Robert Pattinson is one of the most popular and iconic celebrities of our time. The English actor, author, and musician has been acting and modeling for over 40 years – first appearing on the big screen in the 1970s, and then establishing himself as one of the biggest movie stars in the world in the following four decades. In 2014, he was named the fourth-most influential person in Hollywood, and in November 2017, he became a brand ambassador for Estee Lauder.
Early Life
Pattinson was born in London on April 23, 1964. He is the second son of Donald Geoffrey Pattinson, a property developer, and Sybil Marjorie, who worked for the United Nations. He has an older brother, Andrew, and an older sister, Sara.
As a child, Pattinson was a keen horse rider who often accompanied his parents on their horseback riding outings. He went on to study English literature at Oxford University. While at Oxford, he resided at Brasenose College, where he met his future wife, Twinkle May. They married in 1987 and have four children: three sons, Brandon, 13, Maverick, 11, and Bodhi, and one daughter, Ruby, 9.
Career
Pattinson began his acting career in the late 1970s, appearing in numerous stage productions, including Broadway plays, and minor movie roles in films like the Harry Potter series and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. In 1979, he made his television debut in the British sitcom, Some Mothers Do Have Angels. It was in the early 1980s that he started getting a lot of attention, starring alongside Michael Caine in the 1981 film, The Man with the Glasses. In 1982, Pattinson made his first appearance as the titular character in the superhero film, RoboCop, followed by a role as Sherlock Holmes in the film of the same name. That same year, he also portrayed the character John Nash in the film adaptation of the John Nash novel, Pirates! The story of Captain Flint and Blackbeard. In 1988, he co-starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in the boxing comedy, Rocky IV. He also portrayed serial killer John Wayne Gacy in the 1992 film, Sommerset!, which was the first of his three collaborations with director Bryan Singer. From there, he went on to star in X-Men, The Lost Boys, Ocean’s Eleven, and Ocean’s Twelve, among many others.
Pattinson is one of the most recognizable faces in the world. He has been featured on the cover of nearly every international edition of Vogue, as well as countless covers of European magazines like Vanity Fair and Elle. He has also graced the covers of major American magazines such as Time and Newsweek. He was recently featured on the front page of the New York Times as part of their 40 Under 40 list.
Influences
Pattinson is arguably one of the most influential figures in Hollywood today. His unique blend of old-school glamour and fashionable casual wear has made him one of the most popular and iconic figures of our time. In a 2016 interview with Femail, he credited his success to simply being himself: “I suppose I’ve always tried to be the kind of person I think is cool,” he said. “I’ve never really bothered with trends; I’ve just followed my own instincts.”
Pattinson is also a keen fashion and style influencer. He is a muse to many, with over a million followers on Instagram. His feed is eclectic; he often shares images of himself in eclectic outfits, as well as pieces from the many high-end brands he endorses. Many of his followers are also fashion influencers or stylists; he is often a source of fashion advice, and is known for his style tips and fashion collaborations.
Personal Life
Pattinson is one of the most highly-acclaimed and well-known Hollywood stars today. However, behind the scenes, he is known for his private life as much as his public one. He has remained remarkably level-headed throughout his career, and maintains close friendships with A-list celebs like George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Gwyneth Paltrow. He also regularly collaborates with famous fashion designers on special projects; in 2017 alone, he starred in three separate collaborations with the designer Christian Dior, as well as a capsule collection for the French fashion house.
In 2014, Pattinson shocked fans by stepping out with his then-girlfriend, FKA Twinkle, revealing that he is in fact a father. They had previously been spotted kissing and holding hands in public, while she was already pregnant. At the time of the announcement, it was revealed that Pattinson had previously been married to Kate Winslet, with whom he had a son, Cosmo Jarvis, in 1996. He also has a daughter, Alice Dellal, with his ex-wife, Jenny Sinclair. In December 2017, he and Twinkle announced they were expecting their first child together, a daughter.
Endorsements
Pattinson has emerged as one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and is often cited as a role model for young men. Over the years, he has starred in a number of lucrative commercials, including spots for Burberry, Dior, and Hugo Boss. He currently stars in the UKTV commercial for their The Gym commercial, #YogaWithPRincess, along with rapper Lil Wayne.
In 2019 alone, he endorsed a total of seven different products, the most lucrative of which were probably the Dior Homme and Burberry Scotch Egg campaigns. His latest endorsement deals were for a vegan dogfood brand and a vegan chocolate company, each paying him a six-figure sum to promote their products.
The Main Man
Despite his unparalleled popularity, fame, and influence, it is still somewhat unusual for a celebrity to have an entire section in a supermarket dedicated to merchandise featuring them. In 2019, however, that is exactly what happened when Subway opened up a shop in London specifically selling branded goods featuring some of the biggest stars in Hollywood, such as Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez, Lupita Nyong’o, and Carla Carrera. The store’s co-owner, Jack Dorsey, described the section as “an experiment”, but one that apparently paid off: within a week of the shop’s opening, it was reportedly inundated with customers, many of whom were there simply to buy a piece of merchandise featuring one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
After his successful foray into retail, Dorsey told the Press he would like to see more eateries, bakeries, and retail stores opening up in the capital, in an effort to bring more people into the city and create more of a retail-based economy.
Subway’s foray into retail marked the first time in the chain’s history that they had opened a shop outside the United States. The move was motivated by growing demand for their products in the UK, according to a company statement.
The US fast-food chain is now expanding its reach into the UK market with shops in New York, LA, and now London. With over 11,000 franchises across the globe, it remains one of the world’s largest food chains.