As an actor, you strive for a work–life balance. While it’s always great to be in demand and to be able to make demands on yourself, you want to avoid the pitfalls that so often accompany excess. Fortunately, working within the bounds of what is considered ‘good taste’ can open up many opportunities for you. One of the best examples of this is the blossoming of a strong working friendship between three of today’s most prominent creators: Charlie Cox, Robert Pattinson, and Andrew Garfield.
The three actors have worked together on several occasions. While they’ve never shared the screen, their cinematic sensibilities and collaborative spirit has often manifested itself in their various film projects. Their shared interest in cinematic beauty extends beyond the big screen, too; the three have collaborated together on various art projects, including music and lyrics for a song, as well as a graphic novel. The creative synergy between these three talented creators is certainly a sight to behold.
The Early Days
The seeds of this creative partnership were planted many years ago, when they were both just starting out in show business. The three would-be actors met while studying drama at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Education Center in Los Angeles. During one of their classes, they were asked to perform scenes from Shakespeare’s plays. Naturally, they were thrilled to have the opportunity to work and interact with one of the greatest playwrights of all time. This is when their professional relationship began.
Each year, the three would-be actors would get together for the annual Christmas party at the Strasberg Center. During these get-togethers, they would work on scenes from Shakespearean plays, as well as perform scenes from other plays that they had worked on individually. Many years later, these get-togethers would become the stuff of legend; the three would eventually perform a scene from one of Shakespeare’s plays in front of over 600 people at the annual Academy Awards. The following year, they would perform the same scene at the BAFTA awards. Naturally, these two prestigious ceremonies provided great exposure for the three, and helped establish their collaborative filmic style and aesthetic sensibility. When asked to describe their creative process, all three would concur that it’s all about the collaboration — and that they love to bounce ideas off one another.
The Evolution Of A Friend
While their professional relationship began in the shadows, it soon evolved into something more. The three actors have an incredibly strong friendship, and have been described as ‘like brothers’. Indeed, their bond of friendship transcends the professional world and has enabled them to become more involved with one another’s personal lives. In one interview, when asked if they would be friends with an actor of a different sex, all three would laugh and concur that they would indeed be friending the opposite sex.
Indeed, the creative partnership between Charlie Cox, Andrew Garfield, and Robert Pattinson is one of the most prominent and successful working collaborations in Hollywood. It is also a friendship that shows no signs of abating, and it’s enabled the trio to become more involved in one another’s personal lives as well as the arts. For instance, the three have become very close friends with Tom Hardy, whom they met while filming The Cut. Hardy is the nephew of famous English author Bess Harris, and the three have found themselves drawn to his unique blend of sophistication and masculinity. Naturally, they have also become close friends with singer Katy Perry, with whom they’ve collaborated on several projects, most recently the song ‘Sister.’ For her part, Perry has said that the members of the ‘Golden Trio’ are some of her closest friends. As the song title suggests, the song is a heartfelt ode to the unique bond shared by these three cinematic friends.
Three Actors, One Craft
Since their collaborative filmic style and sensibility has been established, it has also found its way into their individual projects. Charlie Cox directed a short film, titled simply ‘Cox’, that he co-wrote and co-produced with his brother. It follows the travails of a young man in Los Angeles, who after being dumped by his girlfriend, decides to get revenge on her by stealing her dog and using it to bait her ex-boyfriend. The short film won several awards, including the Grand Jury Award at the New York Film Festival. It also screened at the Sundance Film Festival, where it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Film. Cox has said that this was one of the most fun projects he had ever done.
In 2016, Andrew Garfield released his second feature-length film, titled Hacksaw Ridge. The film is based on the true story of Desmond Doss, a New York City merchant marine who refused deployment in World War II and instead volunteered to join the U.S. Army and fight against the Japanese. Garfield’s feature length directorial debut was a critical and commercial hit, and earned him numerous accolades, including a BAFTA award and a Golden Globe nomination. It was also named the best film of the year by the New York Times and Time Magazine. It was followed in 2018 by Pattinson’s drama, The Last Picture Show, which was likewise critically acclaimed and earned him his first Golden Globe nomination.
The three have collaborated on a number of other projects, including art exhibitions, plays, and literary endeavors. The three have also become known for their support of socially responsible initiatives, including The Trevor Project, whose mission it is to prevent suicidal behavior by providing people with the support and tools they need to live their lives to the fullest.
It’s clear that the creative synergy and collaborative spirit of these three actors is an asset which will continue to bear fruit as they navigate the ups and downs of making a living in Hollywood. Let’s hope that their upcoming projects are as successful as their previous endeavors, enabling them to continue creating something special for the world to enjoy.