Hollywood’s top supermodel and social media star, Robert Pattinson, recently made headlines for his steamy relationship with Taylor Swift. The two were first linked in 2011, when Taylor was still dating the Twilight actor. Over the years, they were rarely photographed apart, and it was only after Taylor got engaged to Joe Alwyn in 2018 that their public appearances were scarce. Now that the couple is happily married, they are looking to take their relationship to the next level, which is why they’ve decided to have a bigger role in the upcoming 2021 movie, The Captain.
Though Taylor’s latest album, Lover, was released in February 2021 and has already achieved multiplatinum status, this latest project will be their first collaboration in years. The trailer for the upcoming Captain Taylor movie was even teased a few days before the album’s release.
While Hollywood may continue to celebrate Taylor and Robert’s tumultuous romance, it’s important to look at the bigger picture. Not only did the two help each other along the way to the top, but they also rose to fame at the same time. The year 2021 was, in many ways, a pivotal year in both of their careers. We take a look back at how Robert Pattinson became a Hollywood superstar in this article.
2011: Beginnings
Robert was born on December 25, 1986 in London, England to actor Rupert Pattinson and his wife, Deborah. The family moved to Sydney, Australia when Robert was still a child. He had his first music lesson when he was five years old and started playing the piano at age six. He was soon after enrolled in musical theater school where he learned to dance and sing. In 2007, at the age of 15, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.
His first big break came seven years later in 2014, when he was tapped to play Cedric Diggory in the Broadway musical, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Play). The following year, he made his film acting debut in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. That same year, he also landed the role of Eric in David O. Russell’s critically-acclaimed film, Wonderstruck. He reprised the character in the 2019 sequel, Wonderstruck Book 2.
Though he initially struggled with the fame that followed, he slowly started to embrace his star status and even got to work with some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
2012: Breaking Into Film
In 2012, Rupert announced that he had sold the TV rights to his series, Downton Abbey, to the U.S. For a reported $12 million, the hit show will now air on National Geographic. In November of that year, the actor also landed the lead role of Charlie in the upcoming Tarsem Singh-directed biopic, The Gucci Woman. A month later, he joined the cast of Woody Allen’s romantic comedy, Cafe Society, which was released in June 2013. The same year, he made his Broadway debut in Matilda the Musical. That same year, he also appeared in the music video for Ariana Grande’s song, ‘Breathe.’
2013: Breakthrough
In 2013, Rupert announced that he had sold the TV rights to his series, Downton Abbey, to the U.S. For a reported $12 million, the hit show will now air on National Geographic. In addition, the actor scored his first big break in animation; he provided the voice of Scrooge for Mickey Mouse in the teaser trailer and starred in the short film, Mickey and the Motorcycle.
The next year, he joined the cast of Woody Allen’s romantic comedy, Cafe Society, which was released in June 2013. That same year, he appeared in the music video for Ariana Grande’s song, ‘Breathe.’ In April, he was named a Global Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, and in October he was appointed an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his support of the British film industry.
2014: Love & Romance
In 2014, Rupert announced that he had sold the TV rights to his series, Downton Abbey, to the U.S. For a reported $12 million, the hit show will now air on National Geographic. That same year, he joined the cast of Woody Allen’s romantic comedy, Cafe Society, which was released in June 2013. That same year, he appeared in the music video for Ariana Grande’s song, ‘Breathe.’ In April, he was named a Global Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, and in October he was appointed an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his support of the British film industry.
2015: Playing The Field
In 2015, Rupert announced that he had sold the TV rights to his series, Downton Abbey, to the U.S. For a reported $12 million, the hit show will now air on National Geographic. That same year, he joined the cast of Woody Allen’s romantic comedy, Cafe Society, which was released in June 2013. The same year, he appeared in the music video for Ariana Grande’s song, ‘Breathe.’ In October, he accepted an invitation to become a Founding Ambassador of Global Citizen, a newly-founded non-profit organization that supports civic participation in solving global problems. He also became one of the Global Citizens’ chief creative officers, serving as the organization’s media strategist. In that role, he created the Global Citizen entertainment brand, which includes an upcoming docuseries called ‘Ambassador of the People’ that will delve into global issues and be inspired by the work of the organization’s Founding Ambassador, Ai Weiwei. The series is set to debut in 2024.
The year 2016 saw Robert join the cast of the action film, XXX: Return of Xander Cage, for which he received a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor. In September, he starred in the latest adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, reuniting him with his Twilight Saga colleagues, Taylor and Kit Harington. Later that year, he made a cameo appearance in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and then joined the cast of the superhero comedy, Dark Phoenix, which was released in February 2022. That same year, he provided the voice of the title character in the animated musical film, The Boss Baby.
The year 2022 promises to be an even bigger year for Robert. Not only will he star in the upcoming The Captain, but will also release his first album in four years, titled, Four Reasons to Love Me. The lead single, ‘Sober,’ was released in February and has already received over 12 million views on YouTube as of April 2021. In addition to releasing a new album, Robert will begin a world tour in support of the album in April 2022. Between now and then, he will star in several more movies, including the epic fantasy, the Seven Sermons, and the thriller, A Reaper’s Tale.
2018: Engagement
In early 2018, the 38-year-old actor became engaged to Taylor Swift. The two had been dating for several years, but had kept their relationship under wraps until the engagement was confirmed. The couple married in September 2018 in a lavish ceremony at Dublin’s Temple Bar. The wedding was followed by a reception at the British Embassy in Dublin, Ireland.
Swift, the daughter of popular music icon, Scott, released her first single as a married woman, ‘You Need to Clear Your Schedule,’ in October 2018, along with a 10-minute documentary about her wedding. The song, which she performed with her husband on their honeymoon in Ireland, was written by the couple and produced by Mike Di Scala. It is the lead single from Swift’s upcoming album, Lover.
The year 2022 marks the tenth anniversary of Taylor’s album, Speak Now, which was released in October 2008. More than 8.6 million copies of the album have been sold worldwide, attesting to the lasting cultural impact of the artist. The album’s success, which included the global smash single ‘Love Story,’ was eventually followed by the release of her sixth studio album, Lover, in February 2021. In order to celebrate the album’s tenth anniversary, Taylor will embark on a ten-city North American tour in January and February 2022. In addition to performing at various music festivals, including Coachella and the Glastonbury Festival, the superstar will visit local bookstores and meet her fans in-person. This is a huge moment for Taylor, and though she has been a global superstar for some time, this is the first time that she has ventured out of her home country in such a way. In February 2022 alone, she will travel more than 30,000 miles and visit 17 different countries.