Are mental breakdowns simply expected of Millennials and Gen-Zers these days — regardless of career or status? Robert Pattinson, who’s starred in projects like Harry Potter and is featured in the latest Batman movie, isn’t immune to emotional struggles. His most recent blow came while filming his upcoming movie, The Drama.
Thankfully for Rob, he wasn’t alone! Zendaya was right there to help him get through it. No stranger to mental health Zendaya is an advocate for how important it is to maintain. So, what exactly happened with Robert and how did Zendaya save the day?
Robert Pattinson’s Rough Time on The Drama Set
It’s normal for actors to research their characters before they start filming. From Daniel Day Lewis to Christian Bale to our fave sweetheart Timothée Chalamet will dive into their scripts, immerse themselves in their roles so they can imbue the words they’re saying with meaning.
This process helps them deliver their character’s stories in a completely convincing way. Rob is a method actor like them, but during the filming of The Drama he took things to the extreme.
In a recent interview with Premiere via IndieWire, Rob opened up about his struggles to find a deeper meaning in a specific scene.
He explained, “We had a scene together that was driving me crazy. I was desperately looking for its meaning, writing pages and pages of textual analysis. I ended up calling Zendaya the night before shooting the scene. I shared my doubts with her, I spoke for two hours, and after a while, very calmly, she made me understand that the line just said what it meant to say, that there was no hidden meaning. And there I was going crazy for three days.”
There’s a fine line between being the finest actor you can be and going off the rails. Here’s an example of the method going sour: Heath Ledger — another amazingly talented actor who, BTW, also was in the Batman franchise at one point.
Sadly, Ledger’s artistic flare went too far when he took on The Joker’s low vibration.
Rob needs to understand that it’s fine to look for the deeper meaning in some lines. But at the end of the day, mental health comes first. As an actor, saying the lines with conviction is great! But, chasing a labyrinth of meaning and emotions and losing your sense is problematic.
We bring all of this up because allegedly, this isn’t the first time Rob has had this sort of troublesome moment on set.
Robert Pattinson Also Lost it While Filming Die, My Love
It’s alarming that Rob’s extreme emotional swings and mental breakdowns are becoming a trend. Even worse, both breakdowns — that we know of — aren’t related in the slightest. The other time Rob lost his cool was when he was shooting a dance scene in Die, My Love. Lynne Ramsay helmed the film which also features Jennifer Lawrence.
Rob talked with GQ about his experience saying, “I did this movie with Lynne Ramsay, and she’s a really good dancer. And Jennifer Lawrence is a really good dancer. They just find it so easy. They’re like, ‘Just dance, it’s just music playing, just dance.’ I was like, ‘I’m going to have a mental breakdown when this happens. We need to either choreograph it or cut it.’ And they’re like, ‘No, just dance, stop being all freak.’ It came to the day, and I was sweating so much, the insides of my trousers, with sweat, were wet.”
That doesn’t sound… pleasant, AT ALL. But, we’ll undoubtedly see Rob in countless movies for years to come. It’s not like we’ll ever forget the magic he created in the Twilight Saga and beyond! Maybe he’ll find a therapist and learn to manage his emotions to avoid any future meltdowns.
