While we’re happy to see Robert Pattinson back in the spotlight thanks to the cinematic release of his latest film, Waterforsale, let’s not kid ourselves: the actor is still best known for his bad boy image, and it shows no signs of waning. Since the start of his acting career in 2004, Pattinson’s been in the headlines for his bad boy antics, which seem to have done nothing to dimish his lust for women or popularity. We take a look at 10 of the actor’s most iconic Instagram posts, and the secrets they hold.
The Start Of It All
It’s been almost a decade since the “Twilight” actor first graced our Instagram, but his bad boy image hasn’t changed a bit. In fact, it probably grew with him as he became more confident and comfortable in his own skin. In 2011, when Pattinson graduated from drama school in the United Kingdom, he took to Instagram to share the news with his fans, and it wasn’t any ordinary announcement. The actor posted a series of sexy self-shots, showing off his sculpted silhouette and hinting at the more athletic side of his personality. He captioned one of the shots with the line, “Today’s my graduation day from Drama School,” a reference to his role in the 2011 British adaptation of The Walking Dead. We get a glimpse of that side to Pattinson in Waterforsale, where he plays a drug dealer who is also a talented singer.
The Return Of The Bad Boy
It had been a while since we had seen or heard from Pattinson, but when he resurfaced in 2013 with a mysterious Instagram account, we knew immediately that he was back. The account, which was later revealed to be run by Pattinson himself, served as a teaser for his upcoming film, Cosmopolis, which he co-wrote and produced. The movie details the intersecting lives of six characters in modern day New York City. The film’s production designer described the look of the movie as “like a really beautiful skin rash” and the costumes as “more of a skin colouration.” To accompany the release of Cosmopolis, Pattinson took to Instagram and posted a behind-the-scenes video showing how he got into character. In the clip, we see the actor in a hotel room, pulling off a wicked impression of a serial killer as he poses with a dummy. The video’s description teased that the actor was “back with a Vengeance,” and indeed he was. In the years that followed, Pattinson continued to post regularly, sharing behind-the-scenes videos from the set of The Rover, a film he also wrote and directed. He also became known for his comedic social media posts, which began to garner him a large following.
The Return Of The Actor
As impressive as the success of Breaking Dawn was, it wasn’t the first or the last time that we would see Pattinson in the spotlight. The Scottish actor is known for his collaborations with director David Cronenberg, appearing in the filmmaker’s films including Jupiter’s Moon and The House of Gucci. In 2015, he released a photo-book titled Robert Pattinson Photography, which was followed up by another in 2017. While he’s never really hidden the fact that he takes his craft seriously, these books—as well as his Instagram account—give us a behind-the-scenes look at his work. And what work it is. In fact, the first of Robert Pattinson Photography‘s 24 images are of Gucci’s menswear collection, designed in collaboration with the Scottish actor. The collection’s designer, Miuccia Prada, described the look of the collection as a “cross between Futurism and Old Hollywood,” a description that seems to sum up Pattinson perfectly.
Pattinson In The Media
While we’re not complaining about all the attention that comes with being the face of Gucci, it’s clear that the Scottish actor is more than just a fashion plate. Since his breakout film in 2011, Pattinson has appeared in a number of movies and shows, in a variety of roles. If you’re curious about what projects the actor has been a part of, check out this comprehensive list. You’ll see a lot of familiar names (well, mostly familiar), but it also includes some pretty well-known filmmakers and television producers.
10 Iconic Instagram Posts By Robert Pattinson
As we mentioned, while we’re glad to see Pattinson back in the spotlight, it’s been a while since we’ve seen the actor grace Instagram. Since his return, the platform has continued to evolve, and it was previously reported that the actor spends about two hours a day on average on his Instagram account. Let’s take a look at how Robert Pattinson’s Instagram posts have shaped his star status.
1. The Start Of It All
As we mentioned, it was almost a decade since we had last seen or heard from the Scottish actor, so it was quite the surprise when he resurfaced in 2011 with a cryptic Instagram account and a teaser for a new movie. Since then, the platform has served as a teaser for several of the actor’s upcoming projects and also as a canvas for him to post about his travels and fashion. More importantly, though, the account serves as a testament to the actor’s stunning ability to harness the power of social media. The teasers for Cosmopolis and The Rover were both widely shared on social media and were such a success that even now, years later, they continue to be replayed over and over again on the platform.
2. The Return Of The Bad Boy
With his mysterious Instagram account and the teaser for Cosmopolis, it was clear that we were in the presence of a dark soul. His first post after resurfacing was a photo of him in a hotel room, pulling off a wicked impression of a serial killer as he poses with a dummy. We’re not sure if this is a one-time joke or a continuing commentary on the nature of evil, but it was enough to get the attention of fans and critics alike. The actor followed this up with several other teasers that featured an eclectic array of characters and scenarios. It seemed like only a matter of time before he dropped a full-length movie, and he did just that with Cosmopolis, which was met with rave reviews when it was released in 2013. The film was described by critics as an “outrageous flamboyance” and “pure genius,” and as we mentioned, it has continued to be replayed on social media platforms ever since. It was this movie that established the “bad boy” image that has since followed the 35-year-old actor around the world. He continued to post prolifically in the years that followed, with numerous behind-the-scenes videos from the set of The Rover and other films. The amount of content that Pattinson posts on a regular basis is staggering, and it’s clear that he continues to use the platform to this day as a way of connecting with fans.
3. The Return Of The Actor
After almost a decade away from the spotlight, it was clear that the Scottish actor had returned with a vengeance. In 2015, he released a photobook titled Robert Pattinson Photography, which featured a collection of the actor’s stills. While the book’s photos were indeed striking, it was his decision to include stories written by celebrated authors—including Stephen King, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Arthur Miller—that really set the work apart. It was as though the author’s stories had been distilled into black-and-white photos. The author of one of the stories, Miller’s “The Cruise Diaries,” which recounts his travels on the high seas with a first-edition copy of James Joyce’s “Ulysses,” discusses the inspiration and process of bringing words to life through graphics in this short clip from “The Road to Dublin,” a short documentary accompanying the book.