With the recent success of his latest film, The Rover, it’s clear that Robert Pattinson is emerging as one of the most interesting and versatile of today’s young British stars.
As one of the most popular and highest-grossing actors of his generation, his versatility and popularity among movie-goers make him an ideal spokesperson for today’s youth culture.
Here, we’ll explore Pattinson’s personality and how he’s managed to build such a large following, especially amongst our Gen Z audience. And, since we’re fans of his work, we’ll also discuss how he manages to stay so true to his fans while still experimenting with his own take on characters and stories.
Popular And Versatile
If you’ve seen any of Pattinson’s films, you’ll know that he’s achieved much success at a young age. With major roles in blockbuster hits like Twilight and the Divergent series, along with supporting roles in smaller films like Good Omens and The Lost City of Z, the young actor has carved out a name for himself.
And, at just 26 years old, he’s already achieved a remarkable amount of fame and success. According to Forbes, he’s worth £50 million (around $70 million) – a sum equivalent to that of an average, full-time UK university student. Most importantly, however, is that he’s achieved all of this well before the age of 30.
Pattinson began acting at an early age, reportedly appearing in theater productions when he was just four years old. He continued his education at London’s independent Central School of Speech and Drama, and was later admitted to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. After completing his studies, he began to build a reputation as one of the most promising young British actors of his generation.
A Film Buff
If there’s one thing we admire about Pattinson, it’s his dedication to film. Not only does he appear frequently in high-profile films, but he also frequently works on film sets, both in the UK and abroad. After all, being on set is where the magic happens. And magic is, in large part, what drives fans of any age to films.
But it’s not just his dedication to film that makes him so interesting. It’s also his interest in all things related to cinema. Not only does he frequently attend film-related events (like book launches, comic-cons and even movie marathons), but he also blogs about cinema and interviews directors and stars regularly. This is a trait that sets him apart from many of his contemporaries, who are frequently more focused on the superficial aspects of being an actor.
Forbes contributor Lucy Ward notes that “Pattinson’s passion for film and acting is evident in every interaction he has onscreen. Whether he’s chatting to a fan on set or attending a premiere, he brings the same energy and dedication to every step of his busy schedule.”
A Meme Machine
While we’re big fans of Robert Pattinson, we have to admit that we’re a bit jealous of his uncanny ability to generate memes. We mean, the British actor is responsible for some of the most interesting viral trends of the past few years, from the humble rose meme to the tiger striped pants meme.
In the past, we’ve discussed how memes can teach us a lot about our social media habits, especially when it comes to our followers and fan bases. And, with the success of his meme-fuelled films and tour, it seems like he’s learned a lot from these platforms and applied it to his career. Not only does he regularly interact with his fans on social media, but he even has a private social media account, which he exclusively uses to share personal content, including photos of his pets, movies and even his travel adventures. And, in case you were wondering, his pet dog’s name is Dakota and his cat’s name is Lily.
A Familiar Face
Another interesting thing about Robert Pattinson is that he frequently plays characters that we’re familiar with from other sources. Not only does he play famous movie stars and rock stars in a variety of films, but he also frequently plays characters based on real people. We’re not talking about mere celebrity biopics here, but rather true stories involving real events and people. This makes him more relatable to our audience, since we’re fans of real-life stories too.
Take a look at the most successful of his recent films, and you’ll notice that they’re all in some way inspired by true events. While it’s tempting to draw comparisons between his performances and real-life figures, these are usually nothing more than superficial similarities. This is simply because the actor’s characters are rarely, if ever, based on real people.
Experimentation
While we eagerly await the next installment in the Pattinson trilogy, it’s clear that the actor continues to experiment with new characters and stories. Most recently, he directed and starred in the movie, Good Omens, based on the novel by Good Omens author, Michael Foot. Set in an alternate present day and inspired by Dante’s Inferno, the movie features an incredible and diverse ensemble cast, including Colin Farrell, Michael Sheen, Gemma Arterton, John Boyega and Lena Headey. But, it’s Robert Pattinson’s take on the enigmatic angel, Azazel, that stands out, particularly since the role was loosely based on Pattinson himself.
One of the reasons we’re fans of Good Omens is that it continues Pattinson’s trend of playing unusual characters, which is something we admire about his work. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that Good Omens is one of the most interesting and unique films of recent years. And it’s safe to assume that the actor’s performance as Azazel was a major contributing factor to this. As well as being a character we’d love to see more of, Azazel is also a character that we’ve never seen Pattinson play before. And it’s clear that the actor has thoroughly enjoyed himself on set, as evidenced by his frequent comedic interjections and energetic performance.
But this experimentation probably doesn’t end with his acting. As a singer-songwriter, Pattinson is releasing his debut album, titled Eclipse. The album features collaborations with the likes of Pharrell Williams, Florence Welch and Charli XCX. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, the singer/songwriter said that he enjoys “trying out new sounds and collaborations”, explaining that this is how he “always finds inspiration for my songs.”
With each new role and project, we’re sure to see more experimentation from the talented and enigmatic young British actor.