Some may invoke the ol' don't-pursue-fame-if-you-can't-handle-fame credo, but even the cynics among us surely feel a glimmer of pity for Robert Pattinson. Since his role in Twilight and subsequent relationship with co-star Kristen Stewart, the British actor has been hounded by the press, had his cuckolding made public, and seen his new lover, FKA twigs, bombarded with racist taunts by so-called fans who can't quite let go of the long-dead Robsten romance.
Not surprisingly, Pattinson has strong feelings about fame and the internet trolls he refers to as "demons." Discussing his role as a photographer invited to capture James Dean's private life in the new film Life in today's Observer, Pattinson drew parallels to his own relationship with celebrity.
"The idea of taking a photographer back to my family’s house...it’s just insane!” he told the British newspaper. “It’s not really even to do with the photographs — it might be nice to have a really good photographer do it, but it’s bringing your family into the public domain and then having to have them deal with this horrible cacophony of demons who live on the internet. That’s really ruined a lot of things, internet trolls, because no one wants to put themselves out there. Even if you can ignore it — and I don’t think anyone can really ignore it.”
Pattinson makes reference to how his celebrity has affected his sisters, but one can't help but feel he's also commenting on the backlash his rumored fiancée has also experienced.
"With my sisters, you just bring people into something they have not asked to be part of,” he explained. “It’s impossible for you to stop it afterwards. All you can say is: ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry for bringing this darkness into your life. And also you don’t get anything out of it, either.’ It’s just nothing but bad, yeah.”
Though the actor downplays his own fame these days, he's still reluctant to address his private life, specifically his life with FKA twigs.
"I’ve just found if you never talk about stuff, it’s better," he responds to his interviewer's question about his relationship. "But thank you."
Fair enough. Why feed the trolls?