Once upon a time, there was a promising young Hollywood star named Robert Pattinson. Today, the world knows him as Mr. Twilight, mainly because of the mega-hit series, The Twilight Saga. Since the release of the first film in the series, Edward Cullen, in 2009, Mr. Pattinson has been riding a wave of popularity, with multiple movies under his belt and two iconic pieces of clothing (the sweater and the scarf) named after him. However, beyond his film career, the 26-year-old Brit remains relatively unknown. While promoting The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, he spoke with Marie Claire, a French fashion magazine:
On Being A Viral Meme:
When a celebrity reveals himself to be a meme, it usually means one thing: he’s having a laugh at everyone’s expense. In the case of Mr. Pattinson, it means he actually takes himself seriously. If you remember the viral video of Mr. Pattinson dancing in his underwear at an awards show, he might genuinely believe that he can bring people together with his art.
On Having A Change Of Pace:
Mr. Pattinson has talked about how being in The Twilight Saga is something of a change of pace for him. He explained:
“I think all of us who are part of the series need a break from it now and then. Because it is a consistent schedule, you do need to take time out to breathe and have a change of pace. After all, it is a six-year project, and you can’t be expected to be in character 24/7.”
On His Fashion Choice:
Mr. Pattinson, who grew up in London, dresses like a dream. In fact, he has been described as a cross between Christian Bale and Ben Affleck (in The Town) due to his dark clothing and classic style. While he enjoys dressing up and experimenting with different looks, he mainly chooses his garments accordingly to the time of day. He explained to Vanity Fair:
“It’s funny, because people say my style is very trendy now. But actually, I just follow what I feel most comfortable in. It’s like, if I feel like wearing a black-and-white checkerboard print, I’ll wear a black-and-white checkerboard print. Or if I feel like I want to wear something classic, I’ll wear something classic.”
Many fashion fans were delighted to see Mr. Pattinson’s unique style choice, as it is rare to see a leading man so willing to opt for classic outfits. Additionally, his classic style has made him a fashion icon for those who love vintage clothing. Finally, the fact that he is comfortable in his own skin and doesn’t overdress has made him a role model for men and women alike.
More About Mr. Twilight:
Now for the interesting stuff… If you’ve been living under a rock, you might not know that Mr. Pattinson is actually half-Scottish. He even has a tattoo of a spider on his left shoulder that is meant to symbolize his Scottish heritage. Similarly, many of his best friends are also from Scotland. It’s clear that he has inherited his beloved Celtic music and sporty nature from his maternal grandfather, Gordon Lightfoot, who was a famous singer, composer, and instrumentalist. Mr. Pattinson’s father is English, and his mother is Scottish. It’s also been said that his maternal grandmother, Flora, was an Indian Princess.
On His Film Career:
Mr. Pattinson began his career as a child actor, appearing in TV commercials and film shorts. However, it wasn’t until he turned 16 that he began starring in films. Since then, he has appeared in numerous movies, including The Twilight Saga, The Great Gatsby, Water for Elephants, and the upcoming The Hitman’s Bodyguard. In 2019, he will appear in Jojo Rabbit, the upcoming season six finale of The Handmaid’s Tale, and the comedy Bombshell.
The Good, The Bad, And The Funny:
It’s only fair to say that while many people love Mr. Pattinson, there are also a few who hate him. Mainly, his co-star, Taylor Lautner, has spoken out against him. He accused Mr. Pattinson of sexual harrassment and claimed that they had a “love-hate relationship.” However, this doesn’t seem to be the case, as Mr. Lautner has since deleted his Twitter account. Mr. Pattinson has also been known to throw his hat into the Twitter ring from time to time. Still, the hate for Mr. Pattinson is mostly confined to the internet. It seems, not for nothing, that he has been called “the most famous Internet hater,” due to his almost singular focus on this platform. However, he has also spoken out against many famous faces, including Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, and more recently, the late Robin Williams and Gary Oldman. While he is most famous for hating celebrities, he has also been known to have a bit of a bone to pick with anyone, celebrity or not, who isn’t comfortable in their own skin. He even went on to say, “I have an extreme sense of responsibility. People call me a diva, a queen, a bitch. But there’s been tons of people, including famous people, that I’ve saved. People who’ve been bullied. People who’ve had bad experiences. I want to be that person for someone.”
Odds And Ends:
Beyond our discussion of his fashion style and general good looks, Mr. Pattinson has also been known to have a quirky sense of humor. In 2013, he released a comedy album, Goodness, featuring comedy songs about his favorite films and pop culture moments. Amongst other things, he talks about how much he loves The Hobbit in the following song:
“I love this movie. So much so that my mom and I went to see it three times in the theater. She even made me a homemade sign with my name on it. So it’s cool to see that my music can still be connected to a classic piece of cinema, even if it’s more than a decade old.”
Similarly, in another song, he references Black Swan and Christian Bale’s “This Is Why We Fight” speech from the film:
“I saw Black Swan once when it came out. I loved it. Christian Bale’s performance in Black Swan is amazing. I kept thinking to myself, this is why we fight. You try to convince people that you’re not crazy, but they never believe you till they’ve had a psychotic episode themselves. Or at least that’s what the guy in Black Swan would have done…”
More recently, he has been open about his use of cannabis. In fact, he has stated that he believes it can be used to treat ailments ranging from anxiety to depression. Moreover, he supports the legalization of marijuana. In 2019, he will be traveling to both Canada and Europe to support the legalization of marijuana, in an effort to make the world a better place. He even noted: “I think that we need to open our ears to the messages that weed is sending us. It’s been around for centuries and has been used for all kinds of things. It’s been shown to have some antithetic properties. Pot can be both helpful and harmful. But we’ll never know unless we try.”
Finally, for those of you who love a good mystery, you might want to know that Mr. Pattinson was once engaged to Katherine Langford (daughter of Michael and Kate). The couple called off the engagement in 2017, but they remain good friends. Similarly, he once had a brief relationship with actress Mia Goth.
In the end, no matter what your opinion is of Robert Pattinson, you can’t help but be captivated by his charm. Moreover, as a testament to his good looks and style, when he flashes that trademark smile…well, we just can’t help but grin back. Thank goodness we live in a world full of fabulous fashion choices and inspirational heroes.