Robert Pattinson, Most Beautiful Man In The World, Claims He Is Not A Beauty Buff

Robert Pattinson may be highly recognised for his role in the international sensation Twilight as well as his upcoming role as the next Batman. But to his beloved, die-hard fans he is perhaps most recognisable for his infectious smile (set in a face recently deemed the most beautiful in the world by science, no less). Although the Batman release has been postponed to 2021 because of the coronavirus outbreak, Pattinson is keeping busy as the newest face of Dior Homme's cologne, and the star of a recent advertising video directed by the duo known as The Blaze. We were able to sit down with the iconic heart-throb (before the lockdowns, of course) to get a behind-the-scenes take on his career, why he loves face masks, and what's next for the 33-year-old actor.

L'Officiel: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Robert Pattinson: "Where do I see myself in 10 years? Still here to give interviews and enjoy a profession that, despite everything, still offers me a lot and that I continue to love madly."

LO: When did you decide to become an actor?

RP: I actually never really thought about it. There was a girl I liked, who was part of the "drama club". I was around 15 and working backstage when I realised how magical the whole spectacle was. So I didn't go to school, I just decided to do what I like, and what I like is being in front of the camera. I like being in the theatre, and backstage, and going out with my colleagues after the show. It was a natural process. It was not my life's dream, I did not pursue it as such, I only did what I liked, and I did that well.

LO: As a child, what career did you think you would pursue?

RP: When I was a teenager, I imagined doing something in the field of music. I played the piano — my band and I would sometimes perform in a restaurant, and that seemed beautiful to me. I have to be honest, I've always had positive experiences... In my previous life, everything was probably pretty darn bad!

LO: When exactly did you realise you were famous? How did you react to this?

RP: For some reason, I've never totally connected myself with being famous. I don't think it has changed me at all. Twilight happened so fast — we always worked at a fast pace, and in a sense, we lived in isolation. I didn't have time to realise I was famous, even when everything was over. I still remember getting so excited the day after the premiere of Harry Potter, and then the day after that it was as if nothing had happened.

LO: According to recent research, you have been named the most beautiful man in the world...

RP: That's flattering, but it also makes me laugh. If I think about it, there are a lot of things that I don't like about myself and that I am self-conscious of. I'm realising that as I get older, I pay less attention to physical appearances, at least compared to a few years ago. I think sometimes it's a good thing to find out what we don't like about ourselves, so that we can improve on those flaws. 

LO: What is the first memory you have of fashion? You mentioned that you collect sneakers.

RP: I remember being 14, and although none of my friends thought much about clothes, I set some money aside so I could buy a red jacket that I liked very much. I think it was by a Japanese designer. I felt incredibly stylish, which was a feeling I had never experienced before. That red jacket was my rite of passage, the moment I became aware of fashion. I've gone through multiple stages in my life. There was a time when I bought a lot of stuff on eBay, and little by little I became very fond of sneakers. It was always the same model, but in every possible variation... I owned all the existing iterations of the same shoe!

LO: How would you define your personal style?

RP: It's strange because I spend a lot of time hiding it, in a way. I don't think it's a real style. I can't define it precisely, but I'm attracted to so-called "eccentric" clothes. But in everyday life, I just wear "normal" clothes without a clear-cut aesthetic.

LO: How do you make your careers in the worlds of fashion and cinema coexist? You have been working on it for years, for example with the Dior Homme campaigns. 

RP: The thing that attracts me to cinema, especially in recent years, is the abstruse atmosphere. I like the contrast between that and what I do with Dior, which is attractive in a more conventional sense.

LO: The new Dior Homme perfume campaign is dedicated to a "strong" man. What does strength mean to you?

RP: I believe that strength lies in the ability to listen. A lot of times people want to demonstrate that they are perfect by placing themselves at the centre of attention. But you have to be patient, and to be patient you have to be comfortable with yourself. I think strength also means being empathetic without judging others.

LO: In the video directed by The Blaze, you dance and seem to have a lot of fun. Can you tell us more about that experience?

RP: It was incredibly fun. At one point I was dancing in front of the camera and they yelled at me, saying "Ride!". I couldn't understand what they were saying, and when I asked, they replied with "Fly!". It was hilarious. 

LO: Do you consider yourself a beauty buff? What is your beauty routine?

RP: A beauty buff? No, I definitely don't consider myself a beauty buff. For years, I did nothing except to wash my face. Then, as I got older, I realised that I had to take better care of my skin. What I love is putting on a good face mask, like the ones people wear on planes to relax.

LO: One last question about your career — who do you consider your cinematic role model? Is there any role you dream of playing?

RP: Marlon Brando is an icon for me. I don't think there will ever be anyone else like him. And with regards to my dream role, I must say that every character I've played seemed so strange at the beginning, but it made me happy to give each of them life. And they, in turn, have made me who I am today.