In the summer of 2019, news broke that actor Robert Pattinson had passed on the opportunity to reprise his role as Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter series. The actor was to have returned for the thirteenth film in the series, due out later that year. Fans were quick to react, expressing their disappointment at not being able to see the Hollywood starlet in action once more. The film series has been a huge part of many people’s lives, and it is fair to say that without it, many of us would not be the same. Whether or not you were personally obsessed with the series, it is hard to put into words the impact it had on popular culture. For those of us who were fortunate enough to see it unfold, meeting J.K. Rowling’s creations still remains one of the greatest pleasures we get from this world. It is therefore no surprised that many fans were heartbroken at the news that Robert Pattinson had turned down the chance to reprise his role. There were many reasons why he may have chosen to pass on the opportunity, and while some may have been understandable, it is still a massive blow to the fans. This is why we are taking the time to list down some of the more prominent reasons why Robert Pattinson turned down the role of Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter series:
1. He Does Not Want To Be Typecast
As much as we would love to see Robert Pattinson in every role imaginable, the truth is that he does not want to be typecast. Remember, this is the same actor who famously turned down the role of the iconic Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga because he did not want to be typecast. It would be understandable if he turned down the role of Cedric Diggory because he does not want to be seen as a British accent actor. With the exception of the 2014 miniseries adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, in which he portrayed the character of Mr. Wicks, Pattinson has not done much television work since then. For those of us who love his work, it is a real blow that we will not be getting to see him in any more major roles. This should not be a problem though, as long as he continues to spread his film work around, and chooses roles that will allow him to showcase his brilliant acting abilities. We should not forget that it was his performance in the 2014 miniseries that made him famous, and arguably, earned him his place among the greatest British accent actors of all time. In fact, we would like to propose a toast to the best British accent actor of all time, Mr. Robert Pattinson.
2. Bigger Projects In The Works
With the success of both the Twilight and the Harry Potter film series, it is not hard to see why Pattinson may have been eager to move onto other projects. Not only is he one of the most in-demand leading men in Hollywood, but his popularity extends beyond the world of cinema too. Having achieved iconic status with his portrayal of Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga, it is no surprise that he has continued to amass a considerable fanbase, which he has been keen to engage with over the past few years. This may also explain his attendance at several charity balls and benefits, where he has been keen to show off his famous charm, and meet new fans. For someone who is usually so private, it does not come as a huge surprise that he has been so actively engaged in public life in recent years. While we would love to see him continue to work hard to ensure that his profile does not get lowered, as he has so eloquently pointed out, sometimes other projects simply need to take priority.
3. He Does Not Want To Be Considered As A Side Project
To those of us who love his work, it is clear that Robert Pattinson regards the Harry Potter films as a side project. While it has been an incredible experience to work on this project with some of the greatest English actors of our time, and introduced him to a whole new audience, it is fair to say that he does not consider this as his primary occupation. In fact, he has gone on record to state that he does not want to be typecast as a British accent actor, and has even been keen to point out that he does not even consider the Harry Potter series to be a ‘charity case.’ While it is great that he has been able to establish himself as a leading man in Hollywood, and bring joy to millions of fans, it is important that he retains his identity as an actor, and continues to explore other facets of character and portray different roles. This was made evident in his candid interview with Elle, where he spoke about how he enjoys playing ‘smaller’ parts, and how important it is for him to remain true to himself as an actor, even when working on such big budget films. While we would like to see him continue to work hard to ensure that his profile does not get lowered, as he has so eloquently pointed out, sometimes other projects simply need to take priority. Even if his appearance in the Harry Potter films remains one of his most recognizable and beloved roles, we should not forget that he is an actor, and there is a whole other world of roles out there, waiting to be explored and brought to the big screen.
4. He Does Not Want To Be Told What To Say
Another important factor that may have played a role in Robert Pattinson’s decision to decline the role of Cedric Diggory, is that he does not want to be told what to say. As the creator of some of the most beloved and best-selling children’s books of all time, J.K. Rowling’s creative input was certainly involved in the scripting of the films, and it is clear that she had a big influence on the casting as well. One of the greatest joys of the Harry Potter series is seeing these characters come to life, and hearing their unique voices. As much as we would love to see Robert Pattinson in every role imaginable, it is important that he retains his identity as an actor, and continues to explore other facets of character and portray different roles. It is clear from reading his interviews that he does not want to lose himself in a role, and is not prepared to sacrifice his own opinion, for the sake of the role. This was made evident in his very candid interviews with Elle, and The New York Times, where he spoke about how he enjoys playing ‘smaller’ parts, and how important it is for him to remain true to himself as an actor, even when working on such big budget films. While we would like to see him continue to work hard to ensure that his profile does not get lowered, as he has so eloquently pointed out, sometimes other projects simply need to take priority. Even if his appearance in the Harry Potter films remains one of his most recognizable and beloved roles, we should not forget that he is an actor, and there is a whole other world of roles out there, waiting to be explored and brought to the big screen.
In the end, it is clear that this was a very personal decision for Robert Pattinson, and one that he believes will enable him to continue to grow and prosper as an actor. For those of us who love his work, it is certainly a blow that we will not be seeing him in the Harry Potter series one last time. It is also clear that he does not want to be typecast as a British accent actor, and there is a great deal of respect and admiration for this decision. While it is great that he is able to establish himself as a leading man in Hollywood, and bring joy to millions of fans around the world, it is also important that he retains his identity as an actor, and continues to explore other facets of character and portray different roles. This was made evident in his very candid interviews with Elle and The New York Times. For those of us who love his work, it is a real tragedy that we will not be getting to see him in the Harry Potter series one last time, but it is also clear that he does not want to be typecast. This is an important lesson for all of us, and it is clear that sometimes other projects simply need to take priority.