Robert Pattinson’s acting career has spanned almost two decades, during which time he has appeared in major motion pictures and several acclaimed television shows. While some may know the actor best for his glamorous portrayal of a vampire in the Twilight films, it was his turn as an uptight ballroom dance instructor in 2009’s No Reservations that truly made him an iconoclast among the Hollywood elite.
Now 46 years old, it would be an understatement to say that the actor’s life has been quite a whirlwind. Between his early success and his later, more mature years, Pattinson has clearly been through a lot.
As it turns out, there’s a lot more behind the scenes to the story of Robert Pattinson than our initial impression would have you believe. While the actor has never been the subject of any real scandal, he has been known to keep a fairly low profile, maintaining close contact with his family and friends. As a result, we know relatively little about these years of his life. But now, with the release of the final Twilight film, Breaking Dawn, we’re getting an especially clear picture of what the past 20 years of Pattinson’s life have been like.
Let’s take a look at how old was Robert Pattinson when he played the lead role in Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and, more importantly, how much he has aged since then. We’ll also discuss whether this makes us believe that he’s the best actor of his generation, as many have argued, or whether he’s merely the most photographed actor of our time.
How Old Was Robert Pattinson When He Played The Lead Role In Breaking Dawn?
Breaking Dawn is the final installment in the Twilight film series and was released in 2012. It does not feature any of the original cast, having brought in a mostly new group of actors for the story. Despite this, it’s still considered to be the finale of the series and was followed by the short-lived but much loved twilight saga series of films. The film picks up immediately after the events of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and follows the couple’s struggles to have a baby and adjust to a new, post-vampire life in New York City.
While we don’t know for sure how old Pattinson was when he played the role of Edward Cullen in Twilight – he would have been in his early twenties at the time – we can confirm that he was much older when he played the lead role in Breaking Dawn. We know this because according to IMDb, he was 26 years old at the time and had already been acting for ten years. This would have made him 30 when he began shooting Breaking Dawn, which was released in July 2012 and, therefore, he would have been 44 at the time of the following year’s release of Eclipse.
Based on these figures, it would appear that in 20 years, Pattinson’s appeared in many major films and television shows and has notably aged very little. This is quite an accomplishment given the fact that he’s never been one to follow the trends or norms of his time and has instead chosen to express himself creatively and through his art.
Has Robert Pattinson’s Age Increased Or Decreased His Acting Talent?
It’s well known that the success of a film or TV show often hinges on the performance of its lead actor or actress. But it would appear that age has not touched Robert Pattinson’s acting ability. If anything, it has improved with time. Take a look at his early roles versus his more recent work:
- Early Works:
- Twilight (2008);
- How To Be A Man (2008);
- Galavant (2010 – 2011);
- Party At Paradise (2011);
- The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009); and
- Water for Elephants (2011).
- Recent Work:
- Belle (2012 – present);
- The Rover (2014);
- The Batman (2014 – present);
- High maintenance (2014 – present); and
- The Lost City of Z (2016).
If we compare Breaking Dawn with the other films mentioned above, it’s easy to see that Pattinson has aged very little. This is probably because he’s continued to follow a rigorous training regime, which has helped keep him looking young. He also doesn’t seem to have spent a lot of time in the spotlight, which has helped preserve his good looks. This is also probably why he’s never really been a trendy or style-driven actor, which is also something that’s helped keep him looking young.
Has Robert Pattinson’s Work In Major Motion Pictures And TV Shows Made Him One Of The Most Iconoclastic Actors Of Our Time?
While it’s true that most actors simply follow the pack and appear in major films and TV shows in order to secure roles in these popular media outlets, it’s also true that some take a more individual approach and either decline or opt out of these sorts of projects. Robert Pattinson is one of these actors. He’s gone against popular opinion and, as a result, has secured a special place in the hearts of many, as we’ve discussed above.
This independent streak is also what’s helped give him a more unique perspective on life and the world around him. Looking back on his career, it’s easy to see that this trait has clearly stood out. He has often said that he doesn’t really see himself as an actor, but instead as a ‘jobbing artist’ who is constantly looking for the next project to work on. This attitude, as much as any of his acting choices, has helped keep Pattinson’s age hidden and has made him one of the most interesting and unique actors of our time. He alone would be enough to make this argument, but consider the fact that he’s not alone in this thinking.
It seems, then, that whatever the future holds for the famous Hollywood star, his first instinct will likely be to follow his acting career and continue to look for new ways to challenge himself creatively.