So you have just bagged a Hollywood role, and the prospect of working with your favourite A-listers seems more exciting than ever. But before you settle into your golden hellos, there is one issue you need to address – your press queries.
You may have seen the faces of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, or Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but chances are you haven’t heard of the Kravitz and Pattinson names. And that’s probably because they are much more than movie stars – they are high-profile figures in the entertainment industry who have consistently sold-out live shows and amassed a huge social media following. As the sons and grandsons of famous entertainers, respectively, they have also had to face the intense scrutiny that comes with being the children of famous people.
Here we’ll explore the pressures that Michael Kravitz and Gus Pattinson have had to overcome in order to find their feet in Hollywood and become one of its hottest duos. And we’ll also introduce you to the world of celebrity journalism, a profession that often comes with its own unique set of challenges.
From Babes to Bookworms
Kravitz attended Stanford University, where he majored in English literature. After graduation he headed to New York City, determined to make his way in the media industry. There he became acquainted with celebrity journalist Carrie Beck, with whom he now collaborates on the Geek Chic blog – a title that perfectly encapsulates their aesthetic tastes.
While Beck pursued her career as a Hollywood scribe – penning a reported 2000 articles for publications including The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Post, and People magazine – Kravitz immersed himself in the world of literature and publishing, editing several bestselling pop culture anthologies. He also worked as a literary manager and agent, representing some of the biggest names in contemporary fiction, including Richard Linklater, Mike Hill, and George RR Martin.
From Princes to Public Figures
Gus Pattinson was born and raised in England, but after a stint in Los Angeles he has made it his home, establishing himself as one of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors. The former child star has a background in acting, having played Bo Peep’s son in the Disney film series A Christmas Carol. In recent years he has built a reputation for himself in Hollywood as a charismatic playboy, with a taste for the good life that revolves around expensive habits and a love for fast cars.
But it’s not all about appearances. Back in 2014, Pattinson surprised critics and fans by announcing that he was in a real-life relationship with then-23-year-old American actress Chloë Sevigny. Since then he has stuck by her side, even as she has gone on to achieve iconic status as the muse of artist Tom Ford. The couple live together in an apartment decorated in vintage furniture and Italian design.
From First Comes Love To Family Pressure
The children of famous people often find it hard to escape their parents’ spotlight – and it can weigh heavily on them as they navigate this new world. And it doesn’t take long before they find themselves under the microscope, either.
For instance, when Elizabeth Taylor announced that she was engaged to architect Ian Fleming, the press frenzy that ensued forced her to put a stop to the story. The engagement was later called off, but not before Taylor had released a statement explaining that she needed to focus on her children rather than pursue a romantic relationship at this point in their lives. She later married Fleming, and the couple had four children together. Today they live in Marbella, Spain, and are widely considered one of the world’s most glamorous and influential couples.
The Kravitz and Pattinson families have not been short of headlines themselves. When Kravitz was 11 years old he wrote an essay for The New York Times titled ‘Why I Became an Actor’, in which he described how he overcame his shyness to follow his dreams. The essay went on to become a bestseller, with Penguin Random House later repackaging it as a children’s book. In 2014, Kravitz’s memoirs, In My Own Words, became a New York Times #1 bestseller.
From Media Pressure To Self-Reflection
Aspiring celebrity journalists may well find themselves subject to the same kind of media scrutiny that the Kravitz and Pattinson families have had to endure. Today, more and more people are creating online content as a source of income, which means that any mistakes or missteps can be followed by a massive online backlash. This is one of the reasons why the duo generally stay quiet about their personal lives, and why even their love letters have remained private. But as they say themselves, fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In 2015 they released a song called ‘When You’re Free’, which serves as a frank admission of the pressures that come with their celebrity.
In 2018, they followed this up with a documentary, also called When You’re Free, which explored the making of their song and their unique friendship. They also revealed that they had considered suicide in the past – a topic that often makes for riveting conversations between the two as they delve into their psyches on camera. When You’re Free is streaming now on Netflix.
From A Stereotypical Image To A Modern Renaissance Man
For decades, Hollywood has been dominated by white men, and it wasn’t until the 21st century that the industry started to see a shift. Today, there are more opportunities for women and people of color to shine in leading roles. The hashtag #OscarsSoWhite became a rallying point for those who felt that white men were still dominating the screen, while the hashtag #TimesUp became a call to action for those who wanted to see an end to sexual harassment and assault in Hollywood.
Kravitz and Pattinson have been vocal proponents of female empowerment, and in 2016 they founded the production company Love Letter Film, with a goal of creating more roles especially for women. They have also been instrumental in shifting public opinion on the importance of black culture in film, notably with the release of their documentary short Beggars and Choosers in 2018. The film showed how they went about recreating the famous photograph of Marilyn Monroe in a gorilla suit, with black models and make-up artists wearing the iconic white mask. It was a powerful statement – and one that garnered a lot of attention, not just for its creative use of costumes, but also because of Kravitz and Pattinson’s unique friendship and professional collaboration.
Prior to the release of Beggars and Choosers, Kravitz and Pattinson had already established themselves as innovators in the industry, regularly experimenting with different forms and finding new ways to engage with their audience. The two are frequently cited as role models for millennials and Generation Z, and in 2018 they were honoured with the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for their impact in film and TV. Today, as the industry continues to change, they remain committed to using their platforms to challenge stereotypes and misrepresentations, and to promote racial equality and representation in media.
Whether you’re an aspiring journalist looking for a challenge, or just want to follow the celebrity news that comes your way, keep an eye out for the next exciting chapter in the life of Michael Kravitz and Gus Pattinson.