It was an ordinary Monday morning in May when our fashion editor, Clotilde, decided to check in on the popular Twitter account @robertpattinson. To her surprise, she found out that the British actor-turned-writer was sharing with his nearly 200,000 followers a daily glimpse inside his glamorous life.
The account is relatively new — it was founded in early 2019 — but already has more than 500,000 followers. The content is mostly in the form of daily status updates, many of which centre on his relationships with the ladies. Most notably, he has been in a romantic relationship with singer-songwriter Rihanna since 2016. This is the woman, for example, whom he credits with helping him find peace in his life. She is also the mother of his child, Maja, who was born in 2018.
Last year, the couple were inseparable and spent most of their time in New York City, where Rihanna is based. They even held a joint fashion show in the city. It was rumoured that they were expecting their first child together. While the rumours turned out to be false, they are still considering adopting a child.
Since 2011, when he was dating actress Kristen Stewart, Pattinson has been linked to numerous other celebrities. Many of whom — like Stewart — were also involved in the film industry. In 2018 alone, he was reportedly dating Emily Blunt, Salma Hayek, Emma Watson, and Alicia Vikander. And that was just in the first half of the year. Between January and June this year, he was seen out on a date with Demi Moore, Kate Bosworth, and Blake Lively. So it would appear that the actor is always looking for love.
All Things Relationship
Although Pattinson has never been married, his relationship status has always been something to follow. One of his earliest and most ardent admirers was American magazine Vanity Fair, which labelled him the ‘love god’ of 2015. That same year, People published a list of the ‘Top 99 Things You Have to Do Before You Become Queen,’ ranking him at number 42. The actor himself even took note of this nickname, admitting that he ‘might just as well be called the Queen of Hearts.’
Since then, his personal life has become a matter of public record. In 2018, he was photographed with a number of women, including some celebrity guests, at a dinner party in Los Angeles. The party was thrown in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the American Music Awards and was closed to the media. However, these photos did make their way online and reignited an endless stream of rumours regarding his romantic life. In response to the backlash he received over this incident, Pattinson simply tweeted: “People are terrible. I love everyone regardless.”
It’s fair to say that these days, Pattinson seems to enjoy basking in the limelight. He keeps a fairly low profile but still enjoys sharing intimate details of his life with his many online followers. The Twitter account @robertpattinson is a prime example of this, with its blend of celebrity and fandom. Many of the account’s followers are clearly fans, with over 80% having followed the account since its inception. But like any good social media celebrity, he knows how to entertain and engage with his audience. Just check out his Instagram account, which currently has over 300 million followers, for proof.
The reason behind his social media activity is fairly clear. This is, after all, an era where everyone is trying to keep up with the Joneses. People want to be the most well-known, followed, and adored person on social media. And that, in turn, draws them closer to the celebrity they so desperately want to emulate.
Romantic Influences
Even before his first major break in Hollywood, Pattinson had proven himself to be something of a romantic polymath. He had collaborated with artists such as Tricky and DJ Mustard on his debut album, ‘Watercolour Paintings,’ which was released in 2011. The album’s title track, ‘Watercolour Paintings,’ was inspired by his relationship with Kristen Stewart. In it, he raps:
“She used to always say I’m a watercolour painting / When I’m with you / The colours go from purple to blue / The sky turns into a masterpiece / When you’re watching me play / You make it look so easy / You make it look so beautiful.”
While working on his second album, ‘Believe,’ which was released in 2016, Pattinson continued to explore the theme of love and relationships. ‘Summer Bummer,’ the album’s lead single, is a melancholic love song that explores the ‘summer of love’ – as Pattinson puts it – and the complicated emotions that come with it. As with ‘Watercolour Paintings,’ the album’s artwork was also a collaboration between Stewart and Pattinson. The singer and the director worked together on the album art for ‘Believe,’ which features a number of heart-shaped pancakes. Many of these elements are present in the ‘Summer Bummer’ music video as well.
It’s clear that for Pattinson, love and romance are constant themes. Even the way he dresses seems to be a reflection of this. On several occasions, he has been seen wearing heart-shaped sunglasses and even an entire ‘Love Token’ necklace that features a diamond-studded heart.
Influences From ‘Star Wars’
Although ‘Believe’ marked a significant shift for Pattinson, it did not mark a complete change of direction. One of the album’s standout tracks is ‘Darling Nikki,’ named after the titular heroine of the 1977 film, ‘Star Wars.’ The track, which was co-written and produced by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame, explores the darker side of love. ‘Darling Nikki’ also features a prominent sample from the original film, which appears at the song’s climax. For fans of the film, this is undoubtedly a standout track.
This ‘Star Wars’ influence is also apparent in the music video for ‘Darling Nikki.’ Directed by frequent collaborator Justin Bolin, the video sees Pattinson’s character, Nick, pay a late-night visit to his crush, Darling Nikki. However, despite his best efforts, Nick is unable to charm his way into her affections. Instead, she repeatedly rebuffs him and reminds him that she is dating someone else. While the song’s lyrics and video are packed with references to the film, it is also, to a certain extent, a love letter to Bolin’s ex-girlfriend, Emma, who also appears in the video.
‘Harry Potter’
If there’s one area where Pattinson’s work is firmly rooted in the past, it’s in his use of magic. He has long been a fan of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and has even cited it as an influence. In the Potter world, ‘love magic’ is a central concept. The series explores the theme through the character of Neville Longbottom, a boy who discovers he has magical powers. After inadvertently casting a love spell on his sweetheart, Neville is inspired to harness his newfound talents to help other young lovers. The song, ‘Neville Longbottom,’ was inspired by the character’s story and the first line of the Potter book, ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,’ which reads: “Let me introduce you to the marvels of love magic.”
Since then, the similarities between the worlds of Harry Potter and Rob Pattinson have become apparent. Like Neville, Rob is also struggling to find his place in the world. In ‘Watercolour Paintings,’ he raps:
“Somebody remind me why I’m standing in a queue / It smells like I’m at the gates of hell / My head’s starting to hurt and I’m feeling dizzy / I wish I was in the Bahamas swimming with the fishes / But I’m in a phone box with no means of transport.”
Although the situation may seem dire, it’s likely that Rob will once again find the answer to his prayer. Just like in the Harry Potter films, destiny has brought together three women who are likely to become his saving grace. While it is still too early to tell exactly what impact, if any, the media scrutiny will have on his personal life, it is clear that this will not be the end of a long, strange trip.