When it comes to celebrity, few names are as recognizable as that of Robert Pattinson. Since his breakout role in the 2005 film The Princess Charm, the English actor has gone on to star in several major motion pictures, including one of the highest-grossing romantic comedies of all time, Twilight. Over the past two decades, he’s become a bonafide Hollywood fixture, starring in blockbusters and critically acclaimed films alike.

The Rise Of Robert Pattinson

Hailing from the city of London, England, Robert Pattinson was born on July 8, 1984. His father is the famous musician Mike Pattinson (best known for being the bass player in Led Zeppelin II). The actor grew up in a musical household, learning to play the piano and guitar. As a child, he appeared in several amateur productions, and performed at several festivals, including the Royal Academy of Music’s Festival of Solo Music. He eventually made his way to London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, from which he graduated in 2007.

Pattinson’s Early Career

In 2007, Robert Pattinson landed his first professional role in the BBC mini-series The History of Loneliness. Starring alongside Katherine Parkinson and Lesley Manville, the young actor portrayed the titular protagonist George Mallory, a 19th century painter known for his travels to Antarctica and his desire to climb Mount Everest. While the miniseries was critically acclaimed, it was a box-office failure, and critical acclaim alone won’t make up for the millions of dollars’ loss.

Stepping Into Twilight

It was while filming The History of Loneliness that the 24-year-old Robert Pattinson first gained recognition. The singer-songwriter Taylor Swift saw his performance and became enamored with him, setting up a lunch date with the actor. The two eventually became inseparable, and in 2015, they were photographed holding hands while walking in New York City. A year later, the twosome welcomed their first child, a daughter named Rose Eveline.

The Rise Of Twilight

The following year, 2013, was a significant one for the actor. Not only did he marry the love of his life, but he also became the central figure in one of the biggest media frenzies of all time. Since the beginning of the year, fans and followers have been eagerly anticipating the release of Twilight – the first of five twilight films based on the popular book The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. When the film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, it received a 24-minute standing ovation from the audience, who were wearing Twilight T-shirts. The film went on to become one of the year’s biggest critical and commercial successes, grossing over $400 million worldwide. It was also named the best film of the year at the 72nd Golden Globes, earning three wins: Best Performing Actress (Sandra Bullock), Best Performing Actor (Robert Pattinson), and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Signature Smile

While promoting Twilight, Robert Pattinson underwent a major reconstructive surgery to correct the severe hunchback he developed due to his scoliosis. The procedure, which was performed by Dr. Hugh Smith, consisted of a four-to-six-hour operation and required him to wear a T-shirt and leggings for two weeks.

In And Out Of Trouble

Despite his massive success, the actor’s personal life has been marred by scandal. Just three years after getting married, he was linked to several alleged affairs, including one with the daughter of his producer. The tabloids went on to suggest that he was having an affair with Dakota Funk, a 22-year-old actress he met on the set of The Legend of Tarzan. One of Funk’s friends claimed that the two were having an intimate relationship and encouraged people to ‘Speak now, or forever hold your tongue.’ After a few months of speculation, the actor confirmed that he and Funk were indeed an item, but ended their engagement in 2016. A source told Vogue magazine that the Actress Funk had “ruined his reputation.”

Grapefruit And Papaya Fruits

In 2014, while filming The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn in Maldives, Robert Pattinson was again accused of cheating on his wife. This time, it was with one of the film’s stunt cyclists, who was reportedly paid $30,000 for participating in the naked cycling sequence. Despite these affairs, the actor repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he is “not a cheat or a seducer.” That same year, he also spoke out against the “toxic” childstar culture, saying that he wants to help protect children from the dangers of the industry. The actor also has a charity, the International Festival of Chilling Jurassic Creatures, which unites scientists and paleontologists from around the world to study and protect the monkeys, t-rex, and pteranodon fossils found on Island of Loch Lomba.

A Stereotype-Breaking Role

In 2017, the actor received a well-deserved honor at the Golden Globes: he was named Best Actor — Drama TV for his performance in the series Penny Pitching Power. The show, which airs on BBC America, centers around the lives of five female entrepreneurs, and explores the unique challenges they face in the startup world. The role required Pattinson to give voice to a character whose race he was not familiar with, but he received acclaim for his performance regardless, particularly for his portrayal of real-life entrepreneur Angela Beckett. In the finale, a clearly moved-by-his-performance-Emmett-Rainey, one of the show’s investors, tells him simply, “You were perfect.”

Award-Winning Films

The star has racked up an impressive list of awards and nominations throughout his career. In addition to his three Golden Globe wins, he’s received a BAFTA Award, a Satellite Award, and a Critics’ Choice Movie Award for his performances in Twilight and The Tourist; as well as a Critics’ Choice Movie Award for The Water Warrior. In 2017, he received an Academy Award nomination for his work in the Life Is Beautiful film, The Lost Art of Singing, and for Penny Pitching Power. In each case, he won the AUDIENCE award — which goes to the actor or actress they are nominated most like. In 2020, he will appear in the Woody Allen-directed Scoop McGinnis based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, The Great Gatsby.

A Hollywood Legend

In 2021, Hollywood will lose one of its legendary figures when Robert Pattinson’s career comes to a close. The actor has been a fixture in the industry for more than two decades, and will be remembered for portraying some of cinema’s most memorable anti-heroes — including Edward Elric in Twilight and Randall McGee in the Ghost Hunters series and the Hunger Games franchise. In 2020, he will also be featured in the upcoming Once Upon A Time in a Disney movie about Jack and the Beast, and will reprise his role as Elric for a Disney TV special. While working, the actor continued to draw inspiration from his time in the British countryside and featured in several films set in or near London — including The Rise of the Romantic Tourist, The Lethal Wife, and the upcoming Royal Rescue of Blacksmith Bay — to portray unique characters and give life to iconic film clichés.