In 2015, Robert Pattinson had a cinematic rebirth, starring as the lead in four films alongside Hollywood heavyweights like Michael Fassbender and Christian Bale. Having spent much of the previous year recovering from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident, Pattinson’s cinematic comeback was a triumph, and he went on to score another hit with the critical and commercial hit The Lobster. The film, starring Matt Damon, was a bleak satire about dating in the future where single men live in communal groups called ‘lobsters,’ and are chosen by women to mate with and procreate with for the next five years. The Lobster was both a critical and commercial success, grossing over $100 million worldwide and receiving numerous awards from film festivals and publications. In addition to his critical and commercial success, the actor was also named Festival Prince at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and won two Saturn Awards at the Rome International Film Festival (RIFF). With The Lobster, the international phenomenon that was Robert Pattinson was born.
Movies
Pattinson has been an active film lover since childhood, frequently describing himself as “a movie addict.” The London-born actor has spoken openly about his love for both the silent films of Griffith Pattinson and the English masterpiece The Godfather. His favorite films range from silent comedies to tense blockbusters and include notable films such as The Godfather, the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, and The Departed, which he called “one of the greatest films of all time.”
Albums
Not only does Robert Pattinson adore movies and enjoy discussing the industry, but he also has a deep love for music. The actor was raised on the sounds of the British band the Fab Four and has cited the American rock group the Rolls Royces as one of his biggest influences. Even before his acting career, Pattinson was active in the music scene, writing songs and performing with bands like the Savage Squids. He also produced and engineered several of his own albums, including the 2017 self-titled album Robert Pattinson. The London Olympics were a huge part of Pattinson’s year and a testament to his devotion to his sports favorites. In fact, most of the songs on the album were written during his time in London. The actor spent a significant amount of time during the year working on his third studio album, which he again produced and engineered himself. The songwriting and production on the sister album, High Life, was a group effort with Pattinson collaborating with music producer and songwriter Benjamin Reisberg, musicians Jack DeJohnette and Joe Savage, and mixer Michael Krumholz.
Books
While Robert Pattinson’s cinematic rebirth was largely focused on film, he was active on the book front as well, writing or co-writing fourteen novels and making them into a film series. The book series is called The Gothic (Otter Books), and is based on themes from his novels, including sexuality, death, and the English countryside. For example, the first book in the series, Black Winter, stars Pattinson’s character George Otter, a Sherlock Holmes type detecting a serial killer amongst a group of his friends. The series has also been recognized by the British Book Council as a series that promotes standards in storytelling and encourages readers to think for themselves.
Critical Thinking
In addition to his acting and music career, Robert Pattinson is also an advocate for critical thinking. The actor has spoken out against fear mongering and fake news, and has encouraged people to question what they see and hear. In a previous interview with Vogue, Pattinson said, “I think it’s important for people to be able to question what they see and hear, because a lot of what is out there is misinformation, or at the very least, misleading. It’s important that people are able to recognize that and call it out when they see it … It’s important that we’re able to question what we see and hear, because that’s the only way that we’re able to learn.”