We’re in a private room at the back of a private members’ club in Shoreditch, east London, where Robert Pattinson is sitting on a comfy-looking sofa wearing tight black jeans and a tight white T-shirt. We’re about as cloistered from the bustle of real life as you’re likely to get in the capital, which is kind of the point.
“I’m still quite nervous in public,” says Pattinson. “People want to come up and talk to you, but I’ve never really found a way to cope with that. A lot of celebrities have this kind of protective psychic shield,” he explains, waving his hands in front of his face. “I still haven’t developed one.”
If this strikes you as a little precious — as just some “boo hoo hoo, the price of fame”-type whinge — then I would like to make the case that there are grounds for cutting Pattinson some slack. For a start, we have to consider how he got here in the first place.
So an untrained 21-year-old actor from west London lands a lead role in an adaptation of the Twilight young adult novels, novels that concern sexy, angsty teenage vampires. Over the course of five films starting from 2008, The Twilight Saga is established as one of the most lucrative movie franchises, helping Pattinson become both incredibly wealthy (he is now worth a reported £65 million) and incredibly desired (he was voted Glamour magazine’s sexiest man in the world for four years on the bounce). Millions start referring to him as R-Patz.
Already, that’s pretty disorientating, but just to make things even more intense, he then fell into a real-life relationship with his on-screen love interest, the actress Kristen Stewart. The relationship ended very publicly and very messily in 2013 after it was revealed that she had cheated on him with a Hollywood film director. To avoid photographers and obsessive fans, he spent a lot of time either a) in disguise or b) holed up inside his enormous LA mansion. That was basically Pattinson’s twenties.
He says the period was impossible to get his head around. “Even when it was happening, I didn’t know what was happening,” he says. “I remember when I was 21 and promoting the first Twilight film, I was still toying with the idea of going to university afterwards. I wanted to do international relations. But then it just kind of . . .” he trails off.
It just kind of became Twilight? “Yeah. And you become more invested. Inevitably.” It’s three years since the franchise ended, and I ask if he has a bit more perspective on the ways it changed his life? “No,” he says, chuckling. “I don’t think I’m ever going to have any perspective on it.”
The other reason I’m inclined to let Pattinson get away with talk of “protective psychic shields” is that when it comes right down to it, he’s just really, really likeable. He is considerably more likeable than an incredibly handsome 29-year-old multimillionaire has any right to be. He pokes fun at himself constantly. At times he’ll break into giddy, back-of-the-classroom style giggles. The joke is invariably himself.
He says he has “so many neuroses” including, but not limited to, a “constant fear of being found out and humiliated” as an actor. “A month before I start a job, my entire mind falls apart,” he says, explaining that he can’t help imagining the “unfathomable depths of disaster” he will surely find himself in. He is surprised that, post-Twilight, people are offering him jobs. “It’s so difficult not to just think that you’re a fraud.”
On the one hand, you can take one look at this and think, yeah, classic case of imposter syndrome: these are the nagging doubts of someone who frets that they’ve fluked a career on the strength of their cheekbones and ability to look brooding. The problem with this theory is that, since Twilight finished, Pattinson has worked with heavyweight directors including David Cronenberg and Werner Herzog. These are men who presumably know a halfway decent actor when they see one. The result, I think, is that Pattinson is now a little bit confused about who he is and what he’s about.
He explains how, when doing endless interviews for the Twilight films, “I would sort of deliberately s*** on myself.” He’d get so worried that he’d come across as pompous or big-headed when talking about his job that he’d go in completely the other direction, telling interviewers: “Oh, I don’t really know what I’m talking about.” Afterwards, he’d feel he had sold himself short. “I’d think: ‘I’ve got to stop saying that.’ Because people take it at face value. If you say that you have no idea what you’re talking about, people tend to believe you.”
Pattinson grew up in Barnes, where he attended the Harrodian School. His dad ran a business selling vintage cars and his mum worked booking models. As a teenager he sang in a local band — Bad Girls — and joined a local theatre group with the primary intention of meeting, well, girls. “It wasn’t like I was a kid who just loved having the spotlight on him,” he says. “That’s not part of my character.”
It sounds like a comfortable upbringing rather than a gilded one. You wonder whether if he’d been just a little bit posher — proper posh rather than just posh for the suburbs — he’d be a lot more at ease with his success. His family, as he describes them, sound a lot like him: very English, very unobtrusive. “We’re terrible at getting a barman’s attention,” he says, by way of example. “With the exception of my mum, who is completely fearless, we’ll just stand there for hour after hour getting more and more furious, but the anger is never enough to make you raise your voice.”
In a roundabout way, though, this probably helped his career. He is about to appear in Life, a film by the Dutch director Anton Corbijn. He plays Dennis Stock, a photographer for Life magazine who becomes friends with James Dean (played here by Dane DeHaan). Pattinson expresses both amazement at and admiration for the way that Dean was a rebel not just on screen, but within Hollywood.
“Did you know that he didn’t show up to the premiere of his first film? He literally just . . . didn’t go,” he says, frowning. “I’m so envious of people who can do things like that. It’s just that I’m waaaaay too afraid of the consequences to do them myself.”
Hollywood, he explains, has always been a very feudal place. It’s just that he thinks the power now rests with the small number of talent agencies rather than the big studios. “You can p*** off the wrong person and then that’s it, you’re done,” he says starkly. “You’re screwed. I know actors who have had that happen to them. It’s a really easy thing to do because there are a lot of sensitive people in this industry.”
Unwittingly upset the wrong power-broker at the wrong agency and doors suddenly shut in your face. “There will be a company line: ‘This guy is no good’,” he says. “It’s very regimented.” So while Dean wouldn’t last five minutes today, polite, self-effacing boys from Barnes are probably pretty well suited to such things.
He says he has recently “kind of” moved back to the UK after eight years in LA. The unspoken implication is that he moved back to be with his girlfriend, the singer Tahliah Barnett — better known by her stage name of FKA twigs — who lives in east London. I say “unspoken” because Pattinson has a policy of not answering questions about her or even acknowledging their relationship. However, they are obviously going out because there are loads of photographs of them holding hands and appearing at events together, which is always a bit of a giveaway.
Anyway, he seems genuinely happy to be back in London. For one thing, this is where most of his mates are. “I’ve basically had the same core group of friends since I was 13. Some people make new friends when they go to college or whatever, but when you’re an actor making new friends is quite difficult because you never spend enough time in one place. I’ve ended up being quite reliant on the friends I’ve always had.”
I get the impression Pattinson’s keen to start doing the stuff that most 29-year-olds do. He says he would “love to start a five-a-side football team”. He talks about his favourite YouTube video, a three-second clip of a kid taking a penalty that hits the goalkeeper in the face (“God, I must sound like such a moron”). Apparently he went through a phase of using the Headspace guided meditation app, stopped doing it but still gets woken up by preset reminders telling him it’s time for some mindfulness. “It’s like it’s taunting me,” he says.
He has also grown a beard. Sorry, I should probably have mentioned this earlier on but, yeah, he has a massive beard. And not an artfully dishevelled hipster one, but a properly bushy, park-bench-cider-drinker-type effort. He’s grown it for a forthcoming role in a film about British explorers trying to find a lost city in the Amazon rainforest. To acquire the necessary physique he says he’s been hitting the gym and he complains — a little unconvincingly — about his slowing metabolism.
“I’m so glad about the vanity required in this job because if I didn’t have to stay in shape, I’d be such a fat arse,” he says, “but it used to be that I could start working out four weeks before a job and it would be totally fine. Now? Nothing happens. You just beat your body into submission. What the f*** is going on? I had to go on holiday to an extravagant secret location this year because I was afraid of someone photographing my gut.”
Still, people are asking him to be in their films, so that’s good. Deep down I think Pattinson is edging towards the conclusion that he might be a decent actor after all. “I’m not fully there yet, though,” he says, quickly. “It’s still hard for me to say ‘This is who I am! This is my voice!’, but I think the most embarrassing thing would be if that fear of humiliation stopped you from doing what you actually wanted to do. And then you look back on it afterwards and think, ‘What the f***? What was the worst thing that was going to happen?’ ”
It’s solid advice. If he’s got any sense, he’ll take it.
Transcripción del Artículo: Pattinsonhq.com vía Pattinson-Films
scans
"Todavía estoy bastante nervioso en público. La gente quiere venir y hablar con usted, pero nunca he encontrado una manera de hacer frente a eso. Muchas celebridades tienen este tipo de escudo protector, yo todavía no he desarrollado uno ".
Aqui puedes leerla http://pattinsonhq.com/print-interview-w-the-times-uk/
Gracias a robsfootsteps | pattinsonworld
Scans gracias a @twenty22too via pattinson art work
Buena semana y un gran beso para todas. Que buena pinta tiene ésta entrevista!!!
ResponderEliminarVoy a tratar de comentar todas las partes que entiendo de la entrevista... por si les interesa, chicas...
ResponderEliminarLucky * I love muse
Es larga así que va por partes...
Parte 1
El entrevistador describe que Rob llevaba pantalones negros ajustados y una camiseta blanca ajustada también...
Dice que sigue sintiéndose nervioso en público... cosa que no le pasa a otros actores...
(Creo que mucho tiene que ver como cómo es él...
Y... tratando de ponerme en su lugar... no ha de ser nada fácil tener a la gente mirándote y siguiéndote todo el día...)
Luego hace una reseña de lo que fue Twilight, cuanto dinero ganó con la franquicia, y su relación con Kristen...
Menciona su engaño también...
Dice que básicamente todos los 20s de Rob fueron entre ser abordado por fotografos y fans obsesivos.
Y Rob menciona que no tenía idea de lo que le estaba pasando... incluso mientras le estaba ocurriendo...
Dice que mientras estaba promoviendo la primera película... todavía pensaba que iría a la universidad y estudiaría relaciones internacionales.
Dice que, incluso luego de tres años de terminada la franquicia... el nunca tendrá una perspectiva de como esto cambió su vida.
El periodista dice que Rob es muy agradable. Considerablemente más agradable e increíblemente guapo de lo que un chico multimillonario de 29 años tiene derecho a ser...
También menciona que le gusta hacer bromas...
Rob dice que tiene muchas neurosis y un miedo constante a ser humillado como actor. Que se sorprende de seguir consiguiendo trabajos. Que le es muy difícil no pensar que es un fraude.
El periodista habla de que podría ser el clásico caso del que consigue los papeles y construye su carrera en base a como luce físicamente. Pero el problema con esa teoría es que Rob, luego de la Saga está consiguiendo trabajar con directores importantes que, seguro reconocen a un actor decente cuando lo ven.
Dice que Rob se siente confuso por eso.
Rob habla de que deliberadamente estaba tirándose m***** durante las entrevistas de twilight, como diciendo que no sabía lo que hacía... pero que dejó de hacerlo porque cuando dice algo, la gente tiende a creerlo como cierto.
Parte 2
ResponderEliminarResume donde nació y creció, los trabajos de sus papás, su participación en una banda y en un grupo de teatro.
Rob dice que a el no le gustaba tener las luces encima de él, que eso no es parte de su carácter.
Rob describe a su familia como muy inglesa y discreta. Y que a diferencia de su mamá que no tiene miedo, el resto de ellos aunque estén enojados, esa furia no es excusa para levantar la voz.
Menciona a LIFE, y su papel. Dice que Rob expresa su admiración y fascinación porque Dean no sólo era un rebelde en la pantalla.
Que James Dean no fue a la premiere de su primera película, que simplemente no fue.
A Rob le gustaría hacer eso... pero tiene mucha preocupación por lo que eso podría hacerle a su carrera.
Dice que Hollywood siempre ha sido un lugar feudal, que todo el poder ahora recae en las pequeñas agencias más que en los grandes estudios.Y que podrías enojar a alguien y tu carrera estaría arruinada.
La gente es muy sensible en esta industria.
El entrevistador menciona que Rob se ha mudado a Londres luego de 8 años de vivir en LA.
Él cree que es por su prometida FKA Twigs... pero que Rob no habla sobre su relación.
Dice que el parece feliz de haber regresado allí...
Rob habla de sus amigos... de que básicamente tiene el mismo grupo desde los 13 años.
Que para un actor es difícil hacer nuevos amigos porque no pasa mucho tiempo en el mismo lugar...
Dice el entrevistador que Rob está comenzando a hacer cosas de una persona de su edad.
Que Rob menciona querer comenzar un equipo de fútbol 5.
Que su video favorito de you tube es uno donde un niño patea un penal y le da en la cara al arquero.("Dios, debo sonar como todo un idiota")
Habla de que tiene su barba muy crecida por la película que está filmando... y de que está yendo al gimnasio.
Rob dice estar agradecido de la vanidad que se requiere es el trabajo, porque si no necesitara estar en forma, sería gordo. Pero que necesita trabajar en el gimnasio 4 semanas antes de comenzar a filmar para estar bien físicamente.
Dice que en sus vacaciones tiene que ir a lugares extravagantes y secretos por miedo a que fotografíen su estómago.
Rob dice que la gente le sigue pidiendo que actúe en sus películas lo que es muy bueno.
El entrevistador dice que dentro suyo, Rob está comenzando a cree que es un actor decente después de todo.
Rob dice que aún no lo cree plenamente. Que es difícil para él decir "Este soy yo" "Esta es mi voz", pero que la cosa más embarazosa sería que el miedo a la humillación hiciera que parara de hacer lo que él quiere hacer.
Y luego miraría atrás y diría ¿Que m*****? ¿Que sería lo peor que me podría pasar?
Es un consejo sólido. Si eso tiene algún sentido, el lo tomará.
Lucky * I love muse
Mi opinión...
ResponderEliminarComo siempre...
Es un placer absoluto leerlo!!!!!
(Aunque tengo que admitir que prefiero las entrevistas de Pregunta/ Respuesta... Porque son más directas y porque las puedo interpretar mejor que las que están escritas en prosa con muchas palabras en medio... jejeje)
Me encanta como es... todo él!!!
Sigue haciendo su camino... como todos nosotros...
Y sigue creciendo y madurando...
Es genial cuando suelta alguno de sus chistes o bromas... Adoro su sentido del humor!
Es super observador y muy sensible!
Me conmueve mucho cuando menciona a su familia... y a sus amigos...
Para mi, particularmente, no importa cuan fuertes sean los lazos... familia o amistades... hay que seguir alimentando esos vínculos siempre...
Me da la impresión de que Rob piensa así también... y me gusta eso!
Me llamó la atención lo que menciona de las premieres...
Y agradezco que... aunque le pese, cumpla con eso... porque es nuestra oportunidad de verlo!!!!!
Bueno... creo que escribí mucho...
Sólo algo más... Es imposible no quererlo!!!!
Me siento más que feliz de ser su fan... y de apoyarlo...
No sólo lo merece por su carrera brillante... También como ser humano es un gran ejemplo a seguir!
Gracias por la entrevista, Nani!!! (me la reservé para el postre, soy muy golosa... jejeje!)
Saludos!!! Lucky * I love muse