Robert Pattinson is one of the biggest movie stars in the world, having graced the big-screen for years with his breathtaking looks and charm. The English actor is best known for portraying the vampire Edward Cullen in the blockbuster Twilight series, which earned him a devoted fan base and a hefty bank account – not to mention the $50 million-plus per picture he’s made for Hollywood. But aside from his day-to-night work in front of the camera, it seems the 32-year-old’s life is just as busy off-screen as it is on.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about Pattinson is that he’s managed to keep so many of his famous friendships over the years. The British actor has been very open about his past drug addiction and the many people he’s been close to while suffering from the disorder, which has helped him maintain a healthy lifestyle and kept him grounded.
Pattinson is currently traveling the world with his equally famous musician girlfriend, Kristen Stewart, who is also his costar in the Twilight movies. While the on-again, off-again couple are on a romantic hike in Wales, U.K., their fans gathered in huge numbers to catch a glimpse of their affection. Although Stewart sports a diamond-studded bandANA watch necklace, it’s clear the two are inseparable even during their time apart – a symbol of their enduring love and devotion to one another.
The Dark Times
Pattinson’s descent into darkness began when he was just 15 years old. The future starlet was discovered by an American music promoter while filming a movie in London, and he was soon snapped up by a modeling agency. It wasn’t long before he was modeling for teen magazines and appearing on chat shows, helping to promote Britain’s biggest fashion brands.
When the time came for him to step into the limelight, Pattinson was ready. After landing a role in Richard Curtis’s romantic comedy Never Been Kissed, the young actor was propelled to fame. He then went on to appear in films such as Vanity Fair, Sexy Secrets, and the adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It was during this time that he gained a reputation for his acting and style – a mixture of sharp wit and good looks that has only enhanced over the years.
After appearing in two films by director Stephen Frears, Pattinson declared he wanted to explore other areas of drama and took on a role in the controversial Oscar-winning film The King’s Speech. Other notable films include the psychological horror film Oculus, the legal drama In The Name of the Father, the thriller Killing, which he also co-wrote, and the upcoming Pattinson-starring film Snow White and the Huntsman. He’s also set to star in the highly-anticipated Warcraft movie, based on the cult game of the same name.
An Addiction That Endured
Not one to shy away from attention, Pattinson has spoken openly about his drug addiction, expressing his desire to be known for his acting rather than his past struggles. The starlet admitted in an interview with Attitude magazine in 2015 that he was first introduced to the drug during his teens and early 20s, when he would regularly visit Amsterdam and London to meet up with his friends. While he initially tried a range of drugs, including ecstasy, LSD, and ketamine, it was cocaine that he eventually fell into a deep love with. While cocaine is considered a less harmful drug than other narcotics, it still has the potential to be highly addictive.
Pattinson’s love affair with the drug started soon after he began using it in large quantities. The actor would later tell GQ magazine that he felt “like a rat in a maze” when he began incorporating cocaine into his daily routine and needed the drug to “stay awake” during the filming of some of his more demanding scenes. The habit eventually took hold and he found himself needing more and more to feel the same adrenaline rush. He told the magazine that by the time he was 30, his daily cocaine intake had shot up from a couple of snorts to several grams. He’s since then sworn off the drug, saying he believes it has held him back as an actor. “Since I’ve been clean, I don’t think about it as much,” he told Hello! magazine in 2016. “I try and stay away from it as much as possible. I like to focus on the things that I can control, like my workout routine and eating well. That’s all I can do. There’s no point wasting your time thinking about things you can’t change.”
Friendships From The Past
Along with his personal life coach and close friend David Benioff, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe author and screenwriter Curtis told Vogue that Pattinson is “a very, very bright kid” who is driven by “raw talent and instinct.” He added that it had “taken a while” for the actor to find his feet in Hollywood, but predicted that once he did, “he will go far.”
While some may still wonder if Pattinson’s knack for drawing crowds will translate into large box-office hits, his dedicated following and long-standing friendships with some of Hollywood’s biggest names should assure him that he’s made the right choice. The talented star appears to have taken his sweet time finding the woman of his dreams and in October 2018, he finally revealed that he had proposed to his girlfriend, Kristen Stewart, after months of dating. The couple became engaged in New York City in a gorgeous wedding that was attended by close family and friends. In a statement released by the couple, they pledged to “love, honor and cherish each other” and urged their fans to “stand with them as they embark on this exciting new chapter in their lives.”
The Twilight saga may have come to an end with the release of the final movie in the series, Twilight Saga: The Descendants, but the actor’s charm will likely ensure that his fame does not fade away. In the years to come, fans may see more of Pattinson on-screen than ever before.