Robert Pattinson actually sounded like a good feminist ally at the Berlin Film Festival

68th International Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale) - ‘Damsel' - Photocall

Did you know that at some point in the past year – ?? – Robert Pattinson went off and filmed a feminist western-comedy film called Damsel? It’s true. The film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival on Friday, and here are some pics from the photocall and premiere. Note Rob’s yellow pants! I loathe shades of orange on any red carpet, but I will occasionally accept yellow, depending on the person. And for a photocall at the Berlinale… I think it’s fine. Plus, I like that Rob tends to do different looks for his public appearances, and that his personal style seems a bit kooky. He’s having fun – let him wear yellow pants or a ketchup-colored suit or some Zoolander-inspired Dior gear.

In Damsel, Rob apparently plays a dude named Samuel who goes on a journey through the “Wild West” to find his true love, played by Mia Wasikowska. When asked if he believes in the “true love” fantasy, Rob told reporters in Berlin: “It’s obviously more complicated. I think Samuel, the main character, is a bit of a fantasist. He likes believing in a poetic version of reality. I think life and love is a little more complicated than he perceives it.” That’s generated a lot of headlines like “Robert Pattinson says ‘love is complicated’” or “Robert Pattinson doesn’t believe in true love.” But really he’s just saying something completely normal – life is messy and so is love. Rob also discussed the #MeToo movement, saying:

“If you feel that you’ve been wronged, and you feel that you don’t have the right to tell people about it and you feel that you’re being bullied into silence, it’s one of the most awful things in the world. So it’s amazing when any kind of dam breaks and people feel they’ve got the numbers to say, no, you’ll be safe to say whatever has happened to you. It’s pretty amazing.”

[From Variety]

I’ve been sitting here, thinking about it, and I actually think that Rob has shown us in various ways over the years that he’s a pretty good feminist ally. There are zero stories about him mistreating women, he never says anything terrible about female costars or exes or any of that. He’s had close friendships with women, and worked closely with women throughout his career. Is he the wokest dude? Maybe, maybe not. But it’s refreshing to hear about a guy who doesn’t go out of his way to be a dick, and it’s refreshing to hear from a guy who is clearly capable of empathy towards women who have been wronged. He’s not out here Damonsplaining #MeToo, so give him a cookie.

68th International Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale) - 'Damsel' - Premiere

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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30 Responses to “Robert Pattinson actually sounded like a good feminist ally at the Berlin Film Festival”

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  1. Wowza says:

    I just love him. What a cool guy. He was so great in “Good Time” this year, I wish there was more of an Oscar push for that performance (not that he seems like the type to care).

    • mia girl says:

      I agree. His performance was crazy good.
      Maybe he’ll pull an upset and win the Independant Spirit Award.

    • HeidiM says:

      I just watched that this weekend on Netflix…….and I was so pleasantly surprised. With good material he is more than capable.

    • Once says:

      A24 couldn’t afford running many Oscar campaigns, they chose James Franco over Robert and got burnt.

      • Another Anne says:

        Right? No one is even talking about Franco any more. They totally bet the wrong horse.

        Good Time was a small movie, released before “Oscar season” however. And it’s not the type of story the Academy goes for. Which is a shame, because the performance itself was absolutely Oscar worthy.

  2. Lucy says:

    I knew there was a reason why I loved him so much.

  3. WestHollywood says:

    RPatz has officially become a critical darling… critics are mixed on his new movie, but impressed with his comedic chops this time around… It’s like one day he woke up and thought “I’m finally embraced for my edgier performances, but what if I dig deeper and play a dumb cowboy?»

  4. Another Anne says:

    I want to see this movie, it sounds pretty funny. And I need to see Good Time again, he was AMAZING in it.

    Robert has mentioned before that his mother is a very strong woman, and he has two older sisters as well. So hopefully they taught him well.

    • mia girl says:

      It definitely looks interesting and both he and Mia W are getting good reviews. I’ll be at SXSW and Damsel is going to play there. It’s on my list of films to see.

  5. mia girl says:

    I actually love the whole look – from the bright yellow pants to the cool leather jacket.
    He looks really good here.

  6. Once says:

    Robert and Mia did two movies together, how come there were no rumors about them dating/ hooking up? They look so good together, I’d ship them.

  7. Leah says:

    He also chooses strong edgy females for his partner. He never goes for the obvious Hollywood girlfriend type.

  8. littlemissnaughty says:

    He doesn’t have to be aggressively woke, it doesn’t have to be a performance. If your personality and actions speak for you and the message is that of a good guy, that’s kind of the endgame here, isn’t it?

  9. MeNina says:

    I’ve always found him charming and genuine. I haven’t seen any of his recent movies, but I hope can carve out a cinematic niche for himself.

  10. Mumzy says:

    No to the mustard pants…esp with black shoes with orange stripes. But it’s better than the Little Lord Dior getup that looked as though he’d lost a bet.

    He’s a talented actor and musician, and from interviews comes across as an intelligent, painfully self-aware, and emphathetic person. I hope he keeps choosing roles that interest him, and that he’s passionate about. In those films, whether I like the movie overall or not, his acting is always stellar and I’m glad to have watched them.

  11. Littlestar says:

    He’s about a thousand light-years from Damon. He’ll always be my Cedric

    • Turtle says:

      He WAS a perfect Cedric, wasn’t he? He had to be handsome but also not come off like a jerk or arrogant, the way a lot of pretty guys do.

  12. Laura says:

    My friend was his chauffeur many years back (Twilight days) when he was visiting in Nashville. He was very kind and polite to her. Not implying that being nice to your female chauffeur makes you a feminist, but I think the way a person treats someone who is hired to help you can speak to your true character.

    • Another Anne says:

      Totally agree with you. There are so many stories of celebrities acting like jerks to crew or hired help, it’s always nice to hear about the ones that treat others with respect.

    • Turtle says:

      My favorite along those lines has always been Martin Sheen. Never met a kinder, more humble person who was also a celebrity of that stature. Old-school Christian kindness.

      • MeNina says:

        Martin Sheen was getting coffee in front of my mom and me once years ago and my mom got super goofy and fangirly and yelling “there’s our president!” Because of west wing. And I was mortified but also worried he’d be annoyed and hurt my moms feelings. But nope- he was so kind and talked to my mom for a moment and gave her a hug. So gracious, that man!

  13. Anname says:

    Rob’s answer doesn’t surprise me. As a long time fan I have always had the impression he is a genuine stand up guy, with respect for everyone. Those questions can be a minefield to navigate, even with the best of intentions, so I’m glad Rob was able to answer so well.

  14. Evanescence says:

    Mia’s gown demands heavy jewelry, the whole look is undercooked without it… Sparkles used to wear bold-colored suits in his twilight days, then he got involved with Dior and they dress him in black only, meh

  15. Tig says:

    I hope Damsel gets a decent theaterical release-it looks pretty crazy. And pls tell me nothing happens to the mini-horse/pony in the movie! Rob and his animal Co-stars- first an elephant, now a mini-horse!
    Appreciated his comments as well.

  16. Alexandria says:

    Ya all gotta reign in the he so edgy comments or Justin Theroux aka Justedge is gonna crash through the door. Showing and rattling off his teeth collection.