Ever wonder how celebrity breakups work? How do two high-profile individuals, who are seemingly perfect for each other, end up apart? We examine the breakup of Hollywood star couple Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, as well as the factors that led up to it.
Who Is Robert Pattinson?
Hollywood’s golden-boy heartthrob is almost never not in the tabloids. But beyond his filmography and the numerous red-carpet appearances, the British actor and singer occupies a rather mysterious space in the public consciousness.
Born in London in 1984, the handsome Robert Pattinson grew up in a family of actors. His father, Andrew, is a theater and film director, and his mother, Eve, is an author and playwright. For a time, Robert attended the exclusive High School of Performing Arts in London. After finishing school, he headed to New York City, where he began studying acting at the Tisch School of the Arts. He then made his way to Los Angeles, where he briefly attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
How Did They Meet?
The story of how Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart met is almost as romantic as the ones they eventually told in the press. The two first met in 2007 while filming the indie movie, [The Twilight Saga: Eclipse](/the-twilight-saga-eclipse-cast-and-crew). It was during the making of that film that they started dating. However, their romance was kept secret from the public for almost a year.
Their engagement was announced in April 2009, and they were married on September 25 that same year. Since then, the couple have been constantly busy, with Pattinson appearing in high-profile films and campaigns, and Stewart starring in films and raising her young son, Stormi Webster.
Romantic Quotient 1: Is It Love At First Sight?
Before we begin evaluating the various aspects that made up the romance of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, it’s important to establish the basics: Was it love at first sight?
Many of their fans certainly believe it was. At the time of their engagement, Pattinson was 38 and Stewart was 29, which made them older than the typical Romeo and Juliet. But in the world of Hollywood romance, age is just a number.
According to the [New York Times Magazine](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/magazine/robert-pattinson-kristen-stewart-interview.html), when it comes to Hollywood romances, there is a type of older man preferred by younger women. This type of man is often described as a “gentle, old soul,” as the Times put it, and is known for his chivalrous romantic qualities. He usually possesses a more mature attitude and behaves with sophistication.
Andrew Scott, author of [The Science of Falling in Love](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221245.The_Science_of_Falling_In_Love), identifies [maturity](https://twitter.com/andrewscott/status/102767369933395520?s=20) and [sophistication](https://twitter.com/andrewscott/status/102767369933395520?s=20) as prominent characteristics of men that attract women toward their mid-career, when they are seeking a mature romantic partner.
Based on their body of work and their personal chemistry, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart seem like a perfect match. But behind every love story lies a tale of two individual journeys. And in the case of the fair isle and the Scottish actress, those journeys were ultimately derailed by a combination of external and internal factors.
Why Did They Break Up?
There were so many signs that pointed toward trouble. From the very beginning, there was the question of finances. At the peak of their romance, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart were reportedly earning tens of millions of dollars per annum. However, in the years since their blockbuster hit, the income inequality between the former lovers has widened considerably. In fact, in 2018, Stewart reportedly earned around £34,000, or $45,800, from her acting work alone, while Pattinson earned £24,000, or $32,300, for his work on stage and screen.
Beyond their professional lives, the relationship began to unravel from the inside. Stewart began to feel insecure and doubtful about her role as a mother. She had long been plagued by mental health issues, including [anxiety](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-science-of-falling-in-love/201402/how-does-one-deal-with-mental-illness-while-parenting) and [depression](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-science-of-falling-in-love/201402/how-does-one-deal-with-mental-illness-while-parenting). So, when her son, Stormi, was born in October 2014, she revealed that the arrival of his sibling had triggered a “tense period” of insecurity and depression.
In response, Pattinson took a more paternalistic approach, which ultimately led to the end of their marriage in July 2018. In an interview with [Vogue](https://www.vogue.com/culture/articles/2018-07-25/robert-pattinson-kristen-stewart-breakup), Stewart said the following about her marriage to the actor:
“After we had Stormi, it was a completely different life… The best thing that ever happened was having her, but it didn’t feel like it at the time. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through. It was terrible.”
“It was just a bad time. It was not what I wanted. I didn’t feel like myself. I felt very insecure, like something was wrong with me. I felt like I didn’t deserve to be a mother. I wasn’t the best at being a husband or a father either.”
The two officially called it quits in August 2018, and since then, they have focused on their individual journeys, with Stewart taking a more active role in parenting and Pattinson seeking professional help.
How Did They Begin Dating?
It’s important to remember that the story of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart is one of Hollywood’s most well-known romances. So it would be a shame to not acknowledge the fact that, before they broke up, they had already begun dating.
According to a 2014 interview with [The Sun](http://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/tv-news/article3440168/robert-pattinson-kristen-stewart-dating-split-revealed-news/), the couple first started seeing each other in 2007, while filming [The Twilight Saga: Eclipse](/the-twilight-saga-eclipse-cast-and-crew). However, it wasn’t until 2009, when their romance was made public, that they began dating officially.
In an interview with [The Sun](http://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/tv-news/article3440168/robert-pattinson-kristen-stewart-dating-split-revealed-news/), the actress opened up about their whirlwind romance, revealing that after meeting at a cast and crew dinner party, they began texting each other almost immediately. They then met up for drinks the following night, where they began dating officially. A few months later, Stewart proposed, and a year after that, the couple were married.
How Did They Keep Their Relationship A Secret?
After dating for a while, it was only a matter of time before Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart decided to keep their romance a secret. At the time, they were filming the indie movie, [Trust](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3998848/), which was expected to be released in late 2009. But for some reason, the film’s producer, [Leslie Urdang](https://twitter.com/learsurduang), kept the project’s existence a secret, even from the cast and crew.