It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything from Robert Pattinson. But it’s not because he’s been idle. Quite the opposite, in fact. He’s been keeping very busy with filming schedules, promotional events, and the inevitable photo shoots that come with being a movie star. And although this year has been rather uneventful in comparison, it hasn’t been without its share of stress. As one might imagine.
The Breakdown Of Filming ‘Cosmopolis’
A number of high profile projects have been announced, and subsequently fallen through, since Robert Pattinson agreed to join the cast of Cosmopolis. This month, we’re going to take a look back at some of those projects, and how they held the actor within their grasp, but ultimately slipped through his fingers. We’ll begin with The Great Gatsby.
The story goes that Jay Gatsby decided to add some razzle-dazzle to his already illustrious wardrobe when he came across the ‘ideal woman’. She was described as ‘glamorous yet subtle, a mixture of sophistication and youth’ and so Jay set about creating this perfect woman. The perfect woman turned out to be his muse, Naomi Watts, and it was this very project that served as the genesis of Cosmopolis. Indeed, the film’s original title was Gatsby: A Love Story.
Jay Gatsby is the nephew of the American millionaire, George Fitzgerald, who lived in one of the great mansions in Oak Park, Illinois. During the Great Depression, he made his fortune fabricating airplane engines, and eventually became a millionaire many times over. His family’s wealth was so great that they were initially reluctant to hand it over to the government, fearing that the confiscation process would be too painful. So, when the government came knocking, George simply said ‘yes’ in order to keep his estate. Hence, Jay Gatsby’s fabulous wardrobe.
Star Trek
While we’re on the subject of costumes, let’s not forget about Star Trek. The Star Trek television series first aired in 1966 and subsequently became one of the most popular and influential science fiction shows of all time. It was originally supposed to be a spin-off of The Original Series, focusing on the character of James T. Kirk, but the producers found themselves unable to find a suitable writer for the project. Gene Roddenberry was brought in to write a spec script, which he then developed into a full-blown television series. This was followed by three more seasons, and the short-lived animated series, Star Trek: The Animated Series. Roddenberry’s vision for Kirk was something new, and although many fans weren’t entirely happy about the new direction the show was taking, it was too late to turn back. After all, once you begin down this road, it’s very difficult to go back. Which is why Robert Pattinson was, for the most part, unable to complete filming on Star Trek, despite having agreed to do so. He’d committed to the role two years earlier, and although he made sporadic appearances in various Star Trek productions, he never fully developed into the character he was meant to play. This was a real pity, because he could have been an excellent Captain Kirk. It’s just that things didn’t work out as planned.
The Rover
We haven’t talked much about Robert Pattinson’s private life, but it’s important to remember that he’s not just a movie star. He’s also a single man who has, at various times, been in a committed relationship with film director, Richard Linklater, singer Miike Snow, and model Kate Moss. After all, it’s not as though he’s not been exposed to the press before. He’s been tabloid fodder ever since he made his acting debut in 2005’s Sweeney Todd, starring Johnny Depp. Since then, he’s been photographed on occasion with some of Hollywood’s most beautiful women (and a few of its most notorious celebrities as well).
Not all of these relationships panned out as happily as one might imagine. Most notably, his romance with the aforementioned Miike Snow ended after just two years. The two had been together since 2007, when they were both featured in ‘I Love You’, a song by Snow, on his album, ‘Sleeping Lessons’. The duo’s relationship reached the press in 2012, when Snow spoke candidly about the split in an interview with Vogue magazine. “We started working on the album, and as usual, we started talking about our past relationships and what we had been through. And then, Richard started relating to me about his ex-girlfriend, who was also very beautiful,” he said. “I guess we just connected on a level that none of our other relationships ever had. It was almost as though we were channeling some sort of cosmic energy or something. But it wasn’t based on any sort of reality. It was just us being together and being honest with each other.”
It’s been a rough three years for the singer, as he’s dealt with the emotional and physical aftermath of the split. And although he’s remained quiet about the matter, one can only imagine that it’s been difficult for him to move on. But then again, maybe not. He’s recently been spotted out and about with another woman, the actress Kate Winslet. And although it’s not yet been confirmed, things might just be moving back on track for Miike Snow. It’s only a matter of time before this beautiful duo are seen holding hands, or kissing, or something. Just like they did back in the day.
This was a particularly difficult time for Richard Linklater. He’d directed and co-written the 2006 movie, Rounders, which starred Matt Damon, and was a critical and commercial success, as well as earning him a 2007 Directors Guild of America Award. Just a few months later, he would direct and co-write the hugely successful Tinker Tailor, a movie based on the novel of the same name, by J.D. Salinger. The film would go on to win the 2014 Academy Award for Best Picture. After spending ten years in the wilderness, it was clear that the director needed a hit. Or, at least, something that lived up to the promise he showed in Rounders and Tinker Tailor.
The Weinstein Company
To round out this section, let’s not forget about The Weinstein Company. The Weinstein Company is an American media conglomerate, founded by film producers, Harvey and Bob Weinstein. In addition to their film production unit, they also own a number of other companies, such as IMAX, that generate revenue through the distribution of films and video-on-demand content.
It was in 2007 that Harvey Weinstein, along with Bob and their brother, Andrew, founded The Weinstein Company, with the stated goal of producing and distributing “film and television content that offers something new and different”. The company’s first major release was the romantic comedy, No Strings Attached, which starred Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman. The brothers’ attempt at a unique cinematic experience would go on to become a commercial and critical success, and would spawn a sequel, No Strings Attached 2, along with a brief but fulfilling television run, Ashton Kutcher’s Life Ahead of Him. Since then, The Weinstein Company has released a number of hit films, including The Great Gatsby, Django Unchained, and Killing Them Softly, with many expecting the company to finally break the Hollywood mold with the next installment of their ‘grand touring movie festival’.