Robert Pattinson is an English actor who rose to fame after playing the role of a vampire in the 2012 film The Twilight Saga: New Moon. Since then, he has appeared in several big-budget films and television shows, including The Avengers, Interstellar, and The Great Gatsby. Additionally, he has collaborated with famed photographer Annie Leibovitz on several projects.
Many famous faces have portrayed Batman on film, but who was the first person to don the caped crusher’s garb?
Although he did not make his first appearance until the 1940s, Batman was first envisioned as an adolescent dream of future Hollywood star Robin Williams. In fact, Williams based his performance on that of film star James Cagney, who played the role of the iconic detective Eliot Ness in the 1937 film The Untouchables. This made Williams a popular choice to play the role as it was seen as a way to channel his inner child and gain some popularity among young fans (The Huffington Post, U.S. News & World Report).
While Williams was the first to play Batman on film, he was not the first to incarnate the Dark Knight in print. That honor goes to Bob Kane, who created the character in 1939 and subsequently collaborated with Bill Finger on several Batman titles published by Comic Book. With his larger-than-life personality, Kane was the perfect foil for the silent film era and the subsequent rise of the sound film.
Early Life
The son of a coal miner and a housewife, Robert William Pattinson was born on July 24, 1975 in London, England. He has an elder sister, Louise (Tori), and a younger brother, Charlie (Tobias).
After graduating from university, Pattinson went on to study English literature at Oxford University, where he resided in New College. While there, he became friendly with Prince William, future Duke of Cambridge, and heir to the British throne. After graduating in 1998, Pattinson worked in various capacities, including as an au pair and a private English tutor. In 2004, he went on to establish himself as a professional actor and appeared in several stage productions. In 2010, he appeared in his first television series, Au Pair, which gained him popularity among teen audiences.
Career
Pattinson made his cinematic debut in the 2009 psychological thriller Closer, which revolves around the concept of celebrity and how it affects interpersonal relationships. He subsequently played the title role in the 2011 film The Rover, which centers around a young man (Jimi) who seeks adventure and encounters it with his canine companion (Buck). The following year, he portrayed John Lennon in a biopic about the famous songwriter titled Love, which showed the public a different side of Lennon. However, his portrayal of the iconic Beatle was not without controversy due to his slight resemblance to deceased Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The most acclaimed role of his career came in 2012 when he played vampire Edward Cullen in the film adaptation of The Twilight Saga. For his performance, he garnered critical acclaim and won numerous awards, including the Golden Globe, SAG, BAFTA, and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Since his breakout role, he has appeared in several large-scale films, including X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), The Great Gatsby (2013), and
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014).
As if his cinematic career was not enough, Pattinson has achieved success on the small screen as well. In 2015, he starred in the television series Masters of Sex, which follows the lives of sex researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson as they navigate the changing social mores of the 1960s. In 2017, he gained renewed public interest with his portrayal of magician Harry Houdini in the miniseries Houdini, which aired on Netflix. That same year, he also joined the cast of The Fall as Peter Quinn, a newspaper editor who befriends Joan of Arc. Production on the limited series is currently underway, with a premiere date set for April 15, 2018.
Personal Life
Since the early 2000s, Pattinson has been in a relationship with American actress Kristen Stewart. The two have remained private about their relationship, but in 2013 they starred together in the film adaptation of the popular young adult novel Diary of a Teenage Girl. Their first child, a daughter named Ruby, was born in 2014, and they continue to keep the public in the dark about their personal lives.
Style
Pattinson has been described as both attractive and quirky, with a distinctive voice and mannerism that have earned him a cult following. His style can best be summed up as colorful and eclectic, often mixing vintage clothing and accessories with high-end fashion choices. For example, in addition to his penchant for Batman-related pop culture, he also wears a pink velour tracksuit from the 1970s with a black bodysuit, lace-up heels, and a purse belonging to the character Christiane from Christiane F from The Christiane F in Love.
Although there is no definitive proof that he is a self-diagnosed klutz, Pattinson has been known to bumble his way through interviews and public appearances. He has also been known to wear bow ties, novelty socks, and mismatched jewelry, which he has worn since he was a child. These quirks have made him an object of amusement and fascination for the public, as well as fellow actors and celebrities.
Despite the fact that he often speaks openly about his love for cats and how he feels they are easier to dress than women, Pattinson has been accused of being an unfeeling workaholic who is more interested in his career than his personal life. While he maintains that he is not a workaholic and that his career is a priority, he has expressed interest in having children and being a husband.
Pattinson’s love for cats was even parodied in a 2006 episode of the comedy series Flight of the Conchords, which features Bret McKenzie portraying a petulant celebrity in a cameo role. In the skit, a group of cats approach him, demanding he pay them for allowing him to pet them. When the celebrity asks why they are so demanding, they respond, “We’re famous, and being famous means you’re our bitch now.”
Tastes
An intellectual who describes himself as “very open-minded”, Pattinson has credited various authors, including William Shakespeare and Ian Fleming, with inspiring his film and literary interests. He has also expressed an affinity for the work of director Ingmar Bergman and the films of Akira Kurosawa, as well as the music of The Beatles and Bob Dylan.
Perhaps most notably, he is a voracious reader who has been able to parlay his love of books and films into a successful acting career. In 2017, he donated his time to a literacy organization, reading aloud to children and promoting good-quality literature. He has also been known to lend his voice to audiobooks, as well as children’s books, and has even written a few himself. In addition to his sizable filmography, he has also published a novel, titled Whip Cream, which centers around a young woman’s quest for self-discovery. The book was adapted into a film of the same name, which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.