Yes, the famous “pufferfish” photo-op is finally over. After months of tabloid speculation, paparazzi flashes, and Fandango ticket tattle, the world has finally gotten a look at Robert Pattinson’s new grin.
Is it a guilty smile? A wistful smile? A goofy smile? A grimace? A smile that screams “I’m so proud and happy to be back home to my family but I can’t help feeling a little bit of relief that the paparazzi are finally gone” smile?
We can’t exactly tell. What we do know is that the 26-year-old actor/director/screenwriter/designer/pedant/humblebragman has changed his facial expression for better or for worse. And from the looks of things, it’s for the better. So let’s take a closer look at Robert Pattinson’s new frown.
Frown, Grimace, & More
Pattinson may have saved the “pufferfish” photo-op for last. Before the cameras could snap a single frame, the actor and director dove behind the screen, making him invisible to the naked eye. For the next two hours, the paparazzi were left to wonder, is he okay? Is he cheating on Emily? Is he in love? Is he feeling sick? We never got to find out. As soon as the cameras stopped rolling, so did the speculation.
The first thing we noticed about Pattinson when he returned from his crafty screen time was that he wasn’t joking around like we thought he was during the “pufferfish” photo-op. In fact, we’d barely scratched the surface of what was to come. After months of press speculation and red-carpet frighteners, Pattinson proved that he wasn’t playing around by taking the stage at the prestigious Royal Marsden Hospital in London. The stage is no joke – it’s for real.
With the stage came the drama. While most of us were used to seeing Pattinson smile, here he’d placed himself in a situation that required serious contemplation and emotional commitment. The result? A grimace, an unhappy face that seemed to say, “I’m so sorry I offended you.” Or, “I’m not sorry. I’m angry.” Whichever feeling was closer to the truth, we had no idea.
But we weren’t done yet. After a couple of successful films, Twilight, the book and movie series based on the life of vampire/werewolf Edward Cullen, and the 2013 indie comedy/drama, What Happens in Vegas, Pattinson returned to the big screen in 2017 to play the infamous Quentin Tarantulinu in the film adaptation of The Hateful Eight. While the part may not have been huge, it was one of the leads. And what a lead. Since that time, we’ve seen him frown a little less. Maybe he realizes, like most of us, that life doesn’t always have to be comedy-drama.
Whatever the reason for the change, it’s a good one. And while we may never know what the “pufferfish” photo-op was really about, we know that Pattinson is finally comfortable in his own skin. And that, my friends, is something to smile about.