Many may know him from the Twilight films, but did you know that Joseph Robert Pattinson had a long and storied acting career before he became a teen heartthrob? In 2019, Pattinson will be celebrating his 51st birthday, which makes him a bit of a celebrity in his own right. Let’s take a moment to reminisce on the actor’s remarkable acting career, which began in 1994 and continued all the way up to 2019. He has starred in numerous films, notably Twilight and its sequels The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. He has also appeared in the Divergent films, The Batman, and many more. Let’s dive into his acting career and explore his transition from child star to respected adult actor.

1994: A Critical Year In The Actor’s Life

Pattinson was born on March 1, 1979 in London, England. He began acting at a young age and appeared in commercials and short films before landing his first role in the TV series The Special Unit. This would be the start of a long and storied acting career. His breakthrough year was 1994, which saw the actor land his first starring role in the TV series Heartbeat. For more details, let’s turn to IMDb:

  • IMDb: Joseph Robert Pattinson (born March 1, 1979) is an English actor. He first became famous as the subject of the film Twilight, in which he plays the role of Edward Cullen.
  • IMDb: Heartbeat is a British television series that originally aired from September 25, 1994 to May 23, 1998. The series centers on a group of friends who become involved in dangerous activities after school, including robberies, assaults, and a kidnapping. Along with his co-star Gemma Arterton, Pattinson had a memorable role in this series. While in most cases these activities are only loosely associated with criminal behavior, the actions of the characters in this series arguably constitute criminal behavior.
  • IMDb: The Special Unit is a British TV series created by Kevin Elyot that originally aired from October 1992 to May 1993. The series follows a special police unit as they investigate high-profile crimes. It was later revealed that the unit was originally founded in order to capture and kill Hitler, who is implied to be a major criminal mastermind behind several notable incidents. The team is also composed of unconventional detectives who often question the motives of those they investigate.
  • IMDb: The Batman is an American superhero film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring George Clooney as the title character. The film also stars Alicia Silverstone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Tommy Lee Jones. The film introduces the character of the Batman and his crimefighting persona. It is the first of the Batman series of films.
  • IMDb: The A-Team is an American action comedy-adventure television series that originally aired from October 1976 to March 1979. Starring William Holden, Darryl Henry, and Ernest Borgnine, the series was created by Stephen J. Cannell and is set in the fictitious Central America military base Camp Desert Rock. The show follows a group of men who join the U.S. Army as volunteers to fight against injustice and terrorism in America’s name. They then end up in a battle against a group of drug dealers who use dangerous weaponry. Several of the men are highly trained in various military tactics, leading to a high body count in the series.
  • IMDb: Lethal Weapon 3 is a film directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson and Danny DeVito. It is the third installment in the Lethal Weapon film series and was released in theaters in August 1998.
  • IMDb: Twilight, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, is a 2006 American supernatural drama film based on the novel of the same name by Stephenie Meyer. It is the first film in the Twilight film series and was released in theaters on July 20, 2006. In the film, Pattinson plays the role of Edward Cullen, a rich and powerful vampire who falls in love with a human. The two later marry. The couple then has a daughter, Rosalie (played by Dakota Fanning), who becomes a vampire along with her twin brother, Charlie (played by Michael Caine). The film is set for a July 22, 2019 Blu-ray release by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
  • IMDb: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 is a 2008 American film directed by Bill Condon and starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson as the main protagonists. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 is the first of a two-part adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling novel. It was also the first film released by Summit Entertainment after acquiring the rights to the Twilight series. The film was originally scheduled for a November 24, 2007 release, but was later moved up to October 24, 2007. It was released to critical acclaim and became the highest-grossing film of 2008, earning $740 million at the box office.
  • IMDb: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is a 2013 American film directed by Robin Swicord and starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson as the main protagonists. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is the second part of a two-part adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling novel. The film was originally scheduled for a November 2011 release but was later pushed back to October 2012. It was ultimately released to critical acclaim and became the highest-grossing film of 2013, earning $1.017 billion at the box office.
  • IMDb: 21st Century Boy is a British television series that aired on Channel 4 from October 1992 to May 1993. Created and directed by John Duigan, the series follows two young men—named David and Steve—as they navigate their first year at university. While in most cases these activities are only loosely associated with criminal behavior, the actions of the characters in this series arguably constitute criminal behavior.

1995–1999: The Golden Years

While Pattinson had an incredible 1994, he would not have a better year until 1995. This was the year that he landed his first major role in the TV series Damage. For more details, let’s turn to IMDb: