It’s been a few years since Robert Pattinson made headlines for all the wrong reasons. After his breakup with ex-fiancee Kristen Stewart in 2016, the ‘Twilight’ and ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ actor found himself dealing with the wrath of social media users who called him out for not being committed to his longtime partner. In response, he penned a heartfelt letter on Instagram apologizing for his past mistakes.
“I have been going through a really tough time. I have been struggling with my sobriety, and that has led me to some really bad decisions. I want to apologize to my family, friends, and fans. I apologize to you if I have disappointed you in any way. It’s not easy to admit you’re wrong. I hope that you can forgive me,” he began.
The Ad’s Insignificance
It’s important to add that none of this would’ve been possible if it wasn’t for Comedy Central airing the commercial. In fact, beyond a few short teases on the show’s Twitter account, the network had little to do with the commercial. Nevertheless, based on fan reaction, the ad got the entertainment giant in a bit of trouble.
While many praised the cheeky ad for being “hilarious,” some viewers were slightly less kind. In a widely-shared tweet, one woman wrote: “This comical commercial about Robert Pattinson is exactly why I don’t want to go to @comedycentral. It makes me ashamed to be a woman.”
The Aftermath
After the backlash came at him from all sides (including some followers who accused him of taking advantage of Stewart’s vulnerabilities), Pattinson took to Instagram to clarify that he is, in fact, aware of how his actions affect others and has been working hard to change his ways.
“I have been going through a really rough time, and I’m aware that I’ve hurt a lot of people. I want to apologize to everyone. I want to apologize to my family, my friends, and my fans. I apologize for making you feel bad, for distracting you from your important tasks, and for being a burden. I’m working my ass off to be a better person,” he wrote.
While Stewart’s response to the scandal was to delete the public accounts she was previously engaged in maintaining with fans, Pattinson has, to this day, maintained an Instagram page largely concerned with his sobriety, as well as an active Twitter account where he often discusses issues related to mental health and addiction. More recently, he has been using his Instagram to advocate for climate change, urging his more than 300,000 followers to take a stand against global warming by using the #greenwichagreen hashtag.
So, perhaps, it’s not all bad news for the 25-year-old actor. While it might be true that the media circus surrounding him has not disappeared, it seems as though he’s found a way to move on and use his celebrity for good.