Summary
Robert Pattinson may be best known for his portrayal of heart-throb Edward Cullen in the Twilight Saga, but the 24-year-old British actor/musician/model has been in the acting scene long before he was famous for being Johnny Cullen’s classmate. In fact, he began his career at a very early age by winning a coveted role on the popular British TV series, Skins, in 2007 when he was just fifteen years old. Since then, he has steadily worked his way up to becoming one of the most in-demand young actors of our time, starring in big-budget Hollywood films like Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse and earning him the respect of colleagues like Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner. In 2011, he even appeared in Broadway’s The Twilight Saga: Red vs. Blue, a role for which he received critical praise and won a Drama Desk Award.
This year alone, he will appear in the upcoming films, The Great Gatsby and Gone Girl, in addition to continuing his duties as Edward Cullen in the final installment of the Twilight Saga, as well as playing the title character in the upcoming film, The Lost City, based on the novel by Megan Coxsick. In April of this year, he will also be seen starring in the music video for his song “Lost Someone,” alongside the singer-songwriter Camilla Henemark (of the legendary Swedish group, ABBA).
Key Facts
Full name: Robert PattinsonBirth date: September 26, 1987Place of birth: London, EnglandRole model(s): Edward Cullen (from the Twilight Saga)Nationality: BritishSchool grades: GCSEs (‘O’ Levels in the UK), A levelsPersonal motto: ‘You Only Live Once, So Live Loud’
Analysis
As a child actor, Robert Pattinson was undoubtedly influenced by his famous relatives, who were all accomplished and well-known in their own right. The most famous of these is undoubtedly Louise, the actor/author/singer who was better known as Peggy Lee. One of Peggy’s most renowned songs is “You Only Live Once,” which was considered to be her signature tune and has been covered by multiple artists. The song has become somewhat of a mantra for fans of Peggy, and it’s easy to see why – not only is it a perfect summation of her artistry, it’s a sentiment that could be shared by nearly anyone at any time. Louise died in 1977, but her spirit lives on in her famous grandsons, who are all accomplished actors and musicians in their own right.
Perhaps the most famous relative of Robert Pattinson is the late great Royalty Schuleur, who was a very well-known and successful French writer, playwright, and actor whose plays covered a wide array of subjects and who was most well known for his historical plays set in France during the time of the Revolution. There’s a reason why the motto ‘Live for today’ could be attributed to him – not only do his plays cover a lot of historical events and people, but he lived a very full and impressive life, dying in 1933 at the age of 65. While he didn’t leave behind any musical or acting talent, it’s possible he influenced Robert Pattinson in some way, as he was a very well-known playwright who wrote a lot about love and life in general. If you look up ‘Royalty’ in the dictionary, you’ll likely see a picture of this great man.
As for the next famous relative, it’s difficult to identify the exact influence this famous author had on Robert Pattinson, but he did write a number of children’s books under the pseudonym of Richard Scarry. The books, which feature brightly colored and highly-structured drawings of animals and insects, were an instant hit with kids, and continue to be popular to this day. If you’re a parent or a grandparent, you may already have some of Richard Scarry’s children’s books in your house – his books helped launch the careers of a whole generation of children’s book authors and illustrators, including Robert A. Carrano, who collaborated with Richard Scarry on many of his books and is credited with creating the iconic head-banging lion mascot for the Schuler’s Bakery chain of restaurants that bears his name. The bakery which bears his name was started by his great-grandfather, who emigrated from the Ukraine and started a bakery in Manhattan in 1917, which eventually grew to seventeen stores across the United States. While we’re on the subject of influential relatives, let’s not forget about Michael J. Fox, who is perhaps best known for playing the title character in the Back to the Future trilogy. Michael J. Fox is Robert Pattinson’s distant cousin, and if you watch Game of Thrones, you’ll know exactly what kind of influence this actor/comedian has on his acting career. In addition to playing the character of the same name in the Back to the Future films, he’s also appeared in two of the Twilight Saga films as a hand model for John Malkovich. We’d be remiss not to mention the infamous Debbie Harry, who is one of the most well-known women in the world of fashion and is the cofounder of the groundbreaking fashion label, Babe Pawn. She is the daughter of English composer and music producer, Harry “Abba” Kirschner, who was best known for writing the songs “Baby, Baby” and “The Look of Love,” which were recorded by Harry’s cousin, Diana Ross. If you’re a fan of the designer label, Diane Von Furstenberg, you’ll certainly know who she is too – perhaps she was a strong influence in getting Robert Pattinson an acting role in the first place, as her fashion label was responsible for launching his acting career in 2007. It was originally reported that Diane Von Furstenberg saw Robert Pattinson in a barber shop in London and was so impressed that she asked the barber if he would let her see some of his acts. It was certainly a fortuitous start to his acting career—or any career, for that matter.
Another major influence that went into shaping Robert Pattinson’s career was a very famous and accomplished author named James Joyce. If you’ve never heard of James Joyce, let us educate you. James Joyce is considered to be one of the most influential writers of the 20th century and is best known for his novel, Ulysses, which was published in 1922 and has never gone out of print. The novel focuses on an afternoon in the life of Leopold Bloom, who is journeying through Dublin on a Sunday afternoon in search of a good woman to marry. While the novel is often considered to be rather scandalous and obscene – due in no small part to the fact that it was published in 1922 – it was also very well-received by critics and continues to be popular to this day. The book is frequently banned or strongly discouraged from being read in schools and universities, although it has been approved for use in some English-speaking countries, like Canada and the United States.
If you’re interested in reading more about the life and times of James Joyce, we recommend the following books: