While it’s still pretty early days in their relationship, fans of the Twilight films can already see a few sparks flying between Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. Not only did the Scottish actress play the love interest of the vampire Bill Stewart in the popular vampire flicks, she also shared some iconic kisses with her co-star. And now that the Twilight series is over, she hasn’t sat back on her laurels – instead, she’s been keeping busy as an individual film while also dating the most eligible bachelor in Hollywood.
So we decided to put together a guide, mapping out the various steps that led to their romance, breaking down the key moments that made them famous and exploring how their personal lives have changed since dating began.
A Short History of Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson
Kristen Stewart was born in Nova Scotia, Canada, and spent her childhood in Northern California. She studied graphic design in California before moving to London to pursue a career in fashion. She subsequently moved to New York City where she worked for a number of high-profile fashion companies including JOVANI and Ralph Lauren, and then took a job as head of design at Elizabeth Cole Jewelry.
After graduating from New York University with a degree in journalism, Stewart decided to take a more leisurely approach to exploring the world and in 2012 moved to the French Riviera to live a glamorous lifestyle as a literary editor at Elle, a position she held for just one year. In the middle of 2013, she returned to London to pursue a career in film and television. Since then, she’s appeared in several high-profile productions including the Black Mirror episode “Fifteen Million Merits,” the Mummy trilogy and the movie Snow White and the Huntsman. She next starred alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in Jack Tharp’s film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Additionally, she has lent her voice to several video games including Dota 2 and Hearthstone.
On the other hand, Robert Pattinson was born in England and spent the first seven years of his life in Oxfordshire. He briefly attended Harvard University in Massachusetts before dropping out to move to Paris to pursue a career in French poetry. He subsequently moved to London where he worked as an editor for various publications, traveling around the world and living in both Paris and New York City before finally settling in London. Like Stewart, Pattinson decided to put his acting career on hold to focus on his personal life. He dated and supported Kirsten Brinkman before being romantically involved with FKA Twigs in 2015. They were married a year later and had their first child, a daughter named Rocket, in May of that year.
The couple has been fairly discreet about their romance, rarely being photographed together in public and declining to give interviews, but they’ve certainly been active on social media. On June 27, 2018, they celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary by sharing an adorable photo on Robert Pattinson’s Instagram account.
From Bill to Ben: How the Twilight Saga Changed Their Lives
The Twilight films may have been box-office smashes in their native America, but overseas markets were where the real money was. It’s now been five years since Breaking Dawn – Part 2 was released and after a quiet five-year break, Bella and Edward Cullen are back with a new saga, Forever Ago.
While it’s great to have more Twilight films on the slate, fans of the franchise may feel a little bittersweet about the fact that it’s Edward’s child, Louis, who will carry on the legacy rather than Bella. This is likely because during the making of the last film, Louis became the apple of his father’s eye and was featured more prominently than Bella in every possible way. In a heartbreaking twist, it’s been revealed that Louis will be forced into an arranged marriage with Emmett Forrest after Bella’s untimely death.
This won’t be the first time Louis has had to get used to the idea of a parent not being around, as he was initially left in the care of his uncle when his parents were busy working. It’s unclear what happened to Louis’s other siblings, but it would appear that his parents were more focused on their son than the rest of their family. While the franchise never shied away from the fact that vampires are creatures of the night, it’s still sad to see such a beloved storybook couple, who were such a big part of childhood for so many fans, be brought down by their own son’s selfishness.
It wasn’t just Twilight that changed the course of Stewart’s and Pattinson’s careers. Before becoming an actress, she worked as a stylist and creative director for Ralph Lauren, and spent three years working for Elle magazine, dating and becoming close friends with its editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. It was through Wintour that Stewart met the prominent social media personality and venture capitalist, Brian Sheidow. He later introduced her to the head of an organization he founded, the New York Film Academy, which provides support and opportunities for the city’s burgeoning film community. Among the various scholarships, grants and fellowships offered by the academy is the Robert Pattinson Masterclass, named in honor of the British actor. This is a scheme that gives participants the opportunity to immerse themselves in American culture and meet the entertainment industry’s brightest stars while also learning from some of Hollywood’s most esteemed creative minds. It’s an incredible opportunity for any budding filmmaker. After graduating from the academy, it’s unlikely that Stewart will look back on her time there with regret, as she’s already made it clear that she plans to continue her education by earning a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University in 2020. She’s also shown an interest in pursuing a career in television, so it’s possible that she will end up working in front of the camera rather than behind it.
For their part, Robert Pattinson has continued to work diligently since stepping away from the limelight and it’s paid off. He’s partnered with long-time friend and creative director, Sophie Winkleman, on several projects and in September 2019, they celebrated the completion of their newest production, the play, The Seagull, with a gala premiere in London. The play is based on the 1916 novel, The Sea Gull by Leonid Andreyev and explores themes of lust, greed and loneliness through the eyes of a man named Georges, who is obsessed with a woman named Estelle. It’s the type of production that would appeal to Pattinson’s international audience and is a fitting swan song to his time in the limelight. It’ll be interesting to see how the media treats this final project, which is dedicated to Winkleman, who has helped define his career over the past decade.
How Has Their Personal Life Changed Since They Started Dating?
It’s been a big year for the couple, who got married on June 27, 2018 in a private ceremony in London. They began dating seriously in 2014 and have since been photographed regularly, appearing at various events and festivals together. While most of these have been solo shots, they’ve also been spotted holding hands, cuddling and even kissing. The latter came about as a result of a bet between two of their friends that they could get each other to kiss on camera. It was a dare, but also a way of demonstrating how comfortable they are with sharing their public affection. As for their romance, it has attracted a lot of interest from the press, with reports suggesting that they’ve become quite the celebrity couple. It seems that the paparazzi have taken a liking to them and follow them around town, keeping tabs on their private life as much as their professional one.
In terms of their personal life, Stewart and Pattinson have certainly changed the way fans will see them, despite not wanting to be defined by their relationship. Most notably, she’s worn less makeup and had her hair more naturally, leaving her more of a ‘bare’ beauty. This has been a conscious choice and one that she’s made public, saying in 2018 that she wants to “dress better and feel better” about herself. She has also made it clear that she wants to age gracefully, which means that she’ll be doing everything in her power to avoid plastic surgery. So far, she’s succeeded and fans will soon see the results. One thing’s for sure, this dynamic duo will be on the cover of many magazines in the coming years, whether they want to be or not.