It began as a normal summer night out. Robert Pattinson, a handsome English actor, was celebrating his 27th birthday in London with some of his closest friends. With the sun about to set, they took a stroll through the city’s bustling streets to find a bite to eat. They stopped at a nearby Indian restaurant and, as usual, shared a meal with their eyes glued to the television screens hooked up to the wall above the bar.
Suddenly, a familiar face flashed across the screen, and the group’s conversation came to a halt. One of their number had just gotten engaged, and they were all wishing her happy wedding days.
As they walked away from the restaurant, they continued discussing the recent engagement. But soon, the chatter subsided as they realized they were no longer alone. Standing in front of them was a woman holding a sign that read, “Hi, I’m Kristen Stewart. I love Robert Pattinson.”
It was a bizarre moment, but one the men would soon come to terms with. As the woman spoke, they turned to face her, and she extended her right hand to shake hands. One by one, they greeted her and introduced themselves. Soon, they were all talking at once, with the woman filling in the blanks. She had just ended a year-long engagement with French film producer, Brigitte Brun, and was looking to renew her relationship with the handsome English actor.
Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have gone on to become famous faces in their own right. The two were engaged for a time, had a daughter together, and remain close friends. They’ve worked together on multiple occasions and, as mentioned, Stewart recently renewed her commitment to the Hollywood couple. They’ve inspired numerous memes and social media users have created countless fake Facebook accounts in their names. It’s fair to say that when it comes to their personal lives, audiences know exactly what is going on. But, when did the dynamic duo first meet? And what was the immediate attraction?
A Brief Encounter
The first time we see Robert Pattinson it is in the 2010 film, Water for Elephants. He plays Dr. Henry West, a veterinarian who teams up with a professional wrestler, Max Rockatansky (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) to save the life of an ailing tiger named Bwana. The film, itself, is based on a novel by Sara Gruen and it tells the story of their unlikely friendship and partnership.
The story begins with Max seeking refuge from the blistering heat of the ring. In an effort to cool off, he walks into the nearest bar, where he meets West, who is also drinking alone. The two strike up a conversation and soon enough, they’re joined by two other men. The bar’s owner, Marvin (played by Paul Rudd), recognizes the wrestler and insists he have a drink. West objects, saying the doctor does not drink, but Max is insistent and Marvin complies. Soon enough, West and his companions are joined by a stunning woman and four drinks later, the pack of five are relaxing and bonding over a game of darts.
It’s fair to say that no actress was more surprised by her own fame than Kristen Stewart. The 27-year-old from New York City was catapulted into the spotlight at the age of 16 when she starred in the horror film, 2010’s Camp X-Ray. She plays Jessie, the camp psychiatrist who befriends and helps treat Billy (played by Justin Timberlake), an incarcerated man who claims to be a serial killer. It is, however, a performance that would go on to earn her accolades and multiple awards. Most notably, she was nominated for a Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress and a Teen Choice Award for Choice Female Actor.
An Encounter At A Party
It is fair to say that the 2010s were kind to Robert Pattinson. He starred in multiple hit films in the decade, often playing a romantic lead or leading man. One of the decade’s most popular films is the 2013 film, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Here, he plays the role of Balin, one of the dwarves who accompany Gimli (played by Martin Freeman) on his journey to reclaim his home. The film took in over $1 billion at the box office and remains one of the most popular entries in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit series.
The decade also saw Robert Pattinson collaborate with composer Harry Gregson-Williams on the 2017 film, 1917. Here, he plays a young American pilot who is stationed in London during World War I. After experiencing a spiritual awakening upon witnessing a London aerial display, he returns home and attempts to start a flying school for women. But the man whose face stares at us from billboards and magazine covers has not been idle. In between movie sets and social media frenzies, he has worked to further his education and professional development. In 2018 alone, he starred in two Academy Award-winning films: Best Adapted Screenplay for The Irishman and Best Actor for Marriage Deadline.]
A Face In The Crowd
It is fair to say that the 21st century has not been kind to Robert Pattinson. The 32-year-old has enjoyed a steady stream of movie roles since his turn as Henry West in Water for Elephants in 2010, but the industry has shifted and movie makers are looking for fresh faces. Most notably, the English actor has not been offered a prominent gig in a movie since the 2015 film, The Lost City. This latest offering comes two years after his performance in the horror film, A Most Wanted Man, where he plays the brother of an assassinated Russian president. The thriller earned Pattinson his second Academy Award nomination.
It Started With A Tweet
The decade that began with the year 2000 was, for Robert Pattinson, a time of experimentation. He began the new century by playing the love interest of Miley Cyrus in the family movie, Humpday. Then, in 2014, he played a mysterious billionaire opposite Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jack Fontaine in the film adaptation of the popular Agatha Christie thriller, The Man in the Brown Suit.
While DiCaprio won the Academy Award for Best Actor that year for his role, it was not quite the triumph Pattinson had in mind. The night of the awards, the English actor tweeted, “I’m watching the Oscars with my dad. It’s pretty cool that a movie he liked won an award. That would’ve been nice.” Little did he know that a movie he starred in had been nominated for an Academy Award.
Stewart On The Rise
Kristen Stewart has, in some ways, been waiting for her turn to shine. The 27-year-old New Yorker made her big-screen debut in the 2004 film, Thirst. Here, she plays a young woman named Alissia who falls in love with a man (played by Shawn Hatosy) who is disguised as a tattoo artist. It is a performance that earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress and landed her a role in the 2005 film, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. It is the latter film that put her on the map. Here, she plays the title role, a troubled teen who deals with her parents’ (played by John Corbett and Meg Ryan) divorce and her new stepfather’s (played by Ted Danson) domineering ways.
The film not only earned her widespread acclaim, but it also launched her into mainstream pop culture. Since then, the former Twilight star has starred in a handful of other well-regarded films, notably 2017’s Beautiful Day. In that year alone, she starred in two box office smashes: The Huntsman: Winter’s War and Charlie’s Angels. Her performance in the former made her the highest-grossing actress of 2017, not accounting for inflation. Also in 2017, Stewart and Robert Pattinson starred together in the romantic comedy, Camp X-Ray, which is a fictionalized take on their friendship. It is a performance that earned her yet another Academy Award nomination: for Best Supporting Actress. It was, however, to be one of her last appearances in a Hollywood film. The actress has, since then, focused on building a career in television, most notably leading roles on the Amazon series, The Man in the High Castle and the upcoming HBO series, Win some, Lose some.
A Match Made In Heaven
As the decades have worn on, the industry has changed. Where once studios relied on popular film stars to draw in audiences, today they look for a wide array of talent and new ideas. In 2019 alone, Robert Pattinson will star in three films: The Lost City, 1922, and a remake of the 2017 Spanish thriller, Dark Was the Night. He also has a role in the upcoming third season of the Emmy award-winning The Mandalorian. This is,, as mentioned, a time of experimentation for him, and the diverse range of roles will no doubt continue.