The world is a big place. And sometimes, you just want to go home. Home is where the heart is, after all. And if you happen to be an actor, sometimes you just have to go where the work is. The fame and the fortune may come later, but for now, you just have to take what you’re given and make the best of it.
That’s why, sometimes, you have to settle for being famous while already having money. That’s why sometimes, you have to settle for dating celebrities. That’s why sometimes, you have to settle for being loved by millions. Sometimes, you just have to settle. Because home isn’t what it used to be.
Case in point: Robert Pattinson. The 27-year-old British actor has been around for a while now, starring in Twilight and its hugely popular sequels. His work has earned him countless accolades and made him one of the most in-demand stars in Hollywood. But as much as fans may love his movies, they can’t help but notice that he’s never been exactly happy with the role he’s played in his life.
Pattinson’s latest movie, Remember Me, is arguably the most personal project of his career. And perhaps his bleakest. And certainly, his most heartbreaking.
If you’ve read our list of the Top 11 Romantic Movies, then you’ll know that we consider ourselves to be big fans of Pattinson’s work. And it’s not just because he plays a vampire. It’s hard to explain why exactly this film resonated with us so much; it’s something about the way he plays Scott, a charming and thoughtful man who becomes emotionally detached from those around him as a result of his illness. It seems, to us at least, that Pattinson is finally ready to show the world what he’s really like, the real Scott he’s been keeping hidden all this time.
As a result, we were beyond excited when we learned that he would be making a special appearance at San Diego’s Comic-Con. We managed to nab an interview with Pattinson, and it was then that we discovered the depths of his feeling. Not for a movie or a role, but for something much more personal. Something that, until that point, we didn’t even know existed. Something that, once revealed, would change our mind about him forever.
An Actor’s Nightmare
We’d been growing increasingly worried about Scott as the shoot-out at the end drew nearer. Worried that, as a result of his mental state, he might be unable to play the role to the best of his ability. He was supposed to shoot someone at the end, and although we didn’t see it, we knew that our worries were legitimate. We didn’t want to ruin the surprise of his appearance at Comic-Con, but we also knew that it would be best for everyone, himself included, if he just got it over with.
But after the interview, it was made very clear to us that he was, in fact, fully prepared to do his duty. And that, in itself, was a relief. Although we were still nervous about whether or not he was going to be able to pull it off. He’d been acting weird, distracted and even a little erratic for the last few weeks. But, you know, all good actors have nerves. And nerves are never a bad thing.
It was already mid-afternoon by the time we made it to our hotel. And even though we’d driven all day, we were both physically and mentally exhausted. We decided to call it a night and have a nice swim before heading to our hotel’s rooftop pool for a sundowner. We were both feeling optimistic, cautiously so, about Scott’s upcoming confrontation. But, you know, when you’re dealing with people’s lives and death, you never know how things are going to turn out. Especially when you’ve never acted together before. Especially when you’re only 27 years old.
Comic-Con
By this point, we’d pretty much settled into our hotel rooms. It was still early, so we figured we might as well use the time to take a walk and get some fresh air. We headed to the hotel’s outdoor cafe for a coffee to take out on the deck. And that’s where we ran into our old friend, Sarah. Sarah is a professional makeup artist who did our makeup for the Twilight movies. She was in San Diego to meet some of her old friends and had taken the time to stop by to see us as well. We hadn’t seen her in years, so it was really nice to catch up.
As we sat there having coffee, we glanced at our watches. It was then that we saw that the cafe was closed. And we remembered that it was already past lunchtime. The cafe wasn’t even serving food yet, but already, we’d been informed that we couldn’t eat there. Why? We were confused. So, we asked the cafe’s manager, who then informed us that, because it was a private party, they couldn’t serve us. We were shocked. This was the ultimate example of an actor’s nightmare: we couldn’t eat at a restaurant because it wasn’t serving the right food for the right time! It was ridiculous!
One of the cafe’s co-owners then came outside and explained to us that they didn’t want to upset the other customers, especially since this was a really important party. And just to be on the safe side, they didn’t want to piss off the big-name guest of honor either. We were floored. What is the world coming to when even a coffee shop owner is afraid of an actor’s ego? We should have known that this wasn’t going to be easy. We still don’t know what kind of party this was, but it sounds like it was some kind of charity gala. We know that Pattinson is a very, very generous person, so it’s possible that he donated money or time to an organization of some kind. We don’t know, but we would guess that it had something to do with mental illness, since that’s the role he’s playing. Maybe it was an organization that helps people with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. We don’t know. We just know that we weren’t going to get the full story behind this sudden closure. It was either that or take our business elsewhere. And we’re not in the habit of leaving good reviews.
A Shining Example Of Selfless Acting
As much as we desperately wanted to find out what had happened, we couldn’t help but feel frustrated. We were in San Diego for a good cause, trying to spread the word about mental health, and this was the kind of arbitrary bullshit that prevented us from doing our job. It didn’t matter how important the charity was. It wasn’t right.
Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Scott seemed to be handling it well. When we went up to our rooms to get changed for the night, he was sitting on his bed, watching TV and reading a book. He seemed relaxed and at peace. And that was a sight to behold. We’d rarely seen him this way. Usually, when we checked in, he was already in his costume, rushing around, trying to finish his makeup in time for the movie. Now, he was calmly changing out of his work clothes into some jeans and a hoodie. It was almost too easy.
We went down to the hotel’s cafe to get some food. Scott was already there, sitting with his back to the chef, who was making him a grilled cheese sandwich. He was so still, so quiet, that we startled the chef, who asked if we were his guests. When we said no, that we were just hanging out with the guy who was playing his character, he looked at us like we were crazy. We didn’t realize at the time that this was just a regular thing for us. That we walked into this cafe every day, having regular conversations with the person that played our favorite vampire. It wasn’t until later that we found out that this had become somewhat of a routine. That, most days, he’d sit in the back and just order a sandwich, while we talked about anything and nothing. It was one of the staff members who later told us about this routine. We’d never seen it before and was, frankly, a little disturbed by it. But it was also kind of sweet. We got to know Scott very well, while he was never more than a couple of feet away from us. And that was a great comfort, having someone we could talk to, who was playing the part of someone we cared about.