This question has baffled many a fan of the “Twilight” actor. After all, why is Robert Pattinson always cast as a ‘bad guy’ in the films? Why are there so many rumors surrounding his personal life? Why do tabloids love to gossip about him?
The actor is mostly known for his role in the vampire films “Twilight” and its sequels, and for his portrayal of the anti-hero Edward Cullen in the “Twilight” franchise. However, Pattinson has said in interviews that he doesn’t see himself as a villain and doesn’t like to be associated with ‘bad guy’ movies. He has also stated that he doesn’t pay much attention to gossip surrounding him because he doesn’t want his private life to be a topic of conversation.
In an effort to shed more light on this topic, we decided to dive back into the archives and revisit some of the most interesting bits of gossip surrounding Pattinson’s personal life.
1. He Was Born On December 25th, 1984
The first link in our list of interesting facts about Robert Pattinson is that he was born on December 25th, 1984, in England. According to Perez Hilton, a blogger who frequently breaks celebrity news, this is because Pattinson’s parents wanted to have their ‘babies’ baptized on Christmas Day, and the rest is history.
Hilton reported in March 2014 that Pattinson’s mother, Kim, wanted to keep the actress’ birth a secret because she wasn’t quite sure whether or not she would be able to cope with the paparazzi. During an appearance on “The Graham Norton Show” in 2013, Pattinson stated that he was born in London and added that he hadn’t even seen snow until he was 14 years old.
Even though he was born and raised in England, the actor has described himself as an “outsider” and stated that he doesn’t feel like he truly belongs in Hollywood. He often signs autographs at English rugby matches “in an effort to make England proud,” he told Perez Hilton in 2014.
2. He Was Named After A Great-Grandfather
According to British newspaper Metro, Pattinson’s great-grandfather was the surgeon and pioneering plastic surgeon Sir Harold Gillies. Sir Harold is known for performing the first plastic surgery to repair a nose and gave the baby boy his last name. Sir Harold died in 1987, and Kim named her son after him.
This is also the same family that gave us King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. So, it appears that Pattinson is a member of the Royal Family. In 2014, he stated that he didn’t know what to say about this because he doesn’t feel like he deserves to be in this position, but added that he’s honored to be named after someone who saved so many people’s lives.
3. He Was Given An Unusual Middle Name
Pattinson was also given an unusual middle name that seems to be a play on words: Arthur. Arthur Curlie, Duke of Connaught, was the name of Queen Victoria’s fifth child and the grandfather of Queen Elizabeth. When Edward married his second wife, Sophie, in 2015, she became Countess of Wessex and took the last name Curlie.
In the past, Arthur Curlie has been rumored to be the model for Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson in “Sherlock Holmes” and “A Study In Scarlet.” So, perhaps Pattinson was named after a famous detective or a doctor who helped to solve crimes.
4. He Was Almost Named Bradley
According to Metro, another name that was considered for the “Twilight” star was Bradley. While on the “Norton Show,” Pattinson stated that he wasn’t sure whether or not he would like to be named Bradley because he feels like he doesn’t really fit the bill. However, his given name, Robert, seems to suit him perfectly.
Pattinson had originally wanted to be named Brandon but changed his mind. According to Metro, the reason for this was because a friend told him that Brandon was the most popular name in England among people named Brandon, and he didn’t want to hurt his chances of being picked for a hockey team.
5. He Went To An Exclusive Private School
Pattinson also attended a private school in England, where he spent his time learning about “politics, history, and English literature.” While at the exclusive Dragon School in Oxford, he became a prefect and was later promoted to senior student. He also attended another school in London before enrolling at Oxford University, where he studied English literature.
Pattinson also stated that he would like to study directing or producing in the future. He has stated that he doesn’t mind doing what he’s told to do by film directors, as long as he learns something from the process. He also admires the work of David O. Russell, whom he called “one of the most talented filmmakers alive.”
6. His Mother Is A Writer
Kim, the actor’s mother, was also a writer who wrote several short stories and essays for children. She wrote under the pen name Katherine P. Aschenbrenner. After Kim and Edward met at a party in 2007, the couple began corresponding and eventually fell in love. They got engaged on New Year’s Eve 2008 and were married two years later in 2010. At the time of their wedding, Kim was working on her first children’s book, “The Lost Prince.”
While attending Oxford, one of Kim’s favorite activities was to walk her son to school every morning. She would also buy him his lunch every day, which he enjoyed, as a way of connecting with him during the school week. This probably helped spark the ‘robertson’ nickname that he goes by and is often teased about. According to Metro, some students at Oxford have nicknamed the young star ‘Bob.’
After finishing his schooling, Pattinson traveled to Italy to shoot some scenes for the new film “The Lost City of Z,” based on the bestselling book by Zoë Brock. While in Italy, he stayed in a rented villa with his wife and used the downtime to work on his acting projects. The couple’s first official engagement was announced in October 2015 and was followed by a wedding in London a month later. Since then, they have been busy adding to their family with children due in April 2019 and January 2021.
7. He Was A Part Of A Popular Twitter Campaign
While on the “Norton Show,” a Twitter user asked Pattinson if he had ever tweeted, and he responded “Mate, I’ve tweeted longer than you’ve been alive.” The user followed up by inquiring as to whether or not he would give them some exclusive Twitter insight into his life, and Pattinson happily obliged.
He began by telling the Twitter user that he had been a big fan of his work since he was a little kid and that he had recently been in touch with him because he had heard that he was interested in pursuing acting as a career. As a result, he and the user began a correspondence that eventually turned into a friendship. The two would later work together on the upcoming film “Darling.”
Pattinson then went on to tell the user that he thought he was great and that he enjoyed reading Twitter accounts with dogs on them, because they made him laugh.
8. He And His Wife Have A Vast Collecting Hobby
As previously mentioned, Edward and Sophie married in 2015 and have since been busy adding to their family. The couple’s hobby is collecting vintage fashion. While in Italy last year for the premiere of “The Lost City of Z,” they bought several pieces of vintage clothing that they brought back with them and have put a lot of effort into styling and photographing for their social media accounts.
In October 2017, Edward and Sophie went on a buying trip to Milan and bought a number of vintage dresses and accessories for between $12,000 and $16,000. The collection includes many items from the ‘20s and ‘30s with a vintage store owner noting that the couple “bought a lot and really wanted to style.”