While most of the world was distracted by Donald Trump’s shenanigans in the United States and political unrest in various parts of the world, actor and musician Robert Pattinson was busy being a dad. On December 16, 2018, Pattinson and his wife, Vanessa, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Amelie. And what a beautiful baby she is!
Vanessa gave birth at a local London hospital to a 5.9-pound baby — weighing in under the average — with blue eyes and hair. According to Amelie’s pediatrician, she’s already displayed quite a bit of her parents’ eccentricities: She rolls around in her sleep, coos and giggles, and has yet to settle down for a bottle. (Vanessa, however, adores her baby and is able to provide a stable home environment.)
So far, Amelie’s Instagram posts are a treasure trove of baby snapshots, and it’s not hard to see why the actress and singer has so many followers. Her feed is filled with sweet images of her cuddling with her newborn daughter and adorable family moments. If you’re a fan of the Twilight Saga or just want to see more pictures of an adorable baby, then Amelie’s Instagram is a must-follow.
The couple’s decision to become parents was a quiet one — something of a private family affair — and they kept the news under wraps for as long as possible. Finally, in an interview with Elle, Pattinson revealed that he had been quietly trying to have a baby for some time now.
“I’d always wanted to have a child. Since my wife and I got together, it’s always been a major part of our relationship. As a parent, I can’t imagine anything more important than giving my daughter a good start in life,” he said. “It was the most natural thing in the world for me to want to be a dad.”
As for how he’ll introduce his daughter to the world, Pattinson said, “I’m going to have to take some of her grandparents’ genes for that. In my family, we don’t say much, but we’re a bit of a chatterbox. We’ll have to see how that comes out.”
And what a relief it must be for Pattinson, who’s been in the public eye since he was 15 years old and became a household name after appearing in the Twilight saga, to have this new responsibility. “I’ve always been very private, and this is completely different. I’m going to have to learn to be more open. In a way, it’s more scary to have this child than it is exciting,” he said. “I’m terrified of screwing up. But I’m also really excited to show her the world and the people I love.”
While Donald Trump’s America First policies may not apply to him personally, the 45th president’s brand of nationalism is a theme that recurs throughout the Twilight Saga. In fact, the first two films, New Moon and Eclipse, are set in the United Kingdom and feature a prominent British actress (Emma) as a key villain. (In one scene, she even grabs a gun and threatens to shoot a rival (played by Robert Pattinson).)
As for why the films are set in the U.K., the answer is quite simple: The makers of the Twilight Saga, David and Louise Turpin, decided to set the films in the U.K. because it was the most convenient place for them to shoot. (They could have shot in Canada, but the U.K. is a bit warmer, and that’s what the characters — including Bella — prefer.)
While you may not have heard of the Turpins, you’re surely familiar with their work. David and Louise are both graduates of the London School of Economics and have a combined production budget of more than $100 million. The couple’s other productions include the successful mini-series The House of Gucci and the historical epic, Cromwell. (They are also big movie fans, and David Turpin even wrote the foreword for a Harry Potter novel.)
So, what is it about the Twilight Saga that continues to attract such a following? The films center on the battle of the sexes and the eternal struggle for power between man and woman. The world of the Twilight — and the books that inspired it — are basically a fairy tale, with beautiful princes, castles, and lots of magical creatures. Naturally, this is appealing to millennials, who were raised on fairy tales and whose favorite television shows and films focus on these topics as well.
But even if you’ve never read a novel by Stephenie Meyer, you’ve almost certainly heard of her. The author of the Twilight Saga is a household name, and for good reason. Since 2007, Meyer’s books have sold more than 450 million copies around the world (making them the best-selling fiction series of all time), and they’ve been translated into more than 40 different languages. (The most recent addition to the series is Breaking Bad’s official prequel, Dark, which arrived last month.)
Meyer’s success stems from her ability to write captivating stories about troubled teens struggling with addiction and depression. According to the author’s publicist, her books are a “fixture of teen angst, drama, and romance,” and that seems to be the style and subject matter of much of what we see today. (Meyer even admitted in a recent interview that she was “obsessed” with vampires at the time she started writing about them. Perhaps that explains the abundance of sparkly bloodsuckers in her books.)
As for why these stories are so appealing to young women, it’s probably because of the genre. Most of the books and films in the Twilight series feature (or are set in) a world that is almost entirely devoid of men. Sure, there are some prominent and powerful men in these stories (like Lord Cullen, the series’ main antagonist), but they’re more interested in keeping women as weak and submissive as possible. So if you’re a young woman looking for an escape from the everyday mundanity of life, then you may find what you’re looking for in the Twilight saga.
Why Is ‘Kylie’ So Popular?
Another trend that emerged last year was the “Kylie” craze. Celebrities, including Amber Rose, Megan Jayne Crabbe, and Hannah Hart, started using this short form of the name, which is an abbreviation for “Kylie Jenner.” (You’ll often see these celebs followed by “-ie” as a way of showing affection.)
What is it about the Kardashians, the famous American family dynasty featured on the E! television network and its various spinoffs, that makes their fans so dedicated? Perhaps it’s because of the family’s blend of glamour and scandal. The Kardashians are known for their beauty treatments and diet regimens, as well as their fashion evolution. Many of their fans want to be just like them, and that desire is enough to keep them engaged.
In the case of the Jenner clan, their fame first emerged as a result of their daughter’s appearance on the hit reality television show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. At the time, Kourtney Kardashian was seven months pregnant with daughter Kylie, and she had become frustrated with the way that television depicts expectant mothers. So, she decided to document the changes that pregnancy brings on her own body in the hope that it would encourage other pregnant women to do the same. (The family’s blog, kimkardashian.com, was launched as a result of this initiative.)
Even before the Kardashians were famous, their friends and family were already well-known for their conspicuous consumption and love of luxury goods. For example, the family matriarch, Kris Jenner, owns a luxury goods store, and members of the extended clan are known to have expensive taste in designer gear. (Amber Rose’s recent purchase of a $250,000 Mercedes-Benz will likely become the subject of another blog post.)
As for why fans of the Twilight Saga and the Kardashians seem to have a thing for redheads, it may have something to do with the fact that both celebs are associated with “the fairer sex.” Redheads are often perceived as “difficult” and “vain,” and that’s reason enough for some fans to want to emulate this “bad boy” appearance. What’s more, both groups are often found hanging out at nightclubs and partying, which are other staples of the millennial lifestyle. (Even Paris Hilton, one of the show’s oldest fans, is part of a subculture that embraces this fashion trend. Since 2004, Hilton’s fashion line has sold more than 10 million pieces of clothing around the world.)