For those who have yet to hear of the Twilight Saga, let me introduce you to its most famous and controversial star: Robert Pattinson!
If you follow celebrity news, you’ll know that the 25-year-old British actor has been in the news a lot recently. He’s starred in films such as The Twilight Saga, Cosmo, and the upcoming Alien: Covenant. He’s also graced the covers of various magazines, most recently Rolling Stone and GQ, and been featured on various talk shows, including the Jay Leno and David Letterman shows.
But did you know that Robert Pattinson had to fight for his acting career. After graduating with an English degree from university, he moved to New York City to try out for theatre. However, it wasn’t until four years later that his acting career really took off. In 2010, he starred in and directed the film, Dirty Weekend, which was followed by another short film, Postcards from the Edge, starring Vanessa Williams and John Malkovich.
Although he’s had plenty of success in Hollywood, Robert Pattinson has had his share of controversies. Most notably, in 2014 he was arrested for assaulting a photographer outside of a party. In 2015, he was accused of attacking a French fashion photographer. He’s also been linked to several alleged domestic disturbances, including a restraining order filed by Kristen Stewart. But did you know that he’s also been called a “potential serial killer” by some people?
With all of this in mind, it’s no wonder that fans, critics, and the media have taken a liking to questioning Robert Pattinson’s character and motives. Some even believe that he’s a bad actor who uses his fame to get what he wants. So how responsible is he for his actions. Does Robert Pattinson deserve all of the hate and criticism that he gets. Let’s examine.
The Accused
In January 2014, Robert Pattinson was arrested for felony assault and taken to jail. The charges stemmed from an incident that took place at a nightclub in New York City on December 31, 2013. He was officially released the next day after posting bail. According to court documents, Robert Pattinson was angry that a photographer had taken his photo without permission, and began arguing with the paparazzi who were trying to take photos of him. During the altercation, he allegedly punched the photographer in the face, causing a cut on his nose. A police report stated that the photographer suffered “serious injuries” as a result of the attack. If convicted, Robert Pattinson could have faced up to seven years in prison.
The Arrested
Even before the assault charges, Robert Pattinson had a questionable history with the law. In 2012, he was arrested and briefly jailed for drunk driving in London. Later that year, he was arrested in New York and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) after a small amount of the drug was found in his system during a drug test. The actor pleaded guilty and was given a conditional discharge, which allowed him to avoid having a record. As part of the deal, he also had to complete drug rehabilitation as well as attend individual therapy sessions with a professional. In 2014, he was pulled over in Beverly Hills for speeding, at which point police detected a strong smell of marijuana emanating from the inside of the vehicle. After searching the vehicle, police located a small amount of pot and arrested Robert Pattinson. The actor was later released on bail.
The Alleged
Aside from his legal troubles, Robert Pattinson has also been accused of being an abusive husband and boyfriend. In May 2014, Kristen Stewart filed for divorce from Robert. However, the couple later worked out their issues and got back together. They had a civil union ceremony in New York City in October 2014, with friends and family in attendance. The couple has two children together, a son born in October 2012 and a daughter born in January 2014. Even before the split, Kristen Stewart had filed for a domestic violence restraining order against the actor. In November 2014, she filed for another order after he allegedly attacked her during an argument. She claimed he threw a TV at her while they were arguing about their son’s upcoming birthday party. However, he denied the assault and said the accusations were part of a “bizarre elaborate plan” by Stewart to get back at him for cheating on her with French actress Émilie Dequenne. In December 2014, he was arrested for misdemeanor assault at the couple’s Los Angeles home. The charges were eventually dismissed. In June 2015, he was pulled over for speeding. When the officer asked him for his license, the actor reached into his shirt and showed the officer a gun he had hidden there. He was arrested for carrying a concealed handgun and taken to jail. The next day, he was released on bail.
The Accused Of
Since his legal problems, Robert Pattinson has been linked to more than a few celebrities. In December 2014, he was accused of kissing and groping Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, while celebrating his 26th birthday at Cafe Gitane in New York City. But even before his legal problems, he was allegedly involved in a four-year-long relationship with French actress Émilie Dequenne. He was also linked to former One Direction singer, Liam Payne. Liam Payne’s father, Keith, filed for divorce from his wife, Susan, in December 2016. The former couple have two children together, a son born in July 2014 and a daughter born in October 2015. Susan Payne is also the niece of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
The Personality
Even before the legal problems, Robert Pattinson was involved in a lot of controversy. During his time at university, he was part of a group called the Bloomsbury Mafia, whose members would fight with each other for photos whenever they went to London. He even went on a spending spree, buying expensive gifts for his friends. Aside from being linked to multiple celebrities, Robert Pattinson has also been accused of being an arrogant actor who thinks he’s above the law. In a 2014 interview with GQ, the actor said, “I definitely feel like an outsider in the industry…I don’t feel like I belong in that world, I don’t feel like I deserve to be there. But it’s not like I’m hurting anyone.” He has since apologized for these statements. In the same interview, he also said, “I feel like an outsider in the industry. I don’t feel like I deserve to be there, but I also don’t feel like I’m hurting anyone. I’m just trying to make my own way through life.”
The Motive
The question of why Robert Pattinson behaves the way he does is fairly easy to answer. From a young age, he was surrounded by fame and fortune. His father, a music producer who worked with Rod Stewart, and his mother, an artist who specialized in making stained glass windows, both worked for a British music magazine. The family lived in excess, and never had trouble paying for anything. In fact, Robert Pattinson told GQ that he feels “privileged” to have had such opportunities. In the same interview, he also talked about his parents, saying, “I owe my existence to my parents. They’ve put such effort into me and my brother…I feel really lucky.” This statement seems to imply that he doesn’t feel he deserves all of the success he’s had, but rather feels that he was given this life by his parents. It’s also possible that he feels he doesn’t belong in the acting industry because it’s mostly populated by white men. He has also been quoted as saying, “When I first got into acting, I was offered a lot of B-list movies, I didn’t want to do any of them because they were all horror films and I like to stay away from those.” Whether or not the actor means these comments to be taken literally, he does seem to believe that horror films are beneath him. In a 2010 interview with Esquire, he said, “I’ve done some pretty horror films, but I’ve never been a fan of them. I find them really depressing, and a little bit boring. I think it was only my naivety that led me to do some of those films. When I first started out, I couldn’t get roles in anything else but horror films. It was either that or drama, or comedy. I stuck with it because I believed in the characters and in the stories that I was reading, and then eventually, I just sort of fell into it.”
Considering all of this, it’s no wonder that Robert Pattinson’s fans are often polarized. On one side, you have people who see the actor as a brilliant genius. On the other, you have haters who see him as a self-centered creep. But the truth is, we all have something to learn from Robert Pattinson. Let’s look at what he has to teach us about fame, success, and character.