The world was shocked when news broke that actor Robert Pattinson had married singer-songwriter Ariana Grande just a few weeks before Christmas. The British actor, 31, had had a rocky relationship with actress and singer Victoria Justice. The pair had broken up in October 2012 and had been embroiled in a war of words ever since. But, as Victoria recently tweeted, “We are friends, nothing more.” And it seems that the former lovers have resolved their issues. Could this be the real story behind the tabloid headlines and celebrity wedding? Let’s take a closer look.
A Brief History
Pattinson was born in London in 1986 and raised in New York City. He began his acting career in 2010, and since then he has appeared in films such as the Twilight Saga (Part 1 and Part 2), Burlesque, and Water for Elephants. In 2012, he played the lead role in the British drama The Rover, a modern-day retelling of Hamlet. That same year, he also starred in the music video for the song “Adore You” by The Killers.
While many were surprised that Pattinson married Grande so quickly after their intimate encounter at the Met Gala in May 2013, the actor has been dating celebrities for most of his adult life, often landing himself in trouble with the law. In 2011, he was arrested and spent a night in jail for driving under the influence in L.A. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to three years of supervised probation, 24-hour guard duty, and ordered to attend alcohol education programs. In 2012, he was also sentenced to 60 days in jail for violating his probation by drinking alcohol. Finally, in 2014, he was arrested again for driving under the influence. This time, he was sentenced to three years of probation and 400 hours of community service. He has since become engaged to actress and singer Elle MacLeman, 32. The pair have been dating since January 2015.
The Real Love Story
Before the romance between Victoria and Pattinson heated up, the British actor had been dating singer Elle Macleman for almost a year. MacLeman and Pattinson first met at a Hollywood party in January 2014. The following month, the pair were photographed by the paparazzi walking hand-in-hand through Los Angeles. Since then, they have been inseparable, and have been seen together at numerous award shows and events. MacLeman has even done some of the singer’s hair and makeup for his acting roles. And, at the end of March 2015, the pair were rumored to be engaged. However, in July 2015, it was reported that the engagement was off and the couple were trying to work things out. They were again spotted together in October 2015, and, at the end of the month, it was confirmed that they had officially called off their engagement.
The Road To Met Gala
In 2013, Pattinson was in New York City filming the dystopian thriller The Death of Stalin when actor-singer Josh White (Olympic Theater) invited him to a Met Gala party. The two had a chance encounter and ended up having a drink. A few weeks later, White asked Pattinson to be his date for the gala, and the rest is history. That same year, Pattinson and Victoria started seeing each other secretly when White was away on tour. They subsequently started seeing each other more frequently and became an item. In October 2012, the couple was photographed by the paparazzi leaving a nightclub in London holding hands and looking very happy together. But their happiness was short-lived. That same month, Victoria and Pattinson attended The Late Late Show With James Corden, and, while there, she hinted that they had gotten back together. He subsequently denied the rumors and said that they had not broken up. Nevertheless, the two continued to date discreetly until April 2013, when their relationship became public knowledge. They had previously kept their romance a secret because they were afraid of what would happen if the media found out.
The Wedding Plans
When news broke that Pattinson had married Grande, many speculated that the controversial union was a publicity stunt. The couple had been planning their wedding for months, and reportedly rented out the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York City for a small ceremony attended by family and friends. There were even rumors that they would make a run for it to elope to Bali. However, in July 2015, the couple told British Vogue that they had decided against an elopement and instead wanted to hold the ceremony in London.
It seems that, for the most part, Pattinson has kept his romance with Grande a secret. The two have been seen together in public once or twice since their whirlwind union, but they have mainly kept their private life private. They had initially decided to keep their relationship a secret because they were afraid of what would happen if the media found out. But, like many celebrity couples before them, they have probably decided that getting engaged and then walking down the aisle would be the ultimate selfie.
The Legal Issues
The British actor, who was born and raised in England, also has legal issues that he needs to deal with. In 2008, he was charged with driving under the influence. In 2011, he was arrested and spent a night in jail for driving under the influence. In May 2012, he was sentenced to three years of probation, 24-hour guard duty, and ordered to attend alcohol education programs. In April 2014, he was arrested again for driving under the influence. That same month, he pleaded no contest to the offense and was sentenced to three years of probation and 400 hours of community service. He recently had to deal with additional legal issues stemming from a May 2015 drug possession arrest. For the most part, these cases have kept him tied down and out of trouble for the last few years. But it seems that he cannot escape the paparazzi.
Pattinson’s Arrests
Since becoming famous, Pattinson has had numerous run-ins with the law. He was first arrested in 2008 for driving under the influence. In 2011, he was arrested again for driving under the influence and spent a night in jail. In 2012, he was arrested for violating his probation for drinking alcohol. In 2014, he was arrested for driving under the influence yet again. And in 2015, he was arrested for drug possession and taken to jail. While many of these arrests have been for DUI, many times he has been picked up for speeding or having tinted windows. He has also had his car broken into a few times, but most of those have been for break-ins related to drug deals. It is likely that the amount of cash that he was carrying when he was arrested for DUI in 2014 sparked the interest of thieves.
Was This Always Planned?
There is no question that the relationship between Pattinson and Grande has been a lightning bolt from the blue. The two had never even spoken to each other before they met at the Met Gala party. But, in an interview with Teen Vogue in January 2014, Pattinson admitted that he had planned on getting married and having kids soon after he turned 30. He also told the magazine that he always wanted to be a father. And, if the timing worked out right, he would like to have children “as soon as possible.” He also said that he is “not going to grow old with [his] dick in [his] hand.” In an interview with ELLE UK, the former couple revealed that they had been planning to get married for years, and that they picked the date partly because it was Victoria’s birthday.
Will They Last?
Pattinson and Grande may have decided to keep their relationship a secret for the most part, but this does not mean that it has been easy. As he told GQ in an interview, “It’s been quite a challenge.” The two recently moved to New York City, where they will continue to live together. This will be the young couple’s first child. And they are already looking forward to expanding their family. In May 2015, the pair told Elle UK that they are “so happy and in love.” While this may be true, it is likely that, as with many other celebrity couples, this is also just another publicity stunt to generate more interest in their brand. Nevertheless, as long as they are happy together, who cares what their reasons are? To quote Josh White, “You can’t buy love, but you can buy sex. And that’s all it’s ever been.”