When Robert Pattinson first graced our screens with his acting chops in the acclaimed 2005 film The Beloved, we were little more than enthralled by his charm and dimpled features. However, it was in 2012 that the world really fell in love with Robert Pattinson. That year, he starred in the films The Favourite and Cosmo and Radiance, garnering widespread critical acclaim and becoming one of the most popular English actors in the world. Although he has since then been involved in numerous film projects, he is arguably most famous for his collaboration with the Dark Knight, Batman.
What is the inspiration behind the pair’s undeniable chemistry on-screen? We delve into the intimate details of their working relationship in this article, examining both their professional and private lives during the course of their five-year collaboration.
An Early Inspiration For Robert Pattinson
In an effort to discover the secret behind their undeniable screen charisma, we need to look no further than Robert Pattinson’s early years. The actor was born in London in 1986, to a family of actors. His father, Donald, was a stage actor, while his mother, Emma, was a television actress. Growing up in a household steeped in the dramatic arts undoubtedly instilled in him a sense of drama and adventure at an early age. According to biographers, young Pattinson loved to play dress-up, and would often beg his parents to let him wear their wigs and gowns. This passion for acting would lead him to pursue a career in the performing arts at London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he trained. While at the academy, he performed in various stage plays, winning a notable amount of praise for his portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge in a 2012 production of A Christmas Carol.
After completing his studies, Pattinson starred in a number of TV commercials and short films before landing the lead role in the long-awaited Stephen Meyers adaptation of the beloved Agatha Christie classic, Death on the Nile.
Robert Pattinson: A Renaissance Man
We first meet Robert Pattinson in Death on the Nile, as he arrives at the majestic hotel near the Pyramids in an effort to save the life of his best friend, Toby Ludlow (Ben Mendelsohn), who has been poisoned by a female stalker, Irene Adler (Marion Cotillard). Pattinson initially attempts to woo Cotillard with a rose given to him by the late Agatha Christie, but our witty and charming young star soon discovers that Toby has feelings for him. The pair embark on a forbidden love affair as police officers, led by Meyers’ iconic detective, Hercule Poirot (Peter Lorre), attempt to unravel the tangled mystery. The film is set in present day London, but was actually shot in Malta, with some key scenes being performed at the legendary Valletta Film Studios in Valletta, Malta.
To this day, Robert Pattinson remains one of the most popular and in-demand English actors, having appeared in a host of high-profile films and TV shows. Since 2012, he has been co-starring with Leonardo DiCaprio in the new Quentin Tarantulin film, The Most Famous Man in the World, playing the legendary figurehead in what is widely believed to be his acting swan song. The actor has also had a hand in the production of numerous short films and music videos, cementing his status as one of the most versatile English actors of our time. His work has netted him numerous accolades, including two BAFTA wins and an Academy Award nomination.
The Birth Of Batman And Robin
In the years that followed the release of Death on the Nile, Robert Pattinson would next star alongside Christian Bale in the big-budget Batman Begins. The film boldly introduces audiences to the Dark Knight, setting the story in contemporary London and featuring a young Alfred (Jeremy Irons) helping his famous uncle, Thomas Wayne (Gary Oldman), find his feet in the field of crime fighting. After a string of brutal crimes terrorise the city, Thomas Wayne enlists the help of his trusty sidekick, Alfred, in creating a new detective division to patrol the mean streets of Gotham.
The young Alfred initially shows promise as a detective, but is soon overshadowed by his more experienced partner, James Gordon (Charlton Heston). The pair track down the notorious Jack the Ripper, enlisting the help of Scotland Yard’s legendary Detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Webber) in what would become one of the most famous police procedural dramas of all time – Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. The film was a box office and critical success, earning an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and winning Best Adapted Screenplay at the 72nd Academy Awards. It was also the final collaboration between director Mike Newell and star Christian Bale. After the film’s triumphant release, both Bale and Doyle called it a day, with the former stating: “I’ve had a wonderful time working with Mike Newell and Robert Pattinson. They’ve been great friends for a lot of years, and we’ve had some wonderful times together. But it’s been tough finding the time to make the second film, because my commitment to this company is absolute.”
Robert Pattinson And Batman’s Love Story
It would be four years before Robert Pattinson returned to our screens in what is arguably one of the most memorable films of the 21st century. 2012’s The Favourite, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, is a darkly comic tale of court favourites in 19th century England. The film follows the fortunes of beautiful, blonde and cunning Cecily Cardew (Claire Foy), who, along with her confidantes, Lady Amelia (Olivia Colman) and Violet (Rachel Weisz), manipulate the court and ensnare the naive King Edward (John Hurt) into committing suicide. Inspired by true events, the giddy film became one of the highest-grossing British films of all time, and garnered widespread critical acclaim for both its director and star.
The year of 2012 also marked the beginning of a new phase in Robert Pattinson’s life, as he began dating his later wife, Rosalind Russell. The couple were married in a private ceremony in London in 2014 and live in an apartment in the exclusive London suburb of Kensington. In 2017, Russell gave birth to their first child, a daughter, Gwen, and the year was named after the famous explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Although the pair remain private, sharing their love for fashion and gardening with their adoring fans via social media, they have been open about the challenges of parenthood and the toll that it has taken on their relationship. In a candid interview with Grazia, Rosalind admitted to finding motherhood “overwhelming”, stating: “When you become a parent, your whole worldview changes. I was suddenly aware of how little I knew about the world, and how much I didn’t know about my child. The most important thing in your life is not you anymore. It’s this being inside you, this brand new person, who you have to protect and nourish.”
When asked about how motherhood has changed their approach to filmmaking, Rosalind replied: “It forces you to be a bit more pragmatic… You’re no longer tied to a schedule and you have to think about your little one’s needs first. There are so many more practical considerations that come with parenthood. You can’t just disappear for a couple of days to make a movie anymore.” In a 2016 interview with Hello! Magazine, Robert stated candidly that he thinks his daughter, Luna, whom he has with his ex-wife, Vanessa, will be his best film project yet. As he puts it: “I don’t have any expectations, because if I did, they’d probably be disappointed. So I just want to make the best film that I can.”
Arguably, the most significant collaboration of Robert Pattinson’s career came in the form of Batman & Robin, a gritty origin story about the Caped Crusader and his infamous sidekick, Robin (played by Michael Carr). The film, which co-starred Julia Roberts and focused on the early days of their famous partnership, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014 and was a box office success, grossing over US$500 million worldwide.
Batman & Robin marked a turning point in Robert Pattinson’s career. The actor finally gave his career as a whole the attention it deserved, having previously focused on a series of short films and guest appearances. The blockbuster film also represented a significant step forward for Warner Bros., who had never fully committed to a cinematic universe led by their most famous character. Since its release, the film has become one of the most popular movies among fans and has even inspired a spin-off show, Batman Ninja, set to premiere this year on TikTok.