When we think of celebrities and pop culture, the names Robert Pattinson and Mark Kermode probably don’t immediately come to mind.
But the London-based film producer and critic has probably consumed more of the actor’s media than anyone else. Having established himself as one of the foremost experts in the field, Kermode has been quoted numerous times in the press regarding Pattinson’s latest projects and personal life.
Here are 10 interesting things you should know about Robert Pattinson and Mark Kermode.
They’ve Been In A Few Films Together
While Pattinson may not be a household name across the pond, in England he’s known for his role as Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter film franchise. Most recently, he’s appeared in the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer and in the upcoming Woody Allen film, Cafe Style.
But before all that, Pattinson and Kermode worked together on the 2012 film A Most Wanted Man, which Kermode describes as “a pitch-perfect piece of British noir.”
The two also collaborated on Kermode’s book Rejected, a collection of essays about moviegoing favorites that were cut from their films. In the afterword for the book, Kermode credits Pattinson as being “a true inspiration and collaborator.”
Mark Is A Genuinely Passionate Fan Of Robert’s Work
In addition to being a published author and film critic, Kermode is also a passionate football fan. In fact, he co-hosts the Premier League website, thefootballsquad.com, with English football icon and comedian Jimmy Pratt.
In recent years, his weekly film column for thefootballsquad.com has become one of the site’s most popular features. For his work, he’s been awarded the Jimmy Pratt Award by the British Film Institute.
But it’s not only football that captures Kermode’s interest. He’s also a devoted horror movie fan, having co-hosted a number of horror-themed podcasts in the past, including Cinematica with Graeme MacLeman and Mark Kermode’s Epic Movie Podcast.
Recently, Kermode stated in an interview with Wonderland magazine that he was “over the moon” about the success of the actor’s latest venture, The Jungle Book, which follows a man named Mowgli after he’s (Pattinson) banished to the jungle. “I’m a massive fan of The Hunger Games and have always loved the idea of a young boy going to live in the jungle,” Kermode said. “This film is going to do great things for Robert’s career and I can’t wait to see it.”
Author And Critic, Or Actor?
While he has appeared in numerous films and TV shows, it’s still something of a mystery as to whether or not Pattinson will truly make it as an actor.
Over the years, he’s had roles in Love Actually, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. But his biggest break may have come in 2012, when he starred opposite Helena Bonham-Carter in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.
That same year, he also had a small part in the action flick Seventh Son, which starred Michael Caine and Sean Bean. Unfortunately, the film was a box office bomb, doing poorly in theaters across the country.
But perhaps the most intriguing part of Pattinson’s career is his decision to write a series of bestselling children’s books, the first of which, The Magician’s Wand, will be published in November 2019.
While most famous for his novels, Gilbert the Talking Mouse and The Midnight Beast, Pattinson also wrote and directed a short film adaptation of the latter, which starred Mike Nye and premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. If you want a movie to recommend to your friends, this is the one to watch.
The Kid Is Family-Friendly
With all the controversies surrounding his private life, it’s easy to forget that Pattinson is actually a pretty family-friendly actor.
The Twilight franchise may have become synonymous with blood-sucking, but he’s actually fairly tame in the bedroom. He and his actresses have often talked about their commitment to maintaining good relations with their children’s’ grandparents.
In fact, after the breakup of his first marriage to actress Talita Newman in 2007, he became engaged to Fiancee Kate Winslet in 2012. The two were already childhood friends, and Winslet’s two children, Louis and Estelle, will be his stepgrandchildren. (He also has a biological daughter, Luna, from a previous relationship with musician Storm Thorgerson.)
Pattinson Is A Viral Video Producer
If you have a sense of humor and follow pop culture, you may know that videos uploaded to TikTok, the giant platform for short-form videos, are often popular recreations of famous movie scenes or events.
This is especially the case for videos featuring Robert Pattinson. A good example is his YouTube video for “Don’t Forget,” a song he wrote for the soundtrack of his 2010 film, Water for Elephants. The video starts with an image of a naked man resembling the actor and it slowly builds to a recreation of the famous “twist” scene from the film, which depicts a shirtless Edward Cullen (Pattinson) staring mournfully into the camera.
Other popular videos show the actor in various states of undress, including a video of him giving a tour of his home that features plenty of shirtless scenes. (It has over 1.7 million views on TikTok.)
Pattinson Is A Vocal Campaign Advocate
Another way that Robert Pattinson has become a household name in England is through his activism for the LGBT community. While filming the third installment of the Twilight franchise, Breaking Dawn, in 2014, he made headlines for coming out as gay in interviews with biographer John Heggie and the Sunday Times. (He’s since indicated that he is romantically interested in men and uses the term “wife” when referring to his partner, Taylor Jackson.)
After the coming out interview, Pattinson traveled to Uganda, where he was campaigning for a bill that would protect LGBT people from persecution and offered protection in the work place. (Uganda’s parliament passed the bill in December 2019.)
Thoughts of LGBT rights and issues probably don’t factor much into your thinking when it comes to Robert Pattinson, who is, after all, an English lord, and his peers are still debating gay rights laws in certain parts of the country.
Pattinson Is A Bit Of A Tech Nerd
In addition to being one of the most prominent film stars in England, Robert Pattinson is also one of the more tech-savvy celebrities you’ll meet.
As someone who grew up with computer games, he’s well-versed in the tech world and even co-founded the film website, robertpattinson.com, in 2013. The next year he joined Twitter and began using the platform to share behind-the-scenes photos from the set of Twilight, as well as links to his other social channels, including Instagram and TikTok.
The popular Instagram account @lordofthepisces features plenty of images of the actor at his luxurious home in England’s Lake District, as well as behind-the-scenes snaps of his sets. (The handle is a reference to the name of his character, Lord of the Rings hero and film star Christian Bale’s, character in the comic book series.)
Thoughts of tech culture probably don’t factor much into your thinking when it comes to Robert Pattinson, who is, after all, an English lord, and his peers are still debating gay rights laws in certain parts of the country.