ house.”
Pattinson’s short road to stardom began when he appeared in a couple of theatre productions at his father’s suggestion that he might meet girls if he became an actor. He quickly landed the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This small but pivotal role caught the attention of Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke. And the rest, as they say, is history.
There’s been one constant, if not turbulent, presence in Pattinson’s life these past few years – his Twilight co-star and ex-girlfriend Kristen Stewart. Ironically, the Pattinson-Stewart relationship was never confirmed until their break-up.
In July last year, a scandal broke out when Stewart’s illicit tryst with then-married director Rupert Sanders was discovered. Although infidelity is certainly no anomaly in Hollywood circles, it was Stewart, the unmarried half of the romantic equation, who was vilified in the media for cheating.
After making a public apology to Pattinson (and later to her fans), the couple eventually reunited. But it was to be short-lived. Pattinson was seen moving his belongings out of her Los Angeles home in May this year.
“There’s not very much that really bothers me – I don’t ever feel the need to forgive or expect people to be…” he trails off again. “I judge people on their actions. I don’t really care if it’s wrong or right, I give them the benefit of the doubt. If they do something I can’t be bothered to deal with, I just cut them out.”
On the subject of romance, he says, “I’m quite sensitive, and I do like a bit of grand gesturing, but that’s just my ego. I like to give people presents and I think of myself as the best gift giver, but only because I get stuff for myself and then make it work for the other person.”
Since the break-up, he’s been linked to various celebrities, from Katy Perry to French model Camille Row, his co-star in the Dior campaign. As of now, he remains apparently single.
Having experienced so much so young, is there any advice he’d give himself if he could go back in time? “Not much,” he says.
Does this imply he’s made all the right decisions so far? He pauses to consider. “I don’t know. Perhaps.” He smiles. “Or maybe I’m just not seeing it yet.”
The Evolution of Man
Robert Pattinson’s Transition From Tween Heart-Throb To Fully Fledged Star Is Well Underway, Say Michelle Manelis. If Only He’d Stop Panicking…
Robert Pattinson’s trying to hug me. But I’m not playing; I’m not a hugger, so I offer my hand instead, which sets him off into fits of laughter. “OK, this is how we’re doing this?” he smiles, amused and a little taken aback. In an effort to recover from my apparent faux pas, and perhaps propelled by the Champagne consumed in the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel while waiting to be summoned by the Dior representatives, I finally reciprocate his gesture, albeit awkwardly.
Pleasantries exchanged, we move to the lounge area of his hotel suite where a bottle of Dior Homme, of which Pattinson is the new face, rests strategically on the coffee table. I promptly remind him of the many conversations we’ve had during which he insisted that fragrances would not be a part of his future agenda. He frowns. “Yes, you’re right, but I just got so smelly that I had to start wearing it.”
Suggesting his questionable sales pitch is at best a novel approach, he laughs and nods. Pattinson’s manner makes it easy to forget his fame is of Olympian-sized proportions. He comes across as the same unknown Brit actor I first met in 2008, straight off the proverbial boat to LA to promote Twilight. Back then he lamented that girls in Hollywood didn’t
notice him. He was also doubtful about the commercial viability of the vampire-themed indie he was promoting.
In many ways he exemplifies the adage, ‘Be careful what you wish for,’ reflecting on those sorely inaccurate concerns sprung from another lifetime. “I just didn’t expect any of this and I didn’t ask for it,” he says, almost apologetically. “It was literally all luck. I just stumbled from job to job.”
The Twilight franchise, which has grossed $3.7 billion worldwide, has afforded him the luxury of venturing into edgier fare, such as Water for Elephants, Remember Me and Cosmopolis. Presumably, he must be pleased with the way his career is progressing?
He ponders the question. “Well, yeah,” he says, with a whiff of hesitation. “It’s kind of heading there, but it’s difficult to remain sane. It’s really difficult.” He draws on his electronic cigarette. “In the beginning I didn’t even notice my life had changed so massively, because I was always working. I suppose eventually I got used to it.”
At our first few meetings, almost always punctuated by a movie he was promoting, he was usually clad in an elegant ensemble but with an appearance of careful dishevelment. Today, however, he’s adopted a more casual look. It seems one of the benefits of success is the freedom to dress as he pleases. He fulfils the impossibly handsome movie star cliché, but he’s wearing an unremarkable grey shirt, old American Eagle jeans and Vans sneakers. His face is sporting two-day growth and he has a backward baseball cap perched on his head, with not a hair in sight. Despite his status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable and highest-paid actors, this afternoon, Pattinson looks more like someone you might find in a dive bar.
The powers that be at Dior were apparently attracted to this rockstar vibe. The fashion and beauty house pursued Pattinson for the lead role in its new ad campaign, a short film by Romain Gavras (who directed M.I.A’s Born Free video). It’s set to Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love and features Pattinson in various scenarios illustrating this free-spirited nonchalance. He drives a vintage convertible along a beach accompanied by a trio of equally photogenic windblown passengers. We also see him sitting on a rooftop and, later, cavorting with a beautiful woman in a hotel. He’s a worthy successor to Dior’s previous male fragrance ambassador, Jude Law.
Unsurprisingly, the star has been offered virtually every endorsement deal on the planet. With a devoted fan base in the millions, ranging from tweens to mums, this face is a marketing manager’s dream.
Answering the question of why he chose Dior, he explains: “I was looking at Dior as the brand rather than the individual product, although I probably shouldn’t be saying that.” He lowers his voice and glances at the two Dior reps who have flown in from Paris. “I looked at other companies – and I’m not just saying this – but, for a man, I don’t think there’s anything classier than Dior.”
Noting that he’s now referring to himself as a man, he smiles and looks slightly embarrassed.
“Well, yes, I’m in a vaguely transitional phase in my life. I’m trying to get out of being perceived as really young and I think doing this helps along those lines. I’m 27 now and I can feel people looking at me differently. It’s a weird year. With Twilight ending and other films I’ve done, like Cosmopolis, I suddenly feel like I’m being treated like an actual actor rather than…” He trails off, not finishing his sentence – something he tends to do frequently.
He leans forward conspiratorially. “I’ve been wearing more cologne in the past three days than I’ve ever worn in my life. And by the way, it’s not a cologne, which I learned today; it’s eau de toilette.”
So, now he’s a grown-up who wears eau de toilette, what’s the next move in his career trajectory? Given he frequently tops bestdressed lists, could a fashion line be in his future? “Actually, I designed a couple of suits,” he says, enthusiastically. “One of them was an emerald-green houndstooth I wore to the last Twilight premiere.” He created this much-photographed outfit in collaboration with Gucci, the label Pattinson most often wears at such events. “I’m going to do more of it in the future.”
Clearly, he’s a man who appreciates a good suit. “Yes, absolutely. I have the weirdest relationship with suits,” he confesses. “I only ever wear them once and so I have a storage unit with about 1000 suits. Occasionally I’ll give them to friends but, to tell you the truth, I’m a bit of a hoarder. I find it really, really difficult to give things away; I don’t know why.”
It comes as a surprise that this high-profile icon, who appears deceptively at ease when treading the red carpet, is, in reality, a jumble of nerves. He walks me through his typical experience in the lead-up to a glamorous event. “I do a lot of panicking. I get a ton of anxiety,” he says, “right up until the second I get out of the car to the event, when suddenly it completely dissipates. But up until that moment I’m a nut case.”
It’s not unusual for British actors to speak in self-deprecating terms, but Pattinson seems genuinely troubled by these moments. “What do I panic about?” he repeats the question, looking seriously perturbed. “Well, anything, really. Body dysmorphia, overall tremendous anxiety.” It’s shocking to hear Pattinson suffers from a dysmorphic disorder. “I suppose it’s because of these tremendous insecurities that I never found a way to become egotistical. I don’t have a sixpack and I hate going to the gym. I’ve been like that my whole life. I never want to take my shirt off. I’d prefer to get drunk,” he says with a smile.
Evidently, in Hollywood, a leading man is confronted with the same pressures as a leading lady; preserving one’s appearance, at any cost, is imperative for the sake of future employment. “Yes, you’re investing in yourself, it’s your brand,” he agrees. “Every job is hopefully a step towards getting another job. And now that I’m getting older, I suppose I’ll have to go to the gym. But in reality, I’ll go every day and that will last a week.”
There are, of course, more pleasurable ways to get fit than the tedium of pumping iron in a sweaty gym. “I’ll tell you,” he says, erupting into laughter. “I was trying to learn how to surf. I was in Malibu and I didn’t realise I was getting photographed; I looked like a complete idiot. And when that happens enough times, you are an idiot, so in terms of pure vanity I realised that I wasn’t going to surf any more.”
Born and raised in London, Pattinson has two older sisters. His mother worked in a modeling agency and his father imported vintage cars from the United States.
He recalls one of his favourite childhood memories. “I remember Christmas, sneaking downstairs and seeing my parents putting a present under the tree. It was a Lego Death Star,” he grins. “I was so excited about it. I still have it. It’s still intact from that Christmas morning when I was, like, 10.”
Is this memorable gift tucked away in his storage unit under the rack of designer suits? He laughs. “No, actually it’s in my bedroom at my parents’ house.”
Pattinson’s short road to stardom began when he appeared in a couple of theatre productions at his father’s suggestion that he might meet girls if he became an actor. He quickly landed the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This small but pivotal role caught the attention of Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke. And the rest, as they say, is history.
There’s been one constant, if not turbulent, presence in Pattinson’s life these past few years – his Twilight co-star and ex-girlfriend Kristen Stewart. Ironically, the Pattinson-Stewart relationship was never confirmed until their break-up.
In July last year, a scandal broke out when Stewart’s illicit tryst with then-married director Rupert Sanders was discovered. Although infidelity is certainly no anomaly in Hollywood circles, it was Stewart, the unmarried half of the romantic equation, who was vilified in the media for cheating.
After making a public apology to Pattinson (and later to her fans), the couple eventually reunited. But it was to be short-lived. Pattinson was seen moving his belongings out of her Los Angeles home in May this year.
“There’s not very much that really bothers me – I don’t ever feel the need to forgive or expect people to be…” he trails off again. “I judge people on their actions. I don’t really care if it’s wrong or right, I give them the benefit of the doubt. If they do something I can’t be bothered to deal with, I just cut them out.”
On the subject of romance, he says, “I’m quite sensitive, and I do like a bit of grand gesturing, but that’s just my ego. I like to give people presents and I think of myself as the best gift giver, but only because I get stuff for myself and then make it work for the other person.”
Since the break-up, he’s been linked to various celebrities, from Katy Perry to French model Camille Row, his co-star in the Dior campaign. As of now, he remains apparently single.
Having experienced so much so young, is there any advice he’d give himself if he could go back in time? “Not much,” he says.
Does this imply he’s made all the right decisions so far? He pauses to consider. “I don’t know. Perhaps.” He smiles. “Or maybe I’m just not seeing it yet.”
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