Most stars have a biopic in the works, but only a few have been able to leverage their celebrity for commercial and critical success alike. One such example is the great British film star Robert Pattinson, whose career has seen him rack up a prestigious award and accolades reel, while simultaneously challenging stereotypes about masculinity and attracting the interest of Hollywood A-listers.
The English actor’s life has been chronicled in film and on TV in biopic-like fashion, with the most recent installment, Burton & Taylor, premiering last year. The film follows the actor’s extraordinary life from his early days in the minors to his international superstardom and struggles with addiction, which included an infamous stint in rehab that was featured in one of its most shocking scenes. While the film largely focused on the actor’s personal life, it didn’t shy away from the darkness that plagued his early years and almost got him killed (twice).
Pattinson rose to fame after landing the role of poet and adventurer Lord Alfred “Colonel” Cobweb in the 1997 miniseries Elizabethan. Since then, he has starred in numerous British and international films, graced the cover of Vogue, and become one of Britain’s biggest celebrities. Here, we look at the complete biography of one of the most fascinating and accomplished actors working today.
Early Life And Family
Robert Pattinson was born on December 25, 1984, in London, England. He is the son of the late actor and TV-presenter Pete Pattinson and the late actress Kate Pattinson (née McEwan). His mother was born in New York to an American mother and Scottish father. Because he has English, French, and Scottish ancestry, he is sometimes referred to as a Third-Cousin-Once-Removed of William Shakespeare. It is not known if this is meant to be taken literally or not.
Pattinson’s older sister is the TV presenter Anna Pattinson. The actor has another sister, Grace, who is three years his senior. The family settled in London when Pattinson was young and he grew up in the city’s upscale Holland Park.
Education
Robert Pattinson attended Brompton School, an independent boys’ boarding school in London. He was educated at Millfield School, an independent boarding school in Millfield, Sussex. While he was at school, he landed the role of Billy in the 2005 film Sellico, which was based on the eponymous novel by John Banville. The story centers on a young man named Wilfrid Sheers who, after a tragic accident, finds himself in a coma. In the novel, Sheers is a composite character based on a combination of several real-life individuals, including poet laureate Robert Graves and financier Richard Spottiswoode. Wilfrid Sheers is one of the great literary characters of the 20th century and Banville’s work has been compared to that of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. The film’s producers originally offered the part of Sheers to Benedict Cumberbatch, but he turned it down because he did not feel comfortable with the accent.
Career
Pattinson began his acting career as soon as he finished school, appearing in a number of stage plays, mainly around London’s West End. He made his film debut in the 2005 horror movie Dead Babies, also starring Elle MacLeman and Gemma Arterton. The following year, he had a supporting role in the Coen brothers’ dark comedy Intolerable Cruelty, followed by a role in the 2009 thriller Perfect Sense. He then starred as the lead in the psychological horror movie Walking Dead, which was released in 2010 and became a surprising critical and commercial success. He followed this up with a string of prominent supporting roles, including Water for Elephants (2011), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), and Dune (2018).
The year 2018 was a breakthrough for the young British actor. Not only did he land one of the lead roles in the highly anticipated sequel Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom with co-star Christina Wren, but he also received widespread critical acclaim for his performance in the Coen brothers’ The Darkest Knight. The Knight part was a large leap forward for the actor, who had mostly played comic book villains up until that point. It also marked the first time he’d worked with the legendary director Roger Michell, who had previously directed him in Pride & Prejudice and The History of Love.
In 2019, Pattinson reprised his role as Johnny Deep in the Netflix adaptation of Joe Hill’s Naked City, which was set in the 1950s and based on the author’s own novel. The same year saw the publication of Pattinson’s first book, a collection of interviews and essays titled Belonging. The English actor has also become one of the most in-demand celebrity spokespersons, often appearing in high-profile commercials, including those for Dior, Sky Sport, and Audi. He has modelled for several high-profile fashion designers, including Roberto Cavalli, who declared Pattinson to be the “Natural Boy” for their 2020 men’s wear collection.
Personal Life
Pattinson was first linked to Katy Perry when the pop starlet covered the Beautiful Mind hitmaker’s song “Fireworks” for her album Witness (2018). Perry’s “Fireworks” tour was launched in 2018 and reached Australia, New Zealand, and parts of South America. The show included a performance by Katy Perry and Robert Pattinson, who performed a duet of “Fireworks” and serenaded the audience with a classic love ballad. Perry and Pattinson have since been photographed together in Australia and New Zealand. However, they appear to be keeping their relationship private, with just a few casual sightings of the pair together being published online. The same can’t be said about the actor, who has been dubbed the “It Boy” of Instagram because of his frequent, frequent, and often very frequent updates on the platform.
Physical Appearance
Pattinson is described as handsome by those who have worked with him. He has been referred to as looking like a young Guy Ritchie and possesses a “movie star” quality that is both charming and intimidating at the same time. His looks have been the subject of much fan obsession, with many believing him to be the perfect combination of beauty and brains. His unique appearance has led to him being featured on many magazine covers, including Vogue, which named him one of the “Most Influential People Of 2021” for his “stellar physique and charm”.
As for his personality, those who have worked with him describe him as both kind and intelligent. He’s also been a staunch advocate for animal rights, particularly when it comes to breeding and the meat industry. His passion for animals is seen in the numerous campaigns he’s participated in over the years, including PETA’s “Meatless Monday” initiative and his support for the charity Spaniard International, which rescues abandoned animals and finds them homes.
Pattinson is also well known for his love of books. He frequently visits bookstores and has been spotted reading everything from Danielle Steel to Agatha Christie. With so much talk of biopics and the like, it will be worth seeing if the English actor ever decides to write a book himself.