Once one of Hollywood’s most famous movie stars, today Robert Pattinson is best know for his collaborations with singer-songwriter and musician, Ed Sheeran. In 2016, Sheeran wrote and produced the soundtrack for the multi-million-dollar indie film, ‘Divine Madness’. The film itself won an award at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
It has been more than 10 years since Robert Pattinson made his big-screen debut opposite Kate Winslet in the critically acclaimed ‘The Beach’. Back then, he was just 21 years old and already a household name in the UK after starring in the 2004 movie adaptation of ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ alongside Reese Witherspoon, Ben Barnes and others.
In the intervening years, he has mostly kept a low profile and hasn’t done much to encourage speculation about his private life. In fact, the only confirmed story to date is that he is in a relationship with singer-songwriter and photographer, Novia McCrow.
But the 42-year-old entertainer is now preparing to emerge from his shell as he embarks on a media blitz to promote his upcoming music album, ‘Royalty’ – and he’s bringing along his beloved dog, Bruno, as his constant companion. We look back at ten unforgettable moments in the history of Robert Pattinson and his dog, Bruno.
Bruno Becomes Part of the Family
The most adorable stories often involve animals, so it’s only natural that the first reference to Bruno comes from Robert himself. As early as 2007, he was already sharing snaps of the fluffy white dog on his MySpace page – and as you’ll soon discover, Bruno was quickly adopted by the 21-year-old heartthrob as a pet. (In fact, his first film, ‘Sexy Beast’, was partly funded by a Kickstarter campaign that raised over £12,000 for a photo of Robert Pattinson and his dog.)
Bruno’s presence was a source of delight for Robert and his co-star, Kate Winslet, as they appeared in a recent interview with Hello! Magazine. “He’s a part of our family now,” said Winslet. “We couldn’t imagine our lives without Bruno.” So true. The pair have been inseparable since they first starred together in ‘The Beach’ in 2019.
“Bruno is very protective of me,” laughs Robert, “and he’ll defend me to the death.” Indeed, while Kate Winslet was filming ‘The Prestige’, she recalls that Bruno used to guard her from the moment she arrived on set. “It was incredible, he’d just lay down and wait for me to put my shoes on. He’d guard me for the whole day. I’d be like, ‘Bruno, sit!’, and he’d stay. It was funny because people kept offering me shoes and bags. I was like, ‘No, thank you. I have my dog.”
First On-Set Kiss
Before ‘The Beach’ brought them global fame, Robert Pattinson and Kate Winslet were already an established on-screen couple, having first appeared in Prada’s ‘A Single Shot’ campaign in 2005. The following year, they were joined by Reese Witherspoon and Josh Brolin in ‘Gossip Girl’. For their next movie, 2006’s ‘Funny People’, they were paired with Jack Black and Emma Stone; and in 2008, they co-starred with Daniel Radcliffe in ‘The Young Messiah’. Four years later, they reunited for a romantic comedy, ‘The Duchess’, with Helen Mirren and Richard Griffiths.
The first kiss that we see on-screen between Robert Pattinson and Kate Winslet is one of cinema’s most iconic on-screen scenes: As Pattinson is about to board a flight to Los Angeles with his pet snake Charlyne in tow, the two stars kiss for the camera.
Winslet then jokes, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” Hilarious – and very sweet. The scene was actually improvised and had never been pictured before.
Riding a Bike with a Puppy
One of the cutest cameos in ‘The Beach’ is when Robert shows up to the beach on a bike with a puppy in tow. At first, he hides his identity from the others on the beach, before eventually confiding in Lucy, played by Ella Balinska: “I have a puppy with me. His name is Bruno. He’s a Portuguese Podgy Face.” (Portuguese Podgy Face is a breed of dog developed in the UK in the 1950s.)
Bruno’s inclusion in the bicycle ride is a reference to ‘The Goonies’, the 1987 comedy-adventure about a group of young friends who band together to save their town. At one point, the mischievous Chico, played by William H. Macy, tries to sneak a kiss from Carla, played by Joanie Cockrell – and they end up falling off their horses into a lake. Laughing, Macy says, “It’s a beautiful, sun-drenched day – why shouldn’t we be kissing?”
There are several other cameos in ‘The Beach’, including a hilarious exchange between Ed Sheeran and Donald Sutherland where Sheeran invites Sutherland to have a drink with him – and we later learn that it’s been ten years since they’ve spoken. But perhaps the most touching scene involves Robert as he pays a moving tribute to his late father, Michael, who appeared in several of his movies and died in 1989. In a quiet, heartfelt moment, Robert speaks of his father with Ed Sheeran, saying, “I miss him so much.”
Bruno Walks With the Stars
In 2019, as part of the promotion for ‘The Beach’, the canine star even made an appearance alongside the famous dancers of the company Kaomoji. The pair took to the streets of Tokyo with the company’s famous dancing dogs in tow and were delighted as crowds of excited fans and photographers followed them around.
Bruno has also joined several award shows and has walked the red carpet. He’s even graced the covers of several magazines, such as ‘Time’ – which dubbed him one of the world’s most eligible bachelors – and ‘Vogue’. Most recently, he appeared in the ‘Pattinson’ music video alongside his owner, who’s featured on the track. The video for ‘Pattinson’ was shot in black and white and features cameo appearances from Emma Stone, Anna Kendrick, Taylor Lautner, Ed Sheeran and more.
Bruno and Robert Share an Emotional Bond
Bruno has often been described as a “man’s best friend” and his human companions clearly agree, as evidenced by the numerous touching tributes that have been paid to him over the years. For instance, in his 2007 memoir, ‘Just Tell Me What You Want’, R.J. Berger writes: “Bruno saved my life. He woke me up to the beauty of being alive. He makes everything OK in the world.”
Just a few months ago, Robert posted an emotional plea on Instagram, thanking fans for their support and sharing a series of touching photos of himself and his dog. The photos show the two together lying on a bed, with Robert’s hand resting on Bruno’s chest as he watches a documentary on the singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. It’s a deeply personal post for the 42-year-old actor, who is currently shooting a new movie, ‘The Loneliest Island’, in which he plays a journalist who is forced to live alone on an island after a pandemic and is given custody of a baby. In the movie, he is accompanied by his two children with long-term partner, Novia McCrow – daughter, Gigi, and son, Henry. The post reads: “There are no words to properly explain my gratitude for you guys. Your love and kind words have meant a lot to me and Bruno. We’ll never be apart again I hope. Love you so much.”