Most actors take their craft seriously, attending every class and staying late hours, if necessary, to master their craft. But not Robert Pattinson. The actor recently admitted that he doesn’t put in the same effort as his peers because he feels that there’s no rush to follow in their footsteps. Instead, Pattinson, who recently turned 28, wants to find his own unique voice and explore other avenues of work.
No Regrets
In an interview with GQ, Pattinson opened up about his lack of motivation as an actor:
“If I was in high school right now, I’d be really pumped about going to college and pursuing a career in acting,” he said. “But I don’t regret anything. I don’t have any regrets about the way things turned out. I don’t think I would’ve turned out to be an actor if I’d had any regrets. I don’t think I’d be here if I felt like I’d done everything wrong. So I don’t think I have to worry about ruining my future. I’m just going to continue being myself and see where it takes me.”
Creative Career
While other actors might see their craft as a calling, for Pattinson it’s more of a hobby that he happens to enjoy. After graduating from high school, the English actor traveled the world, taking on various roles in TV movies, shorts, and independent films. Most notably, his roles in the fantasy series “High School Musical” and “The Twilight Saga” made him a household name. He subsequently landed leading roles in films such as “Good Will Hunt” and “The Great Gatsby”. In 2018, he was named Film Comment’s “Person of the Year” for his role in the blockbuster “Dark Phoenix”.
Pattinson has never been one to follow the status quo, however, as he’s made numerous appearances onstage, in music videos, and on social media. In recent years, he’s mostly kept out of the spotlight, appearing in only a handful of films and shunning interviews. Now that he’s finally found some stability with longtime partner, FKA Twigs, the actor is looking to carve out a more creative and personal niche in his acting career.
Personal Journey
Pattinson’s life before and after “The Twilight Saga” is somewhat of a mystery, as he hasn’t been open about his personal life or struggled with depression as some of his fans have speculated. Instead, the English actor appears to have led a charmed life, blessed with good looks, talent, and fortune. Despite this, Pattinson still feels compelled to share his personal journey through art, often opening up about his mental health in interviews and social media posts. He cites working through his problems as the main reason for his recent change in attitude.
Depression Runs In The Family
In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the actor’s mother, Rachel, shared the family’s battle with depression, saying:
“I’ve been pretty lucky in that I don’t have to deal with it. I’ve had a very charmed life, and I’m not going to lie, I’ve had some dark moments. But I’ve never let it hold me down. It’s only knocked me out of the game for brief moments, and I’ve always gotten up and dusted myself off and started all over again. But the last few years, it’s been coming back more and more, and I’ve been struggling more and more. And I don’t feel that I’m doing enough, and I don’t think that anyone is ever doing enough to be able to help their own family with this issue. So, for the most part, I’m just going to have to soldier on and hope for the best.”
Pattinson’s father, David, also acknowledged the family’s battle with depression, adding:
“I think we’ve all had our moments of low-self-esteem, I guess, as kids. And as teenagers, you know, there’s that awkward, formative stage of your life when you’re figuring out who you are and where you fit in. And I think in times like that, it can really knock you down. And it can make you feel like, ‘I’m not good enough, I’m never going to be able to do this, this is never going to be for me.’ So I think that when those low moments come, it’s really important to have people around you that you can trust and who will tell you that you are good enough, that this is a valid, normal feeling, and that you’re not alone in it. Because I think that’s the worst thing that you can feel when you’re going through something like this: that you’re alone in it. Because I think that then, it tends to linger longer and be more damaging.”
Pushing Forward
Pattinson isn’t going to let his mental health issues get in the way of him living his life, despite the pain that they cause him. The actor has decided to fight back against his depression, using therapy and mindfulness to find his way back to a place where he feels comfortable being himself.
The Englishman also credits FKA Twigs with helping him to find the strength to carry on with his life and career. The singer is, in fact, the reason why Pattinson is finally feeling comfortable enough to explore new opportunities. She helped him to see that he wasn’t doomed to be defined by his illness and encouraged him to look past his problems:
“I finally feel like I can say that I’ve started to feel a little more hopeful,” Pattinson said. “I’ve started to feel like maybe this is a good thing that’s happening. Maybe this is what I should be doing. Maybe I should just be using my talents for the better. Which is a big thing for me to say, because I’ve always tried to use my talents for the betterment of myself, but I’ve never really felt like I could.”
Even though he’s putting in the effort now, it’s not like Pattinson is rushing to succeed. The English actor still sees his craft as a hobby and takes joy in what he does, even if it’s not at the same pace as his peers. On the subject of his future, Pattinson seems determined to follow in the footsteps of his famous parents, saying:
“I don’t really know what the future holds, but I know that I’m going to continue on the path that I’ve set for myself and just keep doing what I’m doing, and hopefully one day, the world will see me as more than just…” a talented actor who happens to be suffering from depression.