Breathtakingly handsome and charming, Robert Pattinson’s appeal is certainly not limited to the silver screen. The British actor has been named ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ by People, and is renowned for his roles in the hugely successful Twilight and The Great Gatsby franchises as well as the recent blockbuster, The Loved One.
But behind the scenes, Pattinson has been working feverishly on a number of projects to shed his ‘boyish’ image. The actor has spoken about his determination to bulk up for the role of the tragicomic detective, Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and has documented his weight loss regime in a new book, The Life & Death of Sherlock Holmes.
The Actor’s Bodybuilding Regime
Pattinson has said that he decided to transform his body for the role of Holmes because he was “haunted” by it. It was in the ‘70s, and Pattinson was still appearing in films at the time. However, as he got older, the actor found that he was not as physically fit for the part as he could have been. As a result, he worked out a lot in order to get into shape for the role of Holmes. His regimen included running and cycling, as well as weight training. Pattinson also made use of the services of a personal trainer and nutritionist. The actor has been so busy promoting his latest film, The Great Gatsby, that he has had little time for rest or relaxation.
The transformation took months. Pattinson has said that he lost ten pounds in the first month alone. Even then, the role of Sherlock Holmes is no small feat, as the detective is known for his height (6ft 2in) and his bulk. Pattinson has cited his “love of good food” as another reason for wanting to transform his body for the role. He has said that being in shape for Holmes was a way of life that he feels more comfortable portraying.
Robert Pattinson: A Career In Entertainment
Pattinson has been acting since he was 15 years old. After several smaller roles in independent films, the young actor rose to fame in 2008 after he was featured in the music video for “I’m Not Talking” by the band, The White Stripes. The video was directed by David Fincher, and marked the beginning of an association between the British actor and one of America’s most acclaimed film directors.
Pattinson was one of the four leads in the romantic comedy, The Twilight Saga: New Moon. The film was one of the biggest successes of the year, taking in $408 million worldwide on its release in 2009 and cementing the young actor’s position as a teen idol. That same year, Pattinson was given his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 2010, Pattinson starred as a young Winston Churchill in the war drama, Young Winston, and returned to the big screen with a starring role in the romantic comedy, The Gucci Girl. The next year, he was seen in the ensemble cast of the sci-fi film, Prometheus, and was nominated for a BAFTA for the role of Charles Dickens in the film adaptation of Dickens’ Great Expectations. In 2012, the actor starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill in the hit comedy, The Wolf of Wall Street, which was nominated for three Academy Awards.
While many actors go through periods of intensive film work, Pattinson has said that he does not see his role as Sherlock Holmes as a “career choice”. The actor has emphasized that he loves what he does and has no plans to stop working in films. A self-confessed fan of detective stories and films, Pattinson has stated that he regards Holmes as “one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time”.
Robert Pattinson And Sherlock Holmes: Similarities & Differences
Pattinson has pointed out that there are a number of similarities between himself and Sherlock Holmes. Both men are incredibly intelligent and have a passion for logic and deduction. While the similarities may seem uncanny, the actor has stressed that he does not feel like he is channeling the detective. Rather, the roles share some similarities because both men were creators of fictional characters who are now household names.
Pattinson has said that he and Sherlock Holmes both have “big-brother complexes” and feel a sense of responsibility towards their creation. The actor has added that he feels fortunate to have been chosen to play the iconic detective, as he regards Sherlock Holmes as a “great friend” who has helped him in his career. He has cited the detective’s first case, “The Adventure of the Baskerville Hounds”, as an example.
Despite their shared interests in logic and deduction, Pattinson and Sherlock Holmes are very different characters. While the detective was a thin, pale individual with a mustache, the actor has cited Sherlock Holmes as a role model and says that he “always tries to keep his figure”. Indeed, Sherlock Holmes is often described as “bulky” and “portly”, and the actor’s weight has been the source of much speculation. One of the first photos of Pattinson was a fitness shot taken a couple of months before he started shooting Sherlock Holmes in which he is noticeably thinner than the average person. Much to the delight of Sherlock Holmes fans, the actor has finally given his opinion on the matter, saying, “I think it’s funny everyone thinks I’m so thin because I play a thin man. I’m not. I’m actually quite stocky, I think. I have a gut, actually.”
As a child, the actor was a fan of Sherlock Holmes and spent hours reading the detective’s adventures. It was during this time that he decided to try and physically transform himself for the role. In an interview with Conan O’Brien, he said, “I was reading it and I realized that there was this character that I could put all of my ideas into. I think that it’s a character that everyone can find themselves in.” In an interview with MTV News, the actor added that he feels “very lucky” to have been given the opportunity to play such a pivotal role in popular culture. He went on to say, “I hope that I can bring something new to the table, something that people haven’t seen before. I think that it’s quite special that I get to do that.”
While many actors go through periods of intensive film work, Pattinson has stated that he does not see his role as Sherlock Holmes as a “career choice”. The actor has emphasized that he loves what he does and has no plans to stop working in films. A self-confessed fan of detective stories and films, Pattinson has stated that he regards Sherlock Holmes as “one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time”.