LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor Robert Pattinson has won the 2016 “Cosmopolitan” Sexiest Man Alive Award.
The 25-year-old actor won the award Friday night at the annual “Cosmo Fest,” a science fiction and fantasy convention in Las Vegas. He beat out 100 other men for the title.
The “Sherlock Holmes” star also took home the coveted award for Best Sci-Fi Actor last year for his portrayal of the famous detective in the BBC TV series. In 2015, he won a British Academy of Film and Television Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of young Sherlock Holmes in the new CBS TV film “The Return of Sherlock Holmes.”
Pattinson is among the most recognizable faces in Hollywood today, thanks to his roles in the latest “Twilight” film and its prequel, as well as the 2014 “Darling” film. He’ll next star in the much-awaited “Twilight” follow-up, “Eclipse,” which premieres in theaters around the world on May 30.
This year’s “Cosmo Fest”, which bills itself as the “Greatest Convention of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Fans,” is the culmination of many months of preparation by its organizers.
“It’s been an exhausting six months of nonstop planning and coordination, and I think we managed to pull off a convention that’s going to be remembered for a long time,” said Michael DeMark, one of the organizers of “Cosmo Fest”. “The level of talent that came together to make this convention possible is incredible.”
DeMark and his partner, Karen Hart, along with co-organizer Rishi Kapera, are all doctors who work in medical sales. In addition to running the convention, they also have a marketing company whose clients include pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies. The goal was to create an event that would appeal to all three of their audiences — the medical, the pharmaceutical and the fantasy fans — and they certainly succeeded. Attendance was up by about 10% this year compared to 2015, according to Hart.
The organizers worked with the event’s headlining sponsor, Life RX, a reproductive health clinic in New York City. They also got a head start by using the services of Hypnotic Mind Technologies, a marketing and digital strategy company that specializes in the life science and medical device industries. (Life RX declined to comment for this article.)
The organizers tapped Into New York City’s vibrant nightlife by holding the awards ceremony at the trendy Electric Room nightclub and restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. And they made sure there were plenty of celebrities in attendance, including the actor’s “Darling” co-star Amandla Stenberg, who was also nominated for an Oscar this year for her performance in that movie.
For fans of Sherlock Holmes, the organizers put together an exhibition dedicated to the great detective, which has been a long time in the making. The Holmes display features original costumes and weapons, as well as life-sized mannequins of the famous detective and his clients. There are also life-like dummies dressed in period costumes, which are programmed to talk and even solve crimes.
This year’s “Cosmo Fest” was a great success, and it’s already being touted as one of the biggest and best anime conventions ever held in the U.S. Organizers say they had over 300 exhibitors this year, and that the convention attracted over 7,500 people, including both fans and well-known celebrities.
Robert Pattinson’s Evolution As An Actor
Pattinson began his acting career at the age of four and steadily rose through the ranks. He starred in his first movie at the age of 11 and appeared in his first episode of “Doctor Who” at the age of 13. These days, he mostly plays bad boys and loves to shock fans with his new personalities.
In addition to receiving critical acclaim for his roles in “Darling” and “Twilight,” Pattinson made waves earlier this year when he dropped the “Jr.” from his name and began using “Pattinson” alone.
This is a far cry from the child actor who landed his first role at 4 years old, playing the brother of Cary Grant’s character in “Notorious”. As a young boy, he starred in Disney’s “Maid Marian” and “Pete’s Dragon” and appeared on the covers of magazines like “Moviefone” and “TV Guide”.
His transformation from innocent child-actor to mature adult comes with a name change. He previously went by the name “Robert” and was previously best known as “Robert Dawson” in England (where he lives). In addition to his parents, he is the son of David and Miranda Pattinson. In the U.K., he’s famously dated actors Emma Watson and Freida Pinto, and singers Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney. Pattinson is also the stepson of Elizabeth Taylor and the grandson of Elizabeth Taylor’s first husband, Conrad Hilton.
How Has His Personal Life Evolved?
In light of his many successes, it’s not surprising that Pattinson has evolved into one of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors. He’s dated famous faces like Beckham and McCartney, as well as had memorable relationships with Taylor and Stenberg. In fact, it was his work on “Darling” that first brought him to the attention of Hollywood, with director Stephen Frears saying that the film changed his opinion of the actor. “I’ve always had a soft spot for younger men. This one is beyond talented and delightful,” he said in a statement. “He’s been a great disappointment to me. I had high hopes for this one.”
Pattinson also opened up about his personal life for the first time in years, telling British GQ in 2015 that he finally felt comfortable enough to be “a bit more open” about his love life. “I think people were starting to see me as a more mature individual and not such a kid,” he said. “So I think that freed me up to be a bit more open.”
A year earlier, he told Entertainment Weekly that the fame and fortune heaped upon him as “Robert Pattinson” had made him “more comfortable in my own skin.”
What Does The Future Hold For Robert Pattinson?
Pattinson has built a life for himself in Hollywood, and it’s a fortunate life. He’s managed to avoid many of the pitfalls that often befall an aspiring celebrity, having made a conscious decision to steer clear of drugs and alcohol. In addition, he’s used his fame and connections to land supporting roles in major motion pictures.
He will soon be seen in the eagerly anticipated “Eclipse” alongside Kristen Stewart and Jessica Chastain, followed by the third “Twilight” film, “The Wedding”, and the Coen brothers’ upcoming film “The Nice Guys”. In addition, he has a role in the upcoming Netflix series “The Defenders” and recently wrapped filming on the indie romantic comedy “The Mountain Between Us” with Grace Kelly. (Netflix did not respond to an interview request for this article.)
In 2018, Pattinson will star in the big-budgeted film “High Life” alongside Kristen Stewart and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The actor is also attached to star in and produce “The King’s Wife”, an upcoming adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas novel about a peasant woman who becomes the king’s wife. The French author’s great-grandson, Armand Dumas, will write and direct the film.
The “Cosmo Fest” Sexiest Man Alive Award is just one of the numerous accolades that Pattinson has earned over the years. He’s previously won the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor — Half-Human (twice), the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for his role in “Darling”, and the BAFTA Rising Star Award. (BAFTA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)