At just 25 years old, Robert Pattinson is already a veteran of the indie film scene. In 2019 alone, he starred in the critically acclaimed films Widows and Far From Heaven, which both earned him major theatrical releases. This year is also the 25th anniversary of the Sundance Film Festival, so it’s been a big year for Pattinson on the big screen.
The actor began his career in 2012 when he starred in the indie hit, The Rover. Since then, he has appeared in numerous critically acclaimed films, which have collectively earned over $500 million at the box office. He recently wrapped production on Quentin Tarantulinu’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, starring as actor Rick Dalton. In addition to his film work, Pattinson continues to appear in numerous stage plays around the world. He’s also made several endorsement deals, appearing in commercials for major brands such as Ralph Lauren, AT&T, and Bud Light.
Early Years
Robert Pattinson was born in London on December 3, 1986. His father, Bruce, is a publisher, and his mother, Kim, is a travel agent. He has an older brother, Charlie, and an older sister, Grace. Though his parents are both from Scotland, they moved to live in London when Pattinson was young. He attended Charter School in London as a teenager, before eventually moving back to Scotland to attend the prestigious Edinburgh College. There he met future Monkeysuit co-star, James McAvoy, with whom he shares a love for playing guitar. He then went on to attend the London School of Theatre where he was classmates with Eddie Redmayne. Following his graduation from LST, Pattinson headed to Los Angeles to begin his professional acting career.
Acting Career
Pattinson’s first major break came in 2012 when he landed the lead role in the Sundance sensation, The Rover. The film follows the story of a young man named Joe, played by Pattinson, who must navigate the harsh realities of modern day London. Critics and audiences alike responded well to his performance, and the film went on to win the grand prize at the Sundance Film Festival. The following year, Pattinson starred in the Australian film, Where My Girls Are, alongside Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor. He then took a break from acting to focus on his music career, which initially saw him release a song titled ‘Sober’ in 2014. In early 2018, he made his return to acting in the critically acclaimed drama, Good Morning. His next project, The King, is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival in August, followed by a theatrical release in 2020.
Filmography
The following is a list of some of the more prominent films in which Pattinson has appeared:
- The Rover (2012)
- Where My Girls Are (2013)
- Good Morning (2018)
- Widows (2019)
- Far From Heaven (2019)
- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2020)
- The King (2021)
- The French Lieutenant’s Woman (2021) – Paris
- Judy (TBA)
- The Invisible Guest (TBA)
- Black 47 (TBA)
- Dark Phoenix (TBA)
- Outlaw King (TBA)
- Sherlock Holmes (TBA)
- The Gentlemen (2020)
- Sing (2020)
Theatre
Aside from acting, Pattinson has also shown a great interest in stage plays. He landed his first professional role as a teenager in a production of Macbeth. Since then, he has starred in numerous stage productions throughout the world, including the West End in London. In 2019, he was nominated for the Stage Award at the British Academy Film Awards for his role in the Broadway revival of The Crucible.
Pattinson has also done extensive work participating in theatre festivals, including the Berlinale Theatertreffen and BFI Flare. In addition to his work in film and stage, he has also modeled for several prestigious fashion houses, including Calvin Klein and Louis Vuitton.