For most of 2020, Hollywood was on the forefront of our lives, inspiring our conversations and consuming our social media feeds. The cast of ‘The English Patient’ were our pin-ups, Bradley Cooper and Sandra Bullock captivating our love. But as the world slowly tries to return to some form of normalcy, the spotlight has shifted to a different place – Hollywood’s latest bad boy, Matt Robert Pattinson.
The King Of Bad Boys
With the world’s greatest actor in his mid-20s, we’ve been waiting for the next great Hollywood bad boy for years – a man to rival our favourite historical figures from film. But as soon as he emerged as one of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors, the expectations started to mount.
Pattinson has always had a wild side, evident in his debut performance in ‘Twilight’, where he played a sensitive young man who falls in love with a classmate. The following year, ‘Panic’, where he played a young Peter Pan, added to our fascination. He then went on to appear in blockbusters such as ‘Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice’ and ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’, which reaffirmed his reputation as the ultimate bad boy of Hollywood.
Since then, Pattinson has appeared in many prestige television series, such as ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, ‘The Lost City’, and ‘The French Prisoner’, as well as the independent movies ‘Bad Mood’ and ‘Pilgrim’. This year has seen him co-star in two hugely anticipated films – ‘Black Widow’ and ‘Joker’. The first, which is set for release next year, will see her go up against the might of the Marvel Studios in her attempt to take down the nefarious Thanos.
Why Is Matt Robert Pattinson Hollywood’s Newest Bad Boy?
It’s no secret Hollywood is littered with rich and famous sons who’ve made headlines for the wrong reasons. From the Kennedys to the Trumps, the famous surname has been associated with some pretty dark deeds. So it’s no surprise some of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors have chosen to ply their trade in the underworld, turning a blind eye to nefarious dealings while living the high life.
Pattinson has always had a taste for the finer things in life. He owned a £3.5 million ($4.8 million) mansion that he rented out to film crews so they could have scenic shots for their movies. He also regularly attends the most exclusive social events, such as the Ballerina Ball, where he is honoured with a glass mosaic portrait on the red carpet and is later seen dancing with his wife inside the celebrity-packed ballroom.
If his choice of partner seems odd given his well-documented history of being romantically involved with multiple women, it’s because his new girlfriend is none other than Hollywood star, Lily Collins. The singer-songwriter, who rose to fame for her role in the 2020 musical series, ‘The Seven Songs’ appeared alongside Pattinson at the UK premiere of ‘Black Widow’ last month.
The Dark Prince
Pattinson grew up in the most enviable setting, with a castle, a moat, and a prince. His father is English novelist, Robert Pattinson, who wrote the best-selling book, ‘Belinda’. Although he’s long been linked with the Hollywood film industry, he’s managed to keep his family estate in Scotland, which he inherited at 18. He used to spend his summers there, as well as his holiday’s, and it was from this idyllic location that he launched his film career in 2010.
It has been a long time coming for Pattinson to find the silver lining to a dark cloud. He spent much of the last decade in the public eye, with his life depicted in the media. His romantic relationships were dissected and analysed, with even his father, brother, and sisters weighing in on the drama. When he finally found happiness, he opted to share his good news with the world on social media. On New Year’s Eve, he posted a photo of himself and his husband, Scott Hahn, as they held hands as they entered the New Year. “Happy New Year my loves,” he said in the caption.
The Last Picture Showing The Dark Prince
The timing of the post was exquisite, as it came a day before the premiere of a film which would showcase the happy couple’s wedding day. However, despite the post’s seemingly benign tone, it did little to hide the fact that this was, in fact, a publicity stunt. He’d managed to keep the details of his wedding a secret up until that point, only sharing a few photos of the special day on his social media accounts. “This is the happiest day of my life,” he captioned one such image, proudly displaying his bride’s stunning dress.
The post drew a lot of positive comments from fans, who wished the actor and singer all the happiness in the world. “Love your tweet,” one person wrote. “I’m sure it will make for a lovely story to tell your children and grandchildren,” another added.
However, not all of his social media followers were so enamoured with the newlywed couple. One user accused the actor of having “cheapened” the wedding ceremony by choosing to share the day’s events on social media (he later apologised). The user went on to say that a wedding “is not about the number of friends and family you have in the audience, it’s a reflection of who you want to share the most important day of your life with. So if you decide to do this kind of thing, at least have the respect to keep it a secret. It’s not fair to anyone involved that you reveal the details of this day.”
Pattinson has always had a keen interest in history, particularly that of Scottish kings. He’s often spoken about his family’s connection to the royalty, explaining that his ancestors were great-great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria. He grew up in Scotland, spending his holidays there and even going on walks with his dog, Winston, to take in the scenery. It was also in Scotland that he first met Hahn, who is Jewish. They got married in October of this year in a lavish bash, which was heavily attended by famous friends and family, including Tilda Swinton and Michael Caine. They kept the details of their ceremony and reception a secret. “Now, we will keep our vows a secret,” he said in a speech. “We can share our joy, but not the details of how we got here.”
Black Widow
If you’re not familiar, ‘Black Widow’ is a 2019 American superhero film, the third in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This year has seen it break numerous records, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time, both worldwide and in North America. It also became the longest cinematic collaboration between Marvel and Walt Disney Studios, spanning 11 years of production and featuring over 200 speaking roles and 14.8 million viewers in North America alone.
However, without question, the biggest hit of the year was ‘Black Widow’. Starring Scarlett Johansson in her feature film debut, the film follows the adventures of Natasha Romanoff, who we first met in ‘Iron Man 3′. After being framed for a terrorist attack and imprisoned, she escapes, determined to avenge herself on those who hurt her. In the process, she enlists the aid of an old friend, Black Widow (Johansson), who has since disappeared from the public eye. The two battle alongside each other, trying to stay one step ahead of the people who want to capture and imprison them again.
With all this success, it’s no surprise many were eager to see what would happen to one of the most recognisable faces in film. As soon as filming wrapped on ‘Black Widow’, it was announced that Scarlett Johansson would reprise her role as the character in the 2021 sequel, ‘Black Widow: Ascension’. Even more exciting is the fact that this will be Marvel’s first female-led superhero movie, which was directed by Cate Shortland, making it something of a historic moment for both the actress and the studio behind the scenes.