A dreamer's look at Robert Pattinson 2009: Qualities of light

November 11, 3:00 AMBritish Pop Culture ExaminerDonna Peerce

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Robert Pattinson in Cannes, France, Summer 2009

Qualities of Light

I am someone who walks into dreams and ancient lands to understand myself and people. I am a scientist of sorts – one who explores humankind and other realms of existence to truly understand myself and the world.  And in these difficult times of joblessness, war, violence and economic stress, it is a wonderful refuge to escape to the Twilight world and spend time with characters we have grown to love. In the same vein, it is joyful to watch the growth and maturity of Twilight’s leading star, Robert Pattinson. Watching Rob in his promotional interviews for New Moon has led me to an understanding about him that might explain his universal appeal to people. Sure, he’s beautiful, gorgeous, sexy. The old adage “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” comes to mind. We must consciously focus on beauty to take it in. And this is what we do with Robert Pattinson. We consciously focus on Rob during his interviews and performances and in doing so, we are falling in love with what our visual and auditory senses perceive. A beautiful young man, talented actor, musician, gentleman, thespian, songwriter, best friend, and all-around good guy.

Just a year ago in November 2008, we were introduced to the 22 year old actor, Robert Pattinson, as he pummeled through press junkets, sitting through interview after interview all over the world, running his hand through his just-out-of-bed hair, promoting the movie, Twilight.  We were delighted to meet a very handsome, shy young man from London, England, who was self-deprecating and funny. Someone who wasn’t that concerned with his “style” and who was down to earth and humble. Someone who had not been “shaped” by the media or his management team, but rather, someone who had clung to his unique individuality and warm personality. We were nervous for him as we watched him walk past throngs of screaming fans who wanted pictures and autographs. But he prevailed. And we all breathed a sigh of relief as he made it through the publicity and walk of fame.

Twilight scored big and turned Robert Pattinson into one of Hollywood’s leading young stars in a matter of weeks. Summit Entertainment’s Twilight grossed a staggering $35.7 million from 3,419 runs on its opening day to score the second biggest opening day gross outside of summer after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which grossed $40.4 million on its first Friday in November 2005. Twilight took in $70.6 million at the box office in its debut weekend, making it the biggest opening ever for a female director, Catherine Hardwicke. Twilight went on to gross more than $300 million worldwide. 

And now, with Twilight Saga: New Moon, the second movie in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight franchise opening everywhere on November 20^th, we once again focus on Robert Pattinson as he sits through multiple interviews with fellow cast mates promoting his movie. What has changed? Is he any different? Has fame taken its toll?

There is a new maturity in Rob. He is now 23 years old. He is the same down-to-earth young man, but now he has a quiet fire within him. He has the same tousled, disheveled hair, the same dazzling smile, infectious laugh, and the same earnest gray-blue eyes. He is still gracious and kind. He is still self-deprecating, but exudes a self-confidence and a calm that wasn’t there last year. He is an international celebrity and sometimes, when a person reaches that level of fame, he or she changes. They become impressed with themselves. But, Rob doesn’t appear to have been affected that way. And even his best friends, musicians Bobby Long, Sam Bradley and Marcus Foster, all agree that fame hasn’t changed him. Rob goes to their shows and they all hang out and play music together when time permits.

Of course, merely looking at a celebrity and the world around us is immensely different than seeing that person and the world. Watching Rob Pattinson in his interviews, we glean impressions, intuitions, and feelings as well as information. The experience is multisensory. Rob has recently said that he still doesn’t know himself fully – that at age 23, he’s still learning who he is. There’s no doubt that Rob is a true artist. We know this. And, perhaps his art – his acting and music – are ways for Rob to connect to his true “self.” A sort of power beam that he can use to access the deepest parts of his heart. This beam is the dazzling light of clarity – some might call it a spiritual clarity: we see our gifts as God-given and realize how to actualize them. This is part of the growth process and it is a lifelong journey. When we are centered in our hearts, when we act in accordance with our truest nature, we access and express who we are. We do it automatically, creatively, and consistently. Growing is a process of strengthening and healing cracks in our lives so we can encounter and embrace our destiny. 

Rob appears to be more centered in his heart. That’s the difference. He appears to be more confident about his direction and his intent. Last year, he was surprised at the gifts being offered; this year, he’s embracing these gifts and moving forward at lightning speed. Remember Me, his movie with Emile de Ravin and Pierce Brosnan, will be released February 12, 2010. And, he’s slated to star as Georges Duroy in the movie Bel Ami in Paris and Unbound Captives with Hugh Jackman in 2010.  Rob seems to be embracing his destiny and exudes this strength and quality in his interviews.

Most of us are not raised to actively encounter our destiny. We may not even know we have one. We may be doing what our parents told us we should do, or what society expects of us. As children, we are seldom told we have a place in life that is uniquely ours alone. Instead, we are encouraged to believe that our life should fulfill the expectation of others. We are brainwashed into listening to others’ versions of ourselves. When we survey our lives, seeking to fulfill our destinies, we often see we had a dream that went glimmering off into the ethers because we believed that dream was beyond our reach. Many of us would have been, or at least might have been, done, tried something, if . . . if we had known who we really were. Rob Pattinson is discovering who he really is. That is what I’m seeing in his interviews this year. He is uncovering the qualities of light in himself – those layers of contrasts that form shapes and lines and textures in his life. It is those layers that define a creative spirit that has no boundaries.

Rob mentioned in a recent interview that he has stayed in his hotel room in Vancouver more the last few months while filming Eclipse, the third movie in the Twilight franchise, which will hit theaters in 2010. He said he'd work from 5:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. at night and go home exhausted. During his off-time, he used to like to walk down sidewalks in cities and sit at cafes, writing and reading, but it has been difficult to do that since he became so famous. Therefore, much of his time has been spent indoors, which is too bad since walking is a wonderful way to connect with the world. In the book, Songlines, the mystic traveler writer Bruce Chatwin reminds us, “In Islam, and especially among the Sufi orders, siyahat or errance – the action or rhythm of walking – was used as a technique for dissolving the attachments of the world and losing themselves in God.” The English poets were and still are great walkers and used poems to express themselves. “Meter” is the gait of a poem. The gait of a poem is often the “gate” we use to enter spiritual or other beyond ourselves realms. Great poets like Blake and Rumi walk us through the gate or veil that separates us from knowing our own power.

Rob mentioned that he had rented a piano for his hotel room this past year. He knows the importance of tuning in to that constant inflow of new images and new thoughts which nourish a soul and if he can’t walk outside, then he can at least play music and create inside. Music replenishes our over-tapped creative well and gives us a sense of wellness – of lightness. A piano and guitar are Rob’s tools for doing this – for discovering more of the qualities of light within himself. One can only hope he shares his music with us again in the future. Until then, we can continue enjoying seeing him in films and watching him grow into an even more beautiful being.

I want to sing like birds sing

Not worrying who hears or