Since bursting onto the international scene as Bella in Stephenie Meyer’s vampire romance saga, ‘The Twilight Saga’, Robert Pattinson has been a fixture on our screens. With a string of acclaimed films and collaborations with esteemed directors under his belt, the English actor clearly hasn’t slowed down since starring in the first film of the franchise in 2008. But while Bella may have been the breakout star of the Twilight franchise, it was Pattinson’s character’s constant dedication to her studies that inspired her ‘Sisters’ co-star and friend, Kristen Stewart to pen a love letter to her acting teacher. The letter, as it turned out, was a wedding proposal.
From Twilight to Off-Broadway
A year after wrapping filming on ‘The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’, the final installment in the vampire saga that has since become a cultural phenomenon, Robert Pattinson was still making movies. Having been signed on for a supporting role in the upcoming Martin Scorsese film ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, he was also working on two other projects. One was a remake of the 1981 horror classic ‘The Hitcher’, and the other was a French-language romance, ‘Amour sur le Bout de Boulevard’.
While ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ was going well, Pattinson was offered the role of Hamlet, one of the most popular characters in the English language. The ambitious actor signed on for the Broadway musical, determined to conquer New York Theatre and impress his big-shot Hollywood director brethren. But while in New York for the play’s pre-opening trial run, Pattinson suffered a minor accident, breaking an ankle.
“I had never really done much acting, so it was a real learning curve,” Pattinson told the press at the time. “But it’s been fantastic. It’s been a real education, but it’s also been fun. The play’s been going well and I think everybody’s enjoying it.”
An Education
When the dust had settled, Pattinson found himself once again starring in a Scorsese film. The acclaimed director had cast the English heartthrob in the role of a gay writer who befriends a young American fashion designer (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and helps him create a men’s wear collection.
Scorsese had first met Pattinson at a literary festival in London some years earlier, and the two quickly bonded over their love for fiction. After talking with the actor about the role, the filmmaker said he initially envisioned someone “a little more glamorous,” but ultimately ended up finding the right person for the part. “And so I cast him because he’s an excellent actor and a funny man,” said Scorsese of the English heartthrob. “It was important for me to find the right person for this role because fashion is very subjective, and I wanted someone who understood fashion.”
Wedding Bells
Pattinson, who is famously private, has kept his personal life out of the spotlight, but it was apparent that something special was going on when he showed up at Kristen Stewart’s 23rd birthday party in Paris a week before the end of 2011. He had proposed to the Snow White and the Huntsman actress a few months earlier, and had subsequently started planning the wedding. The actor was determined to do something special, and he hired an expert to design his bachelor party. He also had a vintage car shipped from London so he could celebrate the event in a vintage car parade.
After a somewhat rocky start to their relationship, which saw Pattinson cheat on his then-fiancee with Stewart and also briefly marry another woman, the two have since made a blissful pair, with Stewart often appearing alongside Pattinson in interviews as his partner in crime.
Back to Hollywood
Since his days as a Broadway teen, Pattinson has worked hard to establish himself as an A-list celebrity. He was first catapulted to fame thanks to his role as Edward Cullen, the charming vampire who falls for Bella Swan (Stewart). The actor has since gone on to appear in a string of critically and commercially successful films, often partnering with directors such as James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, and Baz Luhrmann. Stewart has also gone on to star in her own series of films, and has collaborated with her ‘Sisters’ co-star on several projects. Together, they have a daughter named Marlowe, whom they have previously adopted from China.
Pattinson has since moved back to Los Angeles and now lives with Stewart and their families. The actor has remained busy with his work, recently earning accolades for his portrayal of writer Jean-Paul Sarte in Quentin Tarantulinu’s ‘The Hateful Eight’. In September 2016, he made headlines around the world for his romance with American actress Victoria, his first serious relationship in nearly a decade. Victoria is the daughter of New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg.
Pattinson will next be seen in the upcoming Disney+ series, ‘High School Musical: The Musical,’ in which he plays Coach, the role he originated in the original ‘High School Musical’ film. The series is set to premiere in spring 2021.