Welcome to another edition of our regular roundup of all the important news stories that have happened in the last week. This week is special because it’s the anniversary of the release of Pattinson, which turns a year old today! To celebrate, we’re going to look back at 15 amazing facts about Robert Pattinson, as well as tell you about the latest news items.
1. He Was Born In London, But Had Plans To Study Drama In L.A.
Robert Pattinson was born on October 21, 1986 in London, England, to film producer Sandy Gallacher and fashion editor Jane Robichaux. He has an older sister, Emily, and a younger brother, Charlie. Growing up, Robert attended the exclusive Waldorf School in London, where he learned to hunt and fish. He later went on to study English Literature at the University of Oxford. While at university, he became friends with future High School Musical star and businessman Justin Berfield. It was during this time that Robert began exploring his interest in acting, and after graduation he moved to Los Angeles to continue his studies at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. There, he earned his acting chops by appearing in several student films before being encouraged to move to London to pursue his dream of becoming an actor.
2. He Was Almost Cast In The Hobbit (2013)
When author J.R.R. Tolkien was asked by the BBC in 2013 if he had any advice for aspiring storytellers, he said:
“I would say go for it. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. There are plenty of stories waiting to be told, and you may just stumble upon one that feels right for the screen. Go for it! I wish I had, but as it turns out I didn’t have time to write the Hobbit. So maybe this is why I ended up writing LotR instead.
Even if you don’t end up getting to write the next Hobbit film, going for it can still open up a world of opportunities for you. Just remember that the world is a big place, and even the most experienced storytellers have had trouble finding work since the recession. So don’t be discouraged if you don’t end up getting to write the story you always wanted to tell. It’s a brave new world out there, and even if your dream doesn’t come true, at least you tried.
3. He Used To Be A Pretentious, Self-Deprecating Kid.
Kids can be really annoying. They’ll ask endless questions about how things work, and don’t stop nagging you until you tell them what they want to know. But sometimes, they can also be really inspiring. When he was 24, Robert Pattinson decided to start a blog to share his thoughts with the world. “I’m not very good at being witty or clever,” he wrote. “So instead I’ll try and be as sincere and honest as possible. And what I lack in wit, I make up for in honesty.”
The blog rapidly became popular and in 2015, he decided to take the next logical step: turning it into a book. The Daily Beast called it “one of the wisest kid-bloggers in history,” while The Guardian named it one of the top 10 blogs of the early 2000s. In 2019, he would publish his third book, a collection of short stories titled Offworld.
Pattinson’s honesty and self-deprecating sense of humor made him the perfect candidate to become the youngest person to win the prestigious John Whittington Young Writer of the Year Award, presented by the British Council. In addition to being a winning writer, he also has a leading role in the coming-of-age film, Twelve Years A Slave (2018).
4. He Is One Of The Most Popular Male Dresses In Fashion
One of the most popular accessories for men since the 2014 summer trends, handbags and clutch bags, are frequently adorned with the name “Robert Pattinson.” The late-night host Jimmy Kimmel even made a joke about the trend, comparing it to female fans wearing wedding dresses to show their support for their favorite celebrity bride. At one point, the name “Robert Pattinson” was even more popular in the U.S. than the name “Kendall Jenner,” the daughter of Kris and Shawn. Since then, fans have been copying the accessory-wearing style, nicknamed “Bentleys And Brims.”
While there’s no denying that the trend has been fueled by interest in Pattinson, it’s also been popularized by actors and musicians who’ve portrayed characters in film and on TV. Examples include Idris Elba, who frequently wears a handbag alongside his chain wallet; Tom Hardy, who’s often seen with an oversize handbag on his arm; and Dyluck Storm Roof, who wears a bag on his head in the 2016 Netflix series, Dark.
5. He Was Once Caught Fiddling In His Underwear, And It’s Since Then, He’s Kept On Improving His Singing Voice
Singing is a form of expression that Robert Pattinson has always been passionate about. In fact, he wrote an essay for Rolling Stone in 2008 about how he had always aspired to be a singer since a young age. “I’ve always enjoyed music, and being able to bring my voice to a song always made me happy,” he said at the time. “I’ve been lucky enough to study music in the U.S. and in London, so I’ve always had this instrument around me. It really is the language of the soul. It can be such a driving force behind a piece of music that it transcends whatever difficulty the composer was experiencing at the time they were writing it.”
While he was in college, he would write song lyrics and perform them with his band. In 2013, he released his first solo album, Rocking The Rialto, which consisted of mostly original compositions. Since then, he has released the albums Belle & Sebastian (2016) and Twilight Sad (2018). Today, he still regularly performs live and is composing new songs for his upcoming fifth album. In 2019, he was named one of the Top 50 Best Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone.
6. He Started His Career As A Child Actor
In 2000, when he was 16 years old, Robert Pattinson took the brave decision to follow his dream and move to Los Angeles to begin his acting career. There, he got a break when he was cast in a 2004 film adaptation of the Elmore Leonard crime tale, Out Of Sight. The following year, he starred with Kate Winslet in the psychological thriller, Rocking The Mockingbird. In 2007, he landed his first major role in the Oscar-winning film, The Golden Compass, based on the first novel in the trilogy, The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. Since then, he has gone on to star in many blockbusters, including The Batman (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), and the upcoming Nashville (2020).
7. He Is One Of The Most Successful Film Solo Acts
With six acting credits to his name, it’s clear that Robert Pattinson has achieved a great deal in his young career. In 2005, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Rocking The Mockingbird, and in 2007 he was nominated for Best Actor at the Independent Spirit Awards for The Golden Compass. Additionally, in 2019, he was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Best Solo Song for Sober Eyes and Best Song Written for an Animated Film for Beautiful Trauma.
While he may not have achieved the fame and success of some of his contemporaries, it is clear that Robert Pattinson has used his time wisely, building a dedicated fan base of young people who admire his work.
8. He Is A Vocal Partridge In A Pond
Though he may not be a household name yet, everyone knows exactly how to pronounce Robert Pattinson’s name: “Robert-Pattz-son.” In order to ensure that everyone else knows how to properly address him, he has in the past adopted the professional moniker “Robert Pattinson.”