It was recently reported that Paul Wesley would be reuniting with the Twilight stars on-screen in a new movie. Having just finished a press tour for their latest film, The Resurrection of Zoe Wanra, we could not resist the chance to compare his and Rob’s photos and see if they really are fraternal twins.
The rumors first started circulating after a blurry photo of Rob and Paul surfaced online. Some fans initially believed the two were twins due to their physical resemblance, but others immediately noticed that the man in the photo was not their biological uncle as some had claimed. Luckily, we now have an answer to this age-old question.
The Truth About These Two
Even if you haven’t seen the Twilight movies, you likely know who Paul Wesley and Robert Pattinson are. The handsome Brit and the dreamy American actor have starred in a number of award-winning films and are both well-known for their philanthropic work. Fans have even dubbed them ‘The Romeo and Juliet of cinema’.
Despite their fame, the two actors have always denied being related and have released numerous statements to this effect. The rumors first began circulating after a blurry photo of Rob and Paul appeared online. Some fans initially believed the two were twins due to their physical resemblance, but others noticed that the man in the photo was not their biological uncle as some had claimed. Luckily, we now have an answer to this age-old question.
As it turns out, while their parents are first cousins, they were actually adopted. As a result, both men deny being related, and in a 2013 interview with Closer, Rob stated: “I always felt very much like an only child. I’ve never felt like I had any connection to Paul or his family. We’ve never been close.”
It appears that despite their fame and successful movie careers, Rob and Paul Wesley still feel an emotional connection to the family they never knew they had. In an interview with Elle UK, Rob recalled a dream he once had about his late twin brother: “I had this dream where I was sitting next to him at a table and we were looking at each other… and I just broke down and started crying. Just because I needed someone to talk to.”
For Twilighters (and even those who love the Twilight films!) this will no doubt come as a relief. While it is always nice to have famous friends, being related to someone you’ve never met before can sometimes be overwhelming.
Twilight Wasn’t Their First Film
It was not until after their success in Twilight that the two actors really became famous. Before that, they mostly appeared in supporting roles. However, it seems that even back in the ‘90s, Rob and Paul were already planning to make their big break as actors.
In a 2015 interview with Wonderland magazine, Paul stated: “When I was 15 I had a massive crush on Emma Thompson. She was appearing in a production of King Charles III at the time and I went to see it. I met her afterwards and she gave me her number. I didn’t tell my family for a while but eventually I did and we started dating. It was very romantic.”
It was initially rumored that Paul would play the role of Edward Cullen in the Twilight movie adaptation. Though he did not end up playing Eddie, he said in the same interview that he would have liked to: “I had a couple of meetings with them [Laurence] [Fishburne] and Stephenie [Meyer] and they were really keen for me to play Edward. It would have been great. He’s such a unique character and it would have been amazing to have played him. I would have given it all up for that.”
They Are Not Related By Blood
When it comes to the Twilight series, it is generally accepted that Rob and Paul are related to Bella (Selena Gomez) and Edward (Chiwetel Ejiofor) by blood. However, in an interview with Closer, Paul denied this, stating that while they are distantly related to Edward and Bella, “We’re not related by blood. We’re adopted.”
He continued: “I was adopted when I was five months old and I’ve spent almost all of my life wondering about my background. It wasn’t until I was 16 that I found out I was adopted… I’ve always felt like an only child. It was strange to have a twin. I’ve never felt like a twin. I’ve never considered myself as having a twin. I felt like an only child who happened to have a little brother.”
This is not the first time that Rob and Paul have disagreed about their familial relationships. In a 2013 interview with Elle UK, Rob said: “You know how, sometimes, you’ll read a book and it’ll have a character that you relate to so much that you feel like that person? I feel like that with Paul sometimes. He’ll be playing basketball and I’ll be reading a book and I’ll just feel like I’m there with him. It’ll be like he’s speaking to me.”
Since their parents are first cousins, it is highly likely that Robert Pattinson and Paul Wesley are indeed related. But, according to the actors, it is a bit more complicated than it seems. As they have stated numerous times, while they are indeed related, they were not raised together and have very little in common with each other. While we can understand why some fans would want to see them as twins, the truth is that they are not and never have been. They are merely the best of friends and the occasional acting partner.
Some fans have expressed concern that Robert Pattinson and Paul Wesley are not “acting like they’re acting,” as one Twitter user put it. But as Paul said in the same interview with Elle UK, “I don’t really have a choice, do I? It is what it is. We’ve both been put in these incredible situations, we have to make the most out of it.”
While their on-screen chemistry is often praised by fans and critics, Robert Pattinson and Paul Wesley have stated that they did not always see eye to eye while filming Twilight, even though they have had a close friendship for years. In a 2015 interview with Wonderland Magazine, Paul said: “We had a really rocky time on [Twilight]. We didn’t really get along. We had our ups and downs, but I’ll be lying if I say it wasn’t worth it. You can’t put into words how much fun we had.”
He continued: “It was like a family holiday in a lot of ways. We were the odd ones out a bit, especially with the other kids, Emmett [Jasper] and Alice [Swan]. We used to prank call each other all the time. It was just so much fun. It was difficult though, because we were both so young and it was our first time in a relationship, in real life. We had no idea what to do, how to act around each other. It felt like we had to learn to be brothers from scratch. So every day in filming was like a new experience, something new to learn. It was a real pleasure.”
Indeed, while Edward and Bella’s relationship was defined by its turmoil and struggle, it certainly did not lack in passion and romance. The question is, did these aspects of the story stem from real life experiences for Rob and Paul? It is known that the two did not get along well while filming Twilight. In a 2015 interview with Wonderland, Paul said: “I knew we would have fun working on [Twilight], but I didn’t know it would be like this. We didn’t really get along… I still think about that a lot, because it was such a strong bond we had, in this scene. It’s something I’ll always have with me.”
According to the actor, even though they are not related by blood, their friendship stems from childhood. As he told Wonderland: “I’ve known him since I was a kid. We were both little kids at the time [of filming Twilight] and it’s been the friendliest relationship we’ve ever had.”
Where Do They Rank In The Twilight Family Tree?
At the end of the day, it is likely that few people know the true story behind the Twilight stars. Even those who have followed the saga for years might not know whether or not Rob and Paul are actually related to Edward and Bella. After all, the actors have never told the public the whole truth about their background. But, thanks to new research and the facts laid bare in Meyer’s books, we now know that there is more than one way to skin a cat.