Just when you thought the never-ending Twilight saga couldn’t get any weirder, it did. Pattinson and Leto are officially set to play the tortured, yet loving, young men whose fates are intertwined with that of a vampire (Pattinson) and a ghost (Leto). The film will reportedly focus on their romantic struggles in a modern-day ghost town.
But who is this Twilight star that the public has fallen in love with? And what is the difference between these Hollywood powerhouses? We’ve got you covered on this one. Here’s the low-down on where they came from, how they’re different, and why you should care.
Where Do They Come From?
Rob Pattinson was born in London in 1986, the son of English actor Russell Pattinson and Irish model Tracey Edmonds. He has one older brother named Angus, who is a photographer. His father is of Scottish descent, and his mother is half Scottish and half Irish.
Pattinson’s maternal grandparents, Michael and Margaret, owned several businesses in Ireland. His grandfather, Godfrey Edmonds, was a member of parliament and a cabinet minister in the 1960s. His uncle, Ian, is a director, while his aunt, Deirdre, is an actress.
How Do They Differ?
The first thing you’ll notice about the two Twilight stars is that they are nothing alike. Pattinson has a messy dark hair with flecks of gray, which he often ties back in a bobby wave. He usually wears old-fashioned spectacles with thick black frames, and he has a refined British accent. Leto, on the other hand, is clean-shaven with a closely-shaved beard, and he often jokes around with his fans by using a southern drawl.
Even their looks are quite different. While Pattinson is typically described as dashing, the younger actor often draws comparisons to Ryan Gosling due to his blue eyes and “surgically-perfect” cheekbones. Leto is nicknamed “the beefy one” due to his imposing stature. Hollywood insiders once said that Pattinson resembles a young Marlon Brando, while Leto’s most prominent feature is his large nose. We can see where this description comes from, as Leto does have a similar air about him. He rarely smiles and is usually seen with a stony expression on his handsome face.
Why Should You Care About Them?
If you’re a fan of Twilight, chances are you already know what this is about. It’s the phenomenon that made these two men household names and launched them into superstar status. The saga of Bella Cullen and her romance with Edward Cullen, which lasted for seven books and was later adapted into three films, was a huge success and became one of the top-grossing series of all time. The first film, Twilight, broke numerous box office records upon its release in 2012 and earned nearly $400 million worldwide. It currently holds the record for the highest-grossing opening weekend, the largest movie theater audience ever, and the most successful teen adaptation. If you grew up with or are a fan of the series, then you probably know what this film is about.
That being said, if you’re not familiar with the saga, this will all probably seem like a lot of mystery. Pattinson and Leto will seemingly be playing characters that are loosely based on themselves, but it’s still not exactly clear what this is about. What is known is that the two actors have both played versions of themselves in the past, with Pattinson portraying Caleb Lewis in the 2009 movie Two Guys and a Girl and Leto portraying Mark Darcy in the 2005 movie Four Years Eight Months and Twenty-Five Days. These two films are part of a trilogy that also includes Two Weeks with Hallett, a romantic comedy that also starred Emily’s mother, Emma, and the late and great John Hurt.
Additionally, the two men have both appeared together in various films. In 2007, they played friends in the movie Basic, and a decade earlier they were joined by a third actor, Peter MacNicol, for the comedy The Runaways. In those days, they were all still relatively unknown, but they’ve all since gone on to have prominent careers in Hollywood. It’s safe to say that they’re all very familiar with each other’s work.
So, when it comes to their latest project, it’s clear that these men have both been waiting their entire professional lives for this opportunity to work together. They’ve previously stated that they’re honored to be a part of such a distinguished franchise. If you’ve been following them, you’ll no doubt be pleased that their collaborative efforts resulted in a movie that seems to continue the Twilight saga in a big way.
This project also marks a return to form for director Roaring Twill, whose previous movie, the 2013 adaptation of Jane Eyre, was a major critical and commercial disappointment. Since then, he’s mostly worked on smaller, more personal projects, such as an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, for which he won an Academy Award. With this adaptation, which is set to premiere at the end of the year, he returns to more traditional horror fare. Twill has also been linked to the new Star Wars trilogy. It’s a safe bet that with his keen eye for detail and penchant for mixing genres, he’ll bring his unique sensibility to bear in delivering a faithful adaptation.
But beyond this project, which sounds like it could be a great story, these two men have very different careers. While Leto has been busy over the past few years appearing in various Marvel films, such as Deadpool and Logan, and in the Bond film, Spectre, the elder actor has mostly stayed away from the big-budget action flicks and specialized thrillers (with the exception of Ex Machina, which he also produces).
Instead, Pattinson focused on more challenging roles, often playing sad or tortured characters. He recently starred in the critically acclaimed dramas Mother (2017) and A Rainy Day in Paradise (2018). The first, a drama about a woman (Caitriona Balford) battling depression, was widely hailed for its realism and intimacy. BAFTA-nominated cinematographer Tim McArthur, who collaborated with director Lynne Ramsay on the movie, praised the performances of Balford and Pattinson, saying that he has “never, ever seen a more powerful performance” from the British actor. He continued, “Watching his performance was like falling into the deep end of a pool and having somebody pull you under until you’re fighting for your life.”
With A Rainy Day in Paradise, Pattinson stars as an ex-soldier who returns to his small hometown after fighting in the First World War. For his part, Leto has mostly stayed away from character roles in big-budget productions, choosing instead to star in indie films that tackle real-world issues. He was also recently seen in the independent films Beautiful Boy and Hotel Artemis. As mentioned, these two men bring a very different set of skills to the big screen, and it will be interesting to see how their experiences working together will translate into their collaboration as characters.