Robert Pattinson shares his experience with body image as a Hollywood heartthrob: 'There'll always be a guy who's in better shape'

Robert Pattinson gained recognition as a Hollywood heartthrob after starring as Edward Cullen in the Twilight films. And although the attention may seem flattering, the British actor said it is particularly awkward to be asked so much about his body.

"[It's] quite embarrassing when you get into a pattern of answering questions about your workout because there'll always be a guy who's in better shape than you," he told ES Magazine when discussing his standing as a sex symbol. "It's crazy."

Even crazier to him, however, is the pressure that people face as a result of that information circling mainstream media. When discussing his preparation for Batman with GQ in 2020, Pattinson said that he had ignored the training regimen that he was given. "I think if you’re working out all the time, you’re part of the problem. You set a precedent," he said, referring to male body standards. "Literally, I’m just barely doing anything."

He later clarified his hyperbole in an interview with MovieMaker. "You’re playing Batman. You have to work out," he said.

The joke, he told ES, wasn't well received at the time. "I got in so much trouble for saying that I don’t work out," he said, "even from my trainer, who was like, 'Why would you say that?'"

He went on to discuss the “addictive” qualities of diet culture

"It’s very, very easy to fall into that pattern as well, even if you’re just watching your calorie intake, it’s extraordinarily addictive — and you don’t quite realize how insidious it is until it’s too late," he said. "I have basically tried every fad you can think of, everything except consistency."

He told the publication that he's never actually struggled with his relationship with his body, although he admittedly has gone to great lengths to alter his appearance.

"I once ate nothing but potatoes for two weeks, as a detox. Just boiled potatoes and Himalayan pink salt. Apparently it’s a cleanse… you definitely lose weight," he explained. "And I tried to do keto once. I was like, 'Oh, there’s a diet where you just eat charcuterie boards and cheese all the time?' But I didn’t realize that you can’t have beer as it completely defeats the purpose."

His desire to experiment with those extreme diets might be related to his outlook on his career, as he shared that he has no current plans to slow down.

"There’s just something in me which runs very, very deep and it makes the idea of taking a holiday seem like an impossibility… I find myself going, 'No, I have to keep working, I have to keep working all the time, this might be my last opportunity, I’ve got to save for a rainy day,'" he said.

Some time in the future, that time might come. "And in the meantime," he said, "I’ll just be here battling with the ghost demon."

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