Ever since Robert Pattinson became a dad, his life has changed dramatically. This July will mark the premiere of his film, The Batman, in which he plays the Caped Crusader, but in real life he is already a different person.
The actor gave birth to his first child, a son, last year and he has since become completely dedicated to fatherhood. He has spoken out about his new found status in a number of interviews, from Elle to Hello!
While he may have kept his distance from Hollywood for a period of time following his split from bandmate, Keifer Sutherland, he has now returned to his former glory and is putting in the hard work to ensure he makes the right impression as a daddy to his first child. As you will see, being a good father is a lot more than spending time with your child and buying them stuff, it requires serious thought and effort.
The Importance Of Good Role Models
Pattinson has made no secret of his admiration for Clint Eastwood and his approach to fatherhood. The British actor said he looked to the film icon for guidance when he became a parent; the man himself has appeared in several of Pattinson’s movies, including The Lost Valentine and Water for Elephants, and has even cited the British actor as an example of a good father.
“I think what attracted me to his work was just the complete authenticity of it. I think a lot of people might be surprised to hear me say that, but when you’re a parent, you want to see your kids behaving in a certain way and I think there’s a good example for them in every department of Clint’s life,” Pattinson said in an interview with Hello! magazine. “He’s a very down-to-earth, positive person who is not afraid to show his emotions and I think that’s such a good example for my son; he sees someone who is not afraid to be themselves, even if that is painful sometimes.”
Along with his son’s mother, Liz, the actor is committed to providing the child with a good home that is free from addiction, especially as he aims to keep his clean living habits intact following his own brushes with the law. When asked in an interview with OK! magazine whether he drinks or does drugs, Pattinson replied: “I don’t take drugs and I certainly don’t drink, apart from coffee.”
Despite his strict religious upbringing, Pattinson is not opposed to having a beer with his son or taking him to Disneyland. He understands the importance of relaxation and has endeavored to make sure that his son has a good time too. He told Good Morning America in an interview that he takes his child to “family-friendly cinema halls” so that they can “wonder at cartoons together.”
Pattinson, who was named Britain’s Sexiest Dad in a 2012 survey, understands the responsibility that comes with parenthood and is determined to do right by his son. He also hopes that having a child will change his audience’s perception of him. In 2014, Pattinson told Entertainment Weekly that he hoped becoming a father would make him “more relatable” to audiences.
“I think it’s very easy for fans to relate to me as an actor because I’ve played some pretty cool characters in my time, but I don’t think people really know how I feel inside. With these roles, I get to express a side of myself that I didn’t get to show very much before,” Pattinson said. “One of the challenges as a father is showing your emotions to people who matter the most to you and being able to explain to them how you feel and what you need.”
Creating A Balanced Home Life
While Pattinson’s film career may soon be back on track, his personal life is still a work in progress. Although he may have found comfort in Sutherland’s arms, he is now pursuing a more monogamous relationship and is optimistic that having a family will bring him closer to his fans.
The actor, who is currently filming the fantasy adventure film, Valmont, admitted that he had to adjust his romantic life to fit his new family responsibilities; in an interview with Hello! magazine, he said he intended to take his time establishing new parental bonds and that being a good father “was more important to me than anything else, including my job.”
Sutherland, who is now engaged to be married to actor Ben Barnes, has been by the actor’s side throughout his entire journey, and the couple have stayed tight even though they have gone through a rough patch. Their devotion is admirable, and it seems that Pattinson is keen to make sure that his son has this same support network. In the future, he would like to include his fiancée in fatherhood decisions. He told Times newspaper: “I’d love to have a husband who would be there for me as much as a dad is there for a kid. I’ve seen parents come together when their children were young and I think it would be great to have a parental unit that stays together as much as possible.”
This desire for lifelong commitment and family might make Pattinson an unlikely candidate for Hollywood’s ‘it’ girl’ title, yet he seems to have found happiness in fatherhood. While he may not yet have found the ‘perfect’ dad hat, he is undoubtedly settling into his role nonetheless.