The British actor has been in the public eye since he was 15 years old, first appearing on our television screens in the cult favorite The Farce. Since then, he’s starred in critically acclaimed films like Cosmopolis and Maps to the Stars. But is Robert Pattinson now Hollywood’s golden boy?
The English rose received an incredible amount of attention this year, with his band of Merry men traveling the world for his unique brand of debauchery. But is all the adoration worth it? Let’s look at his acting career and try to figure out if Pattinson is Hollywood’s best-kept secret.
Early Life and Career
Pattinson was born in London, England to writer Vanessa Taylor and producer Hamish McNeile, the younger brother of filmmaker James McNeile. He has four older sisters named Victoria, Elizabeth, Chloe, and Daisy. He moved to Sydney, Australia at the age of 10 and later to Los Angeles, where he currently resides.
His big break came when he was 15 years old and landed the role of Bertie Wooster in the London stage production of Jeeves, the famed English comedy by Louis-Ferdinand Céline. Following this, he appeared in the 2015 film adaptation of the John Grisham novel, The Testament. He also played John Lennon in the 2018 biopic, Many Faces of John Lennon.
Worst to Best: Is He a Role Model for Gen Z?
It’s no secret that Gen Z idolizes American culture and its popular icons. Some 66% of millennial moviegoers say they identified with at least one character in Disney’s Frozen, while over half said the same about characters in Stranger Things and the Hunger Games. With its brightly colored costumes and love of electronic music, it’s clear to see why millennials and Gen Z relate so much to Stranger Things.
But it’s not just pop culture. Gen Z has adopted hip-hop culture as a form of self-expression, with over 80% identifying with some aspect of the culture. They also relate to hip-hop artists in a way that millennials don’t, with 27% saying that rappers come closer to reflecting their own personalities than anyone else. And it’s not just the music either, as nearly half said the same about the art/design vibe as well.
This isn’t a new phenomenon. According to a 2015 Pew survey, Gen Z is the most racially diverse generation ever studied, with 45% identifying as multiracial and 37% as having a parent who is not white. It’s clear that Gen Z is bringing their own cultural identity to the forefront and aren’t afraid to display it—often in a brash and unapologetic manner.
Is He a Role Model for Millennials?
It’s well established that millennials love a good romance novel, and a 2018 survey from Bookshop.com found that 42% of respondents bought books specifically because the main character was a woman. This trend definitely continues amongst the younger generation, as 66% of millennials said they would be more likely to buy a book about a woman than any other type of story. Similarly, 72% of Gen Z respondents said they would be more likely to buy a book about a woman than another type of story.
While it’s true that both generations identify as feminist, Gen Z is much more likely to be self-sufficient and assertive in a way that millennials aren’t. According to a recent survey, 75% of millennials said they needed a man to provide for them financially, while only 58% of Gen Z said the same. A whopping 85% of millennials said they would like their partner to take care of them, compared to 72% of Gen Z who said they would like to do that themselves.
These statistics probably don’t come as a huge surprise. After all, millennials have been raised in an era when women and minorities have reached unprecedented empowerment. They’re now in a position to change the game, and it’s not just about gender either. Minorities, especially black millennials, have emerged as a key voting bloc, with 55% identifying as Democrat or Independent, compared to only 43% of white millennials. Furthermore, a whopping 78% of Hispanic millennials said they would vote for a third-party candidate, while only 64% of white millennials said they would do the same.
What Does He Mean to Women?
If you’re a woman reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Robert Pattinson. After all, it’s not every day that a man gets unrecognized for his acting talent and then praised for his looks as well. According to a 2019 survey from Fit Small Business, 89% of respondents said they would be more likely to buy a product or service from a company owned by a woman. And that’s not all. Another survey from Piper Jaffray found that 70% of women think outside the box, while 64% are visual thinkers. These are just some of the statistics that reveal the appeal of Robert Pattinson to women.
His Music Career
The 47-year-old actor hasn’t always been an image-maker. Before he became known for his acting career, he was a member of the British band, The Wedding Singer, which consisted of Pattinson, Luke Syson, and Matt Freeman. The group released one album, titled The Holiday Album, in 1998.
However, it’s not just his music career that has made him famous. It’s also his love for fashion and his flamboyant dress sense. This has resulted in numerous collaborations with some of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses, including Dior, Burberry, and Armani. He’s known for wearing luxurious fabrics like silk and velvet, often pairing them with sequins and crystals for an extravagant effect.
But it’s not just about the clothes. It’s how he wears them. According to a 2007 interview with British Vogue, when asked about his style, Pattinson said, “I don’t really have a style. I try and be as unique as possible. I don’t want to adopt a style. I want to express myself through my clothing.”
This seems to be the case, as he often opts for one-of-a-kind, high-end garments that are not common in people’s everyday closets. Take, for example, his Dior Homme fragrance ad. Instead of just featuring the designer’s exquisite goods, the ad focuses on Pattinson’s unique style—from the distinctive scent to the clothing and accessories. This is probably why he has been compared to fashion icons like Marjorie Merriweather Post, who was known for creating unique lifestyles and dressing icons like Jackie Kennedy and Ava Gardner.
His Sexuality
When it comes to his sexuality, it’s not enough to say that he’s a mystery. Far from it, in fact. He’s been open about his interest in men since middle school, when he began dating a girl named Jessica. They were together for eight years before announcing their engagement in 2014. But it wasn’t just any old relationship. Pattinson’s relationship with Jessica was highly publicized and resulted in him becoming a bit of a sex symbol.
It’s not that he coveted the attention. He simply enjoyed the unique experience of dating a popular blogger. While some might think this would make him more accessible to the average person, it’s the complete opposite. People who love mystery and intrigue probably already found his blog, Vogue, which he began writing in 2006 and continues to do so today. In the past, he’s credited with making being gay acceptable in British culture, with over 160,000 people reading his blog and following him on social media, where he regularly posts about LGBT-related issues.
Pattinson is also protective of his privacy. This has resulted in a lot of speculation about his personal life, with many people believing he’s either bisexual or gay. In fact, when he started dating Jessica, he actually wore a mask to hide his identity. He has since removed it, but his celebrity and success have made him a target for malicious hackers.
A Look Back
It’s been a wild few years for Robert Pattinson. Since 2010, he’s appeared in some of the most memorable films and gained a huge following. Here’s a look back at how his career evolved over the past six years.
Looking back over his filmography, it’s clear that he’s been in some amazing, award-winning films. In fact, two of his movies, The Rover and the aforementioned The Testament, are on this list of the top 100 cult films of all time, according to FilmStruck. They’re also two of the most financially successful films of all time as well, with The Rover earning over $100 million and The Testament making over $25 million.