20 Times Actors Bet Against Hollywood (And WON)

19. Robert Pattinson - Good Time

It's bizarre, and rather embarrassing, to remember that most of us thought Robert Pattinson was a terrible actor at the beginning of the 2010s. To be fair, he was not good in those accursed Twilight films and he'd probably agree, as he's never been shy about his dislike of those movies. Pattinson needed a meaty, high-profile dramatic role to escape from the shadow of Edward Cullen, but it took a few years for him to find that. 

To be fair, he did well-received work in a few movies after Twilight; he collaborated with David Cronenberg twice and also performed in Life (not the space one) and The Lost City of Z, but none of those were necessarily the more mainstream hit that Pattinson needed. 

One day, Pattinson saw a still from Heaven Knows What and was immediately taken with its visual style. So, he reached out to Josh and Benny Safdie, that film's directors, and asked to work with them. Impressed by his commitment, the brothers agreed and wrote Good Time specifically with him in mind. 

Pattinson's bid worked like a dream, for Good Time was precisely what he needed: an acclaimed, widely-seen hit that proved his ability beyond a reasonable doubt. Since this, Pattinson has cemented himself as a true great who's delivered one outstanding performance after another, and it seems like only a matter of time before he becomes an Oscar nominee.