From Exploding Clowns to Handheld Pasta: Robert Pattinson's Funniest Lies and Other Nonsense in Interviews

Mar. 15, 2025

Robert Pattinson in 2024.Photo:David Becker/Getty

David Becker/Getty

Since the days ofTwilight,Robert Pattinsonhas proven his resistance to biting his tongue.Whether it’s his honest opinion of the vampire love story or straight up lies about the fate of a circus performer, there is no shortage of commentary from the actor that has made fans wonder if they can believe their ears.In a recent interview withThe New York Times, Pattinson explained that he used to become bored while sitting for interviews early on his career which might have led to some of his more eyebrow-raising anecdotes.“The only thing people would ever ask me about was being famous,” he said. “You go into, like, a fugue state.“From his hair washing frequency to culinary inventions, read on to hear some of Pattinson’s most nonsensical musings.

Since the days ofTwilight,Robert Pattinsonhas proven his resistance to biting his tongue.

Whether it’s his honest opinion of the vampire love story or straight up lies about the fate of a circus performer, there is no shortage of commentary from the actor that has made fans wonder if they can believe their ears.

In a recent interview withThe New York Times, Pattinson explained that he used to become bored while sitting for interviews early on his career which might have led to some of his more eyebrow-raising anecdotes.

“The only thing people would ever ask me about was being famous,” he said. “You go into, like, a fugue state.”

From his hair washing frequency to culinary inventions, read on to hear some of Pattinson’s most nonsensical musings.

01of 07Exploding ClownNBCUniversal via GettyWhile promotingWater for Elephantsback in 2011, Pattinson recounteda fabricated story about seeing a clown die on a past trip to the circus."[The clown’s] little car exploded — the joke car exploded on him. Yeah, seriously,” Pattinson told Matt Lauer while appearing on theTodayshow. “My parents had to, like— everyone ran out. It was terrifying…. The only time I’ve ever been to a circus.“In a recent interview withThe New York Times, Pattinson said he recently watched back the interview and was surprised with what he saw.“There was absolutely no hesitation at all [in my voice],” he said about the fib. “I’m like, ‘What on earth? Are you possessed?’”

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Exploding Clown

NBCUniversal via Getty

While promotingWater for Elephantsback in 2011, Pattinson recounteda fabricated story about seeing a clown die on a past trip to the circus.

“[The clown’s] little car exploded — the joke car exploded on him. Yeah, seriously,” Pattinson told Matt Lauer while appearing on theTodayshow. “My parents had to, like— everyone ran out. It was terrifying…. The only time I’ve ever been to a circus.”

In a recent interview withThe New York Times, Pattinson said he recently watched back the interview and was surprised with what he saw.

“There was absolutely no hesitation at all [in my voice],” he said about the fib. “I’m like, ‘What on earth? Are you possessed?’”

02of 07Future Restauranteur?Robert Pattinson in 2024.Francois Durand/GettyIn aquarantine-era interview withGQ, Pattinson explained a business idea he said he had concocted based on this thought: what if “pasta really had the same kind of fast-food credentials as burgers and pizzas? I was trying to figure out how to capitalize in this area of the market, and I was trying to think:How do you make a pasta which you can hold in your hand?,” he said.He said he designed a protype of this handheld pasta and even set up a meeting with restauranteur Lele Massimini about his “business plan.“A few years later in another chatwith the magazine, he doubled down explaining, “I was fully, actually trying to make that pasta. Like I was literally in talks with frozen-food factories, and hoped that that article would be the proof of concept.”

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Future Restauranteur?

Robert Pattinson in 2024.Francois Durand/Getty

Francois Durand/Getty

In aquarantine-era interview withGQ, Pattinson explained a business idea he said he had concocted based on this thought: what if “pasta really had the same kind of fast-food credentials as burgers and pizzas? I was trying to figure out how to capitalize in this area of the market, and I was trying to think:How do you make a pasta which you can hold in your hand?,” he said.

He said he designed a protype of this handheld pasta and even set up a meeting with restauranteur Lele Massimini about his “business plan.”

A few years later in another chatwith the magazine, he doubled down explaining, “I was fully, actually trying to make that pasta. Like I was literally in talks with frozen-food factories, and hoped that that article would be the proof of concept.”

03of 07To Gym or Not to GymJonathan Olley/Warner Bros.Also in the 2020 interview forGQhe said he wasn’t really working out for his role as Batman.“I think if you’re working out all the time, you’re part of the problem,“he said referring to other actors.“You set a precedent. No one was doing this in the ’70s. Even James Dean — he wasn’t exactly ripped.“He later clarified in an interview with MovieMaker that it was a joke.“That really came back to haunt me,“he told the outlet.“I just always think it’s really embarrassing to talk about how you’re working out."“You’re playing Batman. You have to work out,” he added.

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To Gym or Not to Gym

Jonathan Olley/Warner Bros.

Also in the 2020 interview forGQhe said he wasn’t really working out for his role as Batman.

“I think if you’re working out all the time, you’re part of the problem,“he said referring to other actors.“You set a precedent. No one was doing this in the ’70s. Even James Dean — he wasn’t exactly ripped.”

He later clarified in an interview with MovieMaker that it was a joke.

“That really came back to haunt me,“he told the outlet.“I just always think it’s really embarrassing to talk about how you’re working out.”

“You’re playing Batman. You have to work out,” he added.

04of 07Dirty Hair, Who Cares?Anita Bugge/WireImageHe also used the chat with MovieMaker to reference another talked-about comment he made years ago.“It’s the same thing as saying in an interview when I was like 21 that I didn’t wash my hair,” he said. “It just sticks for 15 years.”More than 10 years ago, on the tail end ofTwilightmania, when asked how long it took to get his hair “hair perfectly coiffed,” he toldThe Chicago Tribune:“I have so much residue crap in my hair from years and years and years of not washing it and not having any sense of personal hygiene whatsoever.”

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Dirty Hair, Who Cares?

Anita Bugge/WireImage

He also used the chat with MovieMaker to reference another talked-about comment he made years ago.

“It’s the same thing as saying in an interview when I was like 21 that I didn’t wash my hair,” he said. “It just sticks for 15 years.”

More than 10 years ago, on the tail end ofTwilightmania, when asked how long it took to get his hair “hair perfectly coiffed,” he toldThe Chicago Tribune:“I have so much residue crap in my hair from years and years and years of not washing it and not having any sense of personal hygiene whatsoever.”

05of 07Unexpected Dinner DateJames Devaney/WireImageDuringa sit down with David Lettermanback in 2009, Pattinson shared that while filming a movie in Spain, he asked a fan who had been waiting outside of his apartment for days if she wanted to join him for dinner.“I was so chronically bored that one day, she’d been out there for about three weeks, and I said, ‘Hey, do you just want to go to dinner or something? I mean, no one else wants to hang out with me.’”He explained that she took him to her parents restaurant where he “complained about everything in my life” … before she passed him the bill.

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Unexpected Dinner Date

James Devaney/WireImage

Duringa sit down with David Lettermanback in 2009, Pattinson shared that while filming a movie in Spain, he asked a fan who had been waiting outside of his apartment for days if she wanted to join him for dinner.

“I was so chronically bored that one day, she’d been out there for about three weeks, and I said, ‘Hey, do you just want to go to dinner or something? I mean, no one else wants to hang out with me.’”

He explained that she took him to her parents restaurant where he “complained about everything in my life” … before she passed him the bill.

06of 07Royal ClassmateGetty(2)Ona visit toThe Graham Norton Show, Pattinson shared that he used to tell people in L.A. that he had attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art with Prince William.He said because he was English, no one doubted his tale.

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Royal Classmate

Getty(2)

Ona visit toThe Graham Norton Show, Pattinson shared that he used to tell people in L.A. that he had attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art with Prince William.

He said because he was English, no one doubted his tale.

07of 07

Edward is ‘a Weirdo’

Robert Pattinson at the premiere of “Twilight” in 2008.Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Pattinson has also been known toshare his brutally honest opinionsabout all thingsTwilightand in one scenario called his character Edward “a weirdo.”

“If Edward wasn’t a fictional character and you met him in reality he is like one of those guys who would probably be an axe murderer or something,” he added.

source: people.com