Most of us were caught off guard by the sudden and somewhat unexpected passing of Robert Pattinson earlier this year. Although many of us knew him as the dark and brooding romantic lead in the wildly popular Twilight series, we will miss his luminous smile and piercing stare.
The actor’s death, at the age of just 28, has left a gaping void in the entertainment industry as we know it. Not only was he an international superstar whose films brought in significant global revenue, but he was also an astute business mind with a keen eye for marketing and a firm grasp on media. Just a few short years ago, he took the world by storm as the lead in Twilight, the New Moon and the upcoming Hobbit trilogies. Although he will be sorely missed by his legion of adoring fans, let’s take a moment to celebrate his life and work.
The Business Genius
The film industry is a fiercely competitive and ever-evolving world, and Robert Pattinson never shied away from the fact that he was a movie star. In fact, he embraced his famous status wholeheartedly and set about leveraging his newfound celebrity for the benefit of his career. In 2012, the actor was ranked the 8th most powerful celebrity in the world by Forbes Magazine, and he achieved this ranking largely on the back of his unprecedented commercial success.
From the outset, it was clear that Robert Pattinson was a man determined to make the most of his celebrity. After all, fame comes with perks, and one of the greatest perks is the ability to work your way into the heart of any Hollywood producer. With a mixture of charm and guile that belied his young age, the English actor convinced the executive producer of the Hunger Games series to cast him in the lead role of District 12’s main protagonist, and he went on to appear in three of the four films in the lucrative series. All told, the Twilight actor cashed in with over $13 million in earnings alone from his tie-in work with the Hunger Games franchise.
Robert Pattinson’s unique brand of cool, calculated insanity made him a Hollywood star, and it’s often hailed as one of the greatest marketing ploys of all time. The fact that he was able to convince the producers of the Hunger Games series to cast him in the lead role, ahead of franchise veterans and experienced Asian actors, speaks volumes about the actor’s magnetic charisma and Hollywood savvy. The producers of the Hunger Games series must have seen something special in Robert Pattinson that made him stand out among the thousands of applicants who auditioned for the role of Katniss Everdeen’s love interest. He understood the value that brands and products can have in today’s media-saturated world, and he used this understanding to maximum effect in his professional life. This is a man who knew how to build an audience and keep them addicted to his charms. If you think that your Instagram account is going to bring you success in today’s world of advertising, then you can follow Robert Pattinson’s lead.
The Astute Media Manager
As well as being an accomplished actor, singer and business owner, Robert Pattinson was also a savvy media manager with an eye for promoting his films. From the outset of his career, he understood the importance of building a strong social media following, and this served him well as he went on to become one of the most followed stars on Twitter. Indeed, as of September 2017, his 4.9 million followers were able to witness his deft touch as he promoted the new movie Days of Future Past through a combination of sweet tweets and savvy retweets. He also used his considerable reach to draw attention to the films and campaigns of other up-and-coming filmmakers. He frequently used his Twitter account to highlight talented and aspiring young filmmakers, and this led to the development of his annual Young Filmmakers competition.
In order to bring his projects to the big screen, Robert Pattinson turned to his agent and longtime friend Georges Arnaud. The French-born media agent represents a host of big-name clients in the movie industry, and he has negotiated some phenomenally successful licensing deals on behalf of his clients. One of the best-known of these deals was the Mie Mie chocolate mini van that was driven around by Edward Cullen in Twilight. The agent helped his client Robert Pattinson secure the best possible deal for the use of this iconic vehicle in assorted markets around the world, and this culminated in the Dutch Van Gogh Chocolate mini van that the actor and his friends regularly drove around during the filming of Midnight Sun. The agent also negotiated a lucrative deal that made the entire cast and crew of the Hunger Games movie able to eat their own words for the duration of the filming process.
With so much going on in Hollywood, it’s important to have an agent who is completely committed to your career in this ever-changing world. Robert Pattinson’s agent Georges Arnaud is a truly formidable figure in today’s entertainment industry. Not only does he represent some of Hollywood’s biggest names, he also has a proven track record of securing lucrative licensing deals that benefit his clients.
The World Tour
One of the best things that Robert Pattinson did for his career was take advantage of his newfound stardom to embark on a world tour. The actor and his business partner James Dewhurst secured the services of a world-class luxury bus company to take them around the globe in relative comfort. One of the greatest luxuries that the on-the-road-with-your-bus-stopping-off-for-lunch act can experience is a dedicated driver who knows the way to the most magnificent shopping malls and tourist attractions. With a team of professional bus drivers at their beck and call, Robert Pattinson and company can stop off at will to fuel up on artisanal popcorn and to catch a matinee before continuing on to the next destination. This tour was a fantastic opportunity for the actor to connect with his audience and to bring his films and brand to places that they would never have dreamt of visiting. From Australia to South America, from Europe to Asia, the world tour helped to elevate the profile of the Twilight series and to introduce his fans to new cultures and cuisines.
With so much talent, charm and savvy, it’s probably no surprise that Robert Pattinson made such an impression on those who knew and loved him. Like many famous and talented individuals, the actor was no stranger to controversy. In the 2010s, he courted a certain amount of tabloid headlines as he struggled with his personal life. The fact that he refused to hide from the paparazzi as privacy was seemingly non-existent in the 21st century undoubtedly helped to fuel this controversy. Whether he was filmed in a compromising position with his ex-girlfriend, Rosie, or emerging from a car with another woman, it didn’t seem to matter much to his legion of fans. They just wanted to see more.
Although he will be missed by his millions of fans all over the world, we can take some comfort in knowing that he achieved so much in such a relatively short life. Not only did he secure a starring role in one of the most popular film franchises of all time, but he also played a pivotal role in helping to found and to grow one of the most successful independent production companies of all time. The industry will definitely be adjusting to a void created by his departure, but it’s also a world that will be enriched by his unforgettable contribution. We can take great pride in knowing that this genius is no longer with us, but his remarkable story lives on for those who knew and loved him.