Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson (born 13 May 1986) is an English actor. Known for starring in both major studio productions and independent films, he often portrays eccentric characters across a diverse range of genres. Pattinson has been ranked among theworld's highest-paid actors and his works have grossed over $4.7billion worldwide. In 2010,Time included him in its list of the100 most influential people in the world, and he was also featured in theForbes Celebrity 100.
Born and raised in London, Pattinson started acting at age thirteen in a London theatre club. He made early screen appearances in supporting roles, including inVanity Fair (2004), and playedCedric Diggory in the fantasy filmHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) before making his debut as aleading actor inThe Haunted Airman (2006). Pattinson achieved global recognition asEdward Cullen inThe Twilight Saga film series. Its five films—released yearly between 2008 and 2012—collectively grossed over $3.3 billion worldwide. Pattinson also led the romantic dramasRemember Me (2010) andWater for Elephants (2011).
Pattinson has also contributed vocals to several film soundtracks. He is involved in philanthropy, supporting organisations such as theGO Campaign. Pattinson began modelling as a child and has served as the face ofDior Homme fragrance since 2013. Labelled as asex symbol by the media, he is frequently called one of the most attractive actors;People included Pattinson on its list of the "Sexiest Men Alive" in 2008 and 2009. He has been in a relationship with singer and actressSuki Waterhouse since 2018, with whom he has a child.
Early life
Barnes, where Pattinson was born and raised
Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson[1][2] was born in theBarnes district ofLondon, England, on 13 May 1986.[3][4][5] His father, Richard, owned a business importing vehicles from the United States, while his mother, Clare, worked at a modelling agency.[6] Pattinson has two older sisters, Victoria andElizabeth.[7][8] At the age of four, he began attendingTower House Boys' Preparatory School and developed an interest in playing piano and guitar.[9] By the age of six, Pattinson was participating in amateur performances. He secured his first role in a play titledSpell for a Rhyme, written by one of his teachers, and later appeared in his school's adaptation ofWilliam Golding's novelLord of the Flies (1954).[9]
As a child, Pattinson was described as disorganised, resistant to completing homework, and generally exhibited a lackadaisical attitude.[10] His sisters often dressed him up as a girl, creating a female persona they named Claudia.[11][12] In his leisure time, he enjoyed playing football, video games, and watching television shows such asSharky and George,Doctor Who andHammerman.[13] At the age of twelve, Pattinson wasexpelled from Tower House for shoplifting pornographic magazines.[14][15] Following this, his parents enrolled him atthe Harrodian School, on Lonsdale Road near the family home.[16] Pattinson excelled inEnglish studies, which he described as his favourite subject.[17] As a teenager, he worked as a photo model for British fashion brands and magazines and as afashion designer.[18][19][20] In his late teens, he pursued music by performing acoustic guitar sets at open mic nights in pubs around London. He sang original compositions either solo under the stage name Bobby Dupea or with his band, Bad Girls.[11]
Pattinson initially considered a career in music or studying speechwriting at university but never thought about pursuing acting. A teacher once advised him against joining the school drama club, believing he was not suited for thecreative arts.[21][22] At the age of thirteen, Pattinson joined the Barnes Theatre Company, a local amateur theatre group, after his father encouraged him to participate to help overcome his shyness.[23][17] After working backstage, he auditioned for the playGuys and Dolls and secured his first role as a Cuban dancer with no lines.[24][25] In the following production,Our Town, he played the lead role of George Gibbs.[26] During this performance, atalent agent in the audience noticed him, leading Pattinson to begin pursuing professional acting opportunities.[5] He went on to appear in stage productions such asMacbeth,Anything Goes andTess of the d'Urbervilles.[27] Pattinson initially intended to go to university, but filming forHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire conflicted with his schedule.[28] Around this time, he shared a flat inSoho with his childhood friend and fellow actorTom Sturridge.[29]
In 2005, Pattinson was cast asCedric Diggory in the fantasy filmHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, directed byMike Newell.[34][35] According to Newell, "Cedric exemplifie[d] all that you would expect theHogwarts champion to be. Robert[...] was born to play the role; he's quintessentially English with chiselled public schoolboy good looks".[36] Pattinson learned toscuba dive in preparation for the role.[37] For his performance, he was named the 2005 "British Star of Tomorrow" byThe Times[38] and was also referred to as "the nextJude Law".[39][40] The film grossed nearly $897million worldwide, making it thehighest-grossing film of 2005.[41][42]
In 2006, Pattinson starred in Chris Durlacher'sThe Haunted Airman, apsychological thriller that aired onBBC Four on 31 October.[43] He played aWorld War II pilot who is shot, left paralysed and suffers from severeshell shock, eventually descending into madness.[44] Pattinson himself described the role as his "best acting experience".[44] His performance received positive reviews, withThe Stage saying that he portrayed "the airman of the title with a perfect combination of youthful terror and world-weary cynicism".[45] Pattinson then appeared in a supporting role as Daniel in the 2007 filmThe Bad Mother's Handbook, a one-offtelevision drama adapted from a novel byKate Long. In the film, he portrayed a shy young man who develops feelings for a girl struggling with issues after being dumped by her former boyfriend and experiencing difficulties with her mother.[46]
2008–2013:The Twilight Saga and worldwide recognition
In 2008, Pattinson played his first leading role as Art in the filmHow to Be, directed byOliver Irving.[47][48] In the film, Art, after being dumped by his girlfriend, moves back in with his parents and convinces a Canadianself-help guru to relocate to London to help him rebuild his life. Irving recalled Pattinson's audition, saying, "Robert walked in[,]forgot his lines and just started improvising, which was exactly what I wanted [...] he's a really down-to-earth guy".[49] Pattinson himself enjoyed filming the movie, stating that he "loved the script" and found it "very different from everything else [he] had read".[49] That same year, Pattinson portrayedSalvador Dalí inLittle Ashes (2008).[50] He was originally considered for the role ofFederico García Lorca, Dalí's lover,[50] but the part ultimately went toJavier Beltrán.[51] The film mostly received negative reviews; theToronto Star's Greg Quill stated that "even cinematographer Adam Suschitzky's richly textured and resonantly toned cityscapes and rural scenes can't make up for a flawed script and weak performances in what might have been a powerful historical drama".[52]
In 2008, Pattinson starred alongsideKristen Stewart asEdward Cullen in the romantic fantasyTwilight, based onStephenie Meyer's2005 novel of the same name.[53][54][55] Approximately three thousand men submitted resumes for the role of Cullen, many of whom auditioned. DirectorCatherine Hardwicke said that Pattinson had "everything [they] needed [...] that angular face and kind of mysterious Edward aura".[56] According to Pattinson, his performance in the film was largely influenced by Stewart's.[57] He adopted anAmerican accent for the role and worecontact lenses.[58] In the film,Bella, portrayed by Stewart, faces danger from James, a vampire determined to kill her and drink her blood, leading Cullen—Bella's vampire lover—to become embroiled in a battle with James.[59] While the film received mixed reviews, critics widely praised Pattinson's chemistry with Stewart.The New York Times'sManohla Dargis described Pattinson as a "capable and exotically beautiful" actor,[60] whileRoger Ebert believed he was "well-chosen" for the role.[61]
Pattinson presented at the81st Academy Awards in February 2009; he was initially set to appear with Stewart, who declined.[62] He played Richard in Daisy Gili's filmThe Summer House (2009). The story follows Richard, Jane's (played byTalulah Riley) ex-boyfriend, as he travels to France to try to win back her love after cheating on her.[49][63] The short film was later re-released as part of an anthology titledLove & Distrust (2010), which features five short films exploring the lives of eight individuals from different backgrounds on their journey to find contentment.[64]Revolver Entertainment releasedRobsessed (2009), a documentary about Pattinson's life and rise to fame.[65] Pattinson reprised his role as Cullen in theTwilight sequel,The Twilight Saga: New Moon, which was released in November 2009.[66][67] The film grossed a record-breaking $142.8million in its opening weekend and earned a total of $711million worldwide, making it theseventh-highest-grossing film of 2009.[68][69][70] Bill Goodykoontz ofThe Arizona Republic mentioned that "Pattinson's actually not in the film that much, but he does his best when he's around",[71] whileThe Washington Post's Michael O'Sullivan praised his acting as "uniformly strong".[72] The film earned Pattinson threeMTV Movie Awards at the2010 ceremony.[73]
In May 2014, two of Pattinson's films debuted at the2014 Cannes Film Festival.[98] Pattinson starred inDavid Michôd's futuristic westernThe Rover, alongsideGuy Pearce andScoot McNairy.[99] He travelled to Australia to portray the role of Reynolds, spending seven weeks filming. The film is set in theOutback a decade after an economic collapse; Pattinson's character is a young, naive American man who is abandoned by his brother following a failed robbery.[100]Variety's Scott Foundas praised Pattinson's "career re-defining performance", as well as his convincingSouthern accent and "understated dignity" in a role that could have been overly sentimental.[101] Next, Pattinson reunited with Cronenberg for thesatirical dramaMaps to the Stars.[102][103] He portrayed Jerome Fontana, a struggling limousine driver and actor who aspires to be a screenwriter.[104] Cronenberg thought casting Pattinson was an "easy decision to make", praising him as "extremely inventive".[105] The film was positively received by critics; Robbie Collin described Pattinson's performance as "winningly played".[106]
He starred inWerner Herzog'sbiographical filmQueen of the Desert (2015), an adaptation ofGertrude Bell's life story, starring alongsideNicole Kidman andJames Franco.[107][108] Pattinson portrayedT. E. Lawrence, also known as Lawrence of Arabia.[109] Geoffrey Macnab ofThe Independent described his performance as "comic and a very long way removed fromPeter O'Toole", stating that Pattinson played Lawrence as "a sharp-tongued, sardonic figure who can see through the pretensions of his bosses and colleagues".[110] David Rooney ofThe Hollywood Reporter called Pattinson's role "brief but significant" and highlighted the "easy camaraderie in his scenes with Kidman".[111] He next starred inAnton Corbijn's biographical dramaLife (2015), based on the life of actorJames Dean.[112][107] Set in the 1950s, Pattinson playedDennis Stock, a photographer who became friends with Dean after travelling with him through Los Angeles, Indiana and New York.[113] Guy Lodge ofVariety called his performance a "sly turn",[114] while David Rooney, writing forThe Hollywood Reporter, thought that Pattinson "[gave] arguably the most fully rounded performance".[115]
In late 2015, Pattinson starred inThe Childhood of a Leader, the directorial debut ofBrady Corbet, alongsideBérénice Bejo andStacy Martin.[116][117] Pattinson took on dual roles in the film, first as Charles Marker, a reporter in Germany duringWorld War I, and later as the adult version of the leader.[118][119]Peter Bradshaw ofThe Guardian described his performance as "elegant"[120] andScreen International's Lee Marshall praising the role as "excellent".[121] In 2016, Pattinson appeared inPlan B Entertainment'sThe Lost City of Z, directed byJames Gray.[122][123] The film premiered in August 2016 at theNew York Film Festival.[124][125] Pattinson had been cast as British explorer Corporal Henry Costin in November 2013.[126] Set in the 1920s, the film follows British surveyorPercy Fawcett, who disappears in theAmazon rainforest while searching for a mythical city.[127] For the role, Pattinson grew a thick beard and lost nearly 35 pounds (16 kg).[128] Though the film was abox-office bomb,[129]Us Weekly writer Mara Reinstein thought that Pattinson's performance in the film was "compelling",[130] whileThe Guardian thought that Pattinson was "considerably more interesting to watch", commenting that the viewer may find themselves "wishing that his character, rather than the dashing but dull Fawcett, was the focus of the film".[131]
Pattinson next starred in theSafdie brothers' neo-exploitation thrillerGood Time (2017) as Connie Nikas, a bank robber navigating the criminal underworld ofQueens, New York.[132][133] The film premiered in competition at the2017 Cannes Film Festival;[134] Pattinson's performance was described as a "career peak" byVariety's Guy Lodge[135] and his "career-best" by Eric Kohn fromIndieWire.[136] David Rooney ofThe Hollywood Reporter compared Pattinson's portrayal toAl Pacino's performance asSonny Wortzik inDog Day Afternoon (1975), ultimately describing it as "his most commanding performance to date".[137] For his role, Pattinson earned his firstIndependent Spirit Award nomination forBest Male Lead.[138] While promotingGood Time, Pattinson wrote and starred in a short film forGQ titledFear & Shame. Filmed on the streets of New York, the piece follows Pattinson, playing himself, as he navigates the city's bustling environment, attempting to buy a hot dog while evading the media and fans.[139][140]
TheZellner Brothers' western-comedyDamsel (2018) marked Pattinson's return to comedy for the first time sinceHow to Be.[141][142] He portrayed Samuel Alabaster, an eccentric cowboy embarking on a journey west in search of his kidnapped fiancée.[143] His performance received positive reviews, withDana Schwartz fromEntertainment Weekly describing it as "so delightfully unhinged that it harkens backJake Gyllenhaal inOkja".[144] Pattinson's second and final film of 2018 wasClaire Denis's sci-fi dramaHigh Life, set in space and centred on a group of criminals sent on a mission toward ablack hole.[145][146] Denis initially consideredPhilip Seymour Hoffman for the lead role, but after recognising Pattinson's dedication and enthusiasm to collaborate, she cast him instead.[147] Pattinson played Monte, a reluctant father who raises his daughter alone as their spaceship continues its journey into deep space.[148][149]Screen International's Allen Hunter praised Pattinson as the most "dominant" and "engaging" presence in the film,[150] while Jason Bailey ofThe Playlist described it as "another scorching Pattinson performance", praising his compelling portrayal of the character's menace and defiance.[151]
Pattinson's first role in 2019 was inRobert Eggers's black-and-white psychological horror filmThe Lighthouse, set on a remoteNew England island in the 1890s.[152][153] The film premiered in theDirectors' Fortnight section at the2019 Cannes Film Festival, earning good reviews for both its storytelling and Pattinson's performance.[154][155] In his review forThe Guardian, Bradshaw described Pattinson's performance as "mesmeric" and a "sledgehammer punch" that "just gets better and better".[156] He earned his second nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead.[157] Pattinson's next two films premiered at the2019 Venice Film Festival.[158] He first starred inThe King—his second collaboration with Michôd, and an adaptation ofWilliam Shakespeare's plays.[159][160] Pattinson portrayedLouis, The Dauphin, the nemesis ofHenry V.[161][162] For the role, he adopted a French accent, which he modelled after individuals in theFrench fashion industry.[163][164] While opinions on his accent were mixed,[163][164] critics largely praised his performance, describing it as "scene-stealing" and a standout in the film.[165][166] He then appeared inCiro Guerra'sWaiting for the Barbarians (2019), an adaptation ofJ. M. Coetzee's1980 novel, alongsideMark Rylance andJohnny Depp.[167][168] His performance received a less enthusiastic response, with Boyd van Hoeij ofThe Hollywood Reporter calling it "a rather flat supporting role",[169] whileThe Guardian critic Harry Windsor described his portrayal as "stiff" and "over-articulated".[168]
2020–present: Return to mainstream films
Pattinson at a press conference forMickey 17 in 2025
Pattinson starred as Neil, a spy handler, inChristopher Nolan'sTenet (2020), alongsideJohn David Washington, marking his return to big-budget films.[170] He based his character's mannerisms on those of authorChristopher Hitchens.[171][172] Jessica Kiang ofThe New York Times labelled him as "delightful" and praised his chemistry with Washington.[170] Pattinson next featured as part of an ensemble cast inThe Devil All the Time (2020), a psychological thriller based onthe novel byDonald Ray Pollock.[173] The film is set in the 1950s, and Pattinson played a lewd small town preacher named Preston Teagardin.[174] Austin Collin, writing forRolling Stone, found him "eely, eerie, [and] intriguing",[175] while Owen Gleiberman ofVariety praised him for doing "a stylish job".[176] In May 2021, Pattinson signed a first look deal withWarner Bros andHBO for producing and developing projects.[177]
Pattinson portrayedBatman and his secretalter ego Bruce Wayne inMatt Reeves's 2022 superhero filmThe Batman.[178] FollowingBen Affleck's departure from the role, Reeves wrote the character with Pattinson in mind after being impressed by his performance inGood Time.[179] The film was a critical and commercial success, though Pattinson's casting initially faced backlash from some Batman fans.[180] However, his portrayal was ultimately praised by critics upon the film's release, with Davis Rooney ofThe Hollywood Reporter finding him "riveting throughout".[181] In 2023, Pattinson lent his voice to the titular grey heron in the English-language dub ofHayao Miyazaki's Japanese animated filmThe Boy and the Heron.[182] Under his production company Icki Eneo Arlo, Pattinson producedSebastián Silva's critically successful filmRotting in the Sun (2023).[183]
In 2025, Pattinson starred inBong Joon-ho's science fiction filmMickey 17, an adaptation of the novelMickey7 (2022).[184] He portrayed Mickey Barnes, a disposable crew member on a space mission who is assigned perilous tasks, as he can be regenerated upon death while retaining most of his memories.[185][186] The film received mostly positive reviews, with most of the focus on Pattinson's performance as dual versions of the same character. In his review forIndiewire, David Ehrlich described it as "two of the best performances of his life here".[187] Pattinson starred alongsideJennifer Lawrence in the thrillerDie My Love (2025), portraying her husband.[188][189]Vogue's Radhika Seth thought that both he and Lawrence were "wholly committed", but were "let down by a [poor] script",[190] while Gleiberman said that in a "rare bad performance, [Pattinson] plays [Jackson] as an unpleasant clueless bro".[191]
Pattinson began modelling at age twelve and continued for about four years.[200] In a December 2008 interview withCloser, he blamed the lack of modelling work on his masculine appearance: "When I first started I was quite tall and looked like a girl, so I got lots of jobs, because it was during that period where theandrogynous look was cool. Then, I guess, I became too much of a guy, so I never got any more jobs. I had the most unsuccessful modelling career".[201] Pattinson modelled for various British teen magazines as well as theHackett clothing line and designerNicole Farhi.[18][20] In November 2010, Pattinson was offered a £1 million deal to become the face ofBurberry but declined the offer.[202]
In June 2013, Pattinson was announced as the new face ofDior Homme fragrance.[203][204] That September, he appeared in a black-and-white short film alongside French-American modelCamille Rowe.[205] Since then, he has featured in multiple television and print advertising campaigns for the fragrance, collaborating with directorsRomain Gavras[206] andthe Blaze,[207] as well as photographersPeter Lindbergh,[208]Nan Goldin[206] andMikael Jansson.[209] Goldin also published the bookRobert Pattinson: 1000 Lives, a collection of images from the 2013 campaign.[206] In February 2016, Pattinson became the first ambassador for Dior Homme menswear[210] and appeared in several of the brand's print campaigns, photographed byKarl Lagerfeld[211] and Lindbergh.[208] Reflecting on his nearly decade-long collaboration with Dior in 2020, Pattinson remarked that "there's a timelessness to Dior; it feels like it's going to be around forever, it's a sort of monument".[212]
In October 2025, he was announced as the global ambassador for premium French beer brand1664, reuniting with Brady Corbet for the campaign of the brand.[213]
Music
Pattinson has been playing theguitar andpiano since the age of four and often writes his own music.[214][215] He lent his vocals to two songs on theTwilight soundtrack: "Never Think", which he co-wrote with Sam Bradley,[216] and "Let Me Sign", written by Marcus Foster andBobby Long.[217] DirectorCatherine Hardwicke had included his recordings in an early cut of the film without his knowledge, but Pattinson later agreed that "one of them specifically[...] really made the scene better".[218][219] He also performed three original songs, composed by Joe Hastings, for theHow to Be soundtrack.[220][221] Despite his musical talent, Pattinson has said, "I've never really recorded anything[...] I just played in pubs and stuff," and when asked about pursuing a professional music career, he remarked that "music is my back-up plan if acting fails".[219] In 2010, he was recognised as Hollywood's Most Influential Top Unexpected Musician by theNational Association of Music Merchants.[222]
In 2013, Pattinson played guitar on "Birds", a track fromDeath Grips' albumGovernment Plates.[223][224] DrummerZach Hill recorded Pattinson's playing on his phone during a jam session and later sampled it into the final song.[223][225] In a March 2017 interview, Pattinson revealed that he would contribute music to his upcoming filmDamsel (2018).[220][226] In February 2019, he collaborated with theNottingham bandTindersticks, releasing the song "Willow" for theHigh Life original soundtrack.[227][228] In October 2020, Pattinson made a cameo appearance duringHaim's performance of "3 a.m." onLate Night with Seth Meyers.[229][230] He delivered the song's opening spoken-word section via aFaceTime video call, reciting the dialogue from the track's phone call intro.[231][232]
In August 2011, Pattinson used hisTeen Choice Awards acceptance speech to raise awareness for cancer, highlighting the Cancer Bites campaign, which supports those affected by the disease.[239][240] In August 2013, he visitedChildren's Hospital Los Angeles, spending time with young patients and participating in arts and crafts activities.[241][242] The following month, he partnered withInternational Medical Corps as one of theirfirst responders, helping to raise awareness about disaster preparedness and community resilience.[243] Pattinson has also contributed to several charitable auctions. In November 2013, he attended the Go Go Gala, organised by the GO Campaign, where he purchased acello made from recycled materials for $5,600.[244][245] In May 2014, he donated his bike to an auction supporting theRoyal Flying Doctor Service, which provides healthcare to individuals in theOutback.[246] In 2014, he took part in theALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness foramyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and participated in the GO Campaign's annual charity event.[247][248][249] In October 2015, he joined the Global Goals Campaign, which aims to eradicate poverty by 2030.[250]
In 2015, Pattinson became the first ambassador for the GO Campaign.[251][252] In May 2019, during theCannes Film Festival, Pattinson co-hosted a charity event withHelen Mirren, organised by theHollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).[253][254] Together, they donated $500,000 to the international aid organisation Help Refugees on behalf of the HFPA.[255] During the firstCOVID-19 lockdown in early 2020, Pattinson donated to GO Campaign's emergency fund, which provided food and hygiene products to vulnerable families in London and Los Angeles.[256] Later that year, while filmingThe Batman in Liverpool, he surprised a ten-year-old autistic fan who had been waiting on set to meet him. However, an in-person meeting was not feasible, so Pattinson sent a package of DCBatman gifts instead.[257]
Pattinson's sex appeal has been widely discussed in the media, and several critics have called him asex symbol.[258][259][260]People included him in its "Sexiest Men Alive" list in both 2008 and 2009.[261][262] In 2009,Glamour UK named him the "Sexiest Man Alive",[263] whileAskMen ranked him among the top 49 most influential men.[264] That year,Vanity Fair also declared him "the most handsome man in the world" alongsideAngelina Jolie as the most beautiful woman.[265] BothGQ andGlamour named him the "Best Dressed Man" of 2010, with the former praising his elegance and modern appeal.[266][267] That same year,People also featured him in its "World's Most Beautiful" issue.[268] Pattinson was amongVanity Fair's "Top Hollywood Earners of 2009", with estimated earnings of $18 million.[269][270] As of 2025, his films have grossed over $4.7billion worldwide.[271]
In 2011,Vanity Fair ranked Pattinson fifteenth on its "Hollywood Top 40" list, citing his $27.5 million earnings from 2010.[283]GQ once again named him the "Best Dressed Man" in 2012,[284] whileGlamour called him "Sexiest Man Alive" that October.[285] By 2013, Pattinson placed second onGlamour's "Richest UK Celebs Under 30" list, with an estimated fortune of £45 million.[286] He was also recognised by theLondon Evening Standard as one of the city's most influential figures in both 2013 and 2014.[287][288] In October 2014,Heat ranked him third on its "Annual Rich List of Young British Stars", reporting earnings of $82.89million.[289][290]Forbes also found him to be the thirteenth-highest-paid actor of the year, with earnings of $20 million.[291]
Artistry and acting style
If I'm doing a scene and I see that the other actor is expecting me to do it the way I'm doing it, if I can just see that it hasn't surprised them, I immediately feel stupid.
Pattinson is known for taking on roles across a wide range of genres—primarilyindie andaction films—through which he has established himself as anA-list actor.[293][294][295] In 2025,Rolling Stone's David Fear called Pattinson the 21st century's "great movie weirdo" and one of the "most interesting A-list actors".[258]The Daily Telegraph writerAlexander Larman called him a "consistently excellent [actor] in every role[...] who embraced the wider and more exciting opportunities that a career as a character actor offered him".[296] Wendy Ide, writing forThe Guardian, found that after taking on roles inauteur films, Pattinson developed a unique, eccentric screen presence that set him apart from his more "groomed and polished" contemporaries.[293] In a review withGQ, directorMatt Reeves—who worked with Pattinson onThe Batman (2022)—likened the actor to achameleon, stating that he "never plays a character with exactly his voice[...] the voice is one of his ways in".[297] Jordan Woods ofScreen Rant noted that Pattinson became somewhattypecast afterThe Twilight Saga (2008–2012) but proved his "real acting chops" inThe Batman.[298]
According to Alex Moshakis ofThe Guardian, Pattinson usually plays "complex, often oddball characters". He enjoys playing characters who are the opposite of his real-life personality, which he describes as completely normal, straightforward, and low-key, stating, "I find it fascinating when people make bad decisions[...] the humour and the befuddlement".[299] Instead of staying in character for the entire production, Pattinson prefers to concentrate his energy solely while the camera is rolling.[300] He describes his acting approach as "sprinting up to a cliff and just jumping off it", admitting that "sometimes it doesn't even work and you just look like a lunatic", but other times, it "stops your thinking, which is my favourite place to be".[301] Pattinson has employed a range of intense methods to get into character, including throwing up on set, arriving intoxicated, and isolating himself in a basement.[302][303][304] He revealed that during the filming ofThe Drama (2026), he went "crazy for three days".[305]
GQ's Daniel Riley describes Pattinson's career as being shaped by a combination of "talent, desire, luck, attendant fame, and bold choices".[297] Pattinson says that he can only have ideas when he has an "enormous amount" ofadrenaline. He is also an avid consumer of others' work, believing that constant reading and viewing improves his taste and tone, allowing him to collaborate more effectively with filmmakers in creating eccentric characters.[297] To create a more realistic setting, he often tries to "do whatever [he] can to not know what's going on[...] to be completely overwhelmed and disorientated[...] and feel like it's actually happening".[306] Pattinson's choice to take "interesting, uncommercial roles" has resulted in him starring "in some of the best films of the [2010s] decade" according toThe Guardian's Steve Rose.[307]TheWrap's Alex Welch concluded that Pattinson established himself as "one of the biggest movie stars on the planet[...] thanks to [his] willingness to take risks and push himself", becoming an actor whose films "are not only worth taking seriously but actively seeking out".[308]
Pattinson is private about his personal life and has often expressed a dislike for thepaparazzi industry andtabloid journalism.[314][315][316] In 2017, he said that he had experiencedanxiety, beginning in his early years in the public spotlight.[317][209] In January 2023, Pattinson revealed his past struggles withfad dieting, sharing that he once followed a two-week detox consisting primarily of potatoes andHimalayan pink salt.[318][319]
In mid-2009, Pattinson was romantically linked to hisTwilight co-starKristen Stewart.[320][321] In July 2012, Stewart acknowledged her relationship with Pattinson when she was photographed with herSnow White and the Huntsman directorRupert Sanders, with whom she was having an affair.[322] Sanders, who was married at the time, publicly apologised for the affair, and so did Stewart later.[323] Pattinson and Stewart briefly split but reconciled later that year.[324] The couple broke up in May 2013.[325][326]
Pattinson began dating singer-songwriterFKA Twigs in September 2014.[327][328] The couple were engaged, but ended their relationship in October 2017.[327][329] The break-up inspired Twigs to create her second studio album,Magdalene (2019).[330] Since 2018, Pattinson has been in a relationship with English singer-songwriter and actressSuki Waterhouse.[331][332] The two got engaged in December 2023 and had their first child, a daughter, in March 2024.[331][333][334]
^Marshall, Lee; Tabbara, Mona; Baughan, Nikki; Dalton, Ben; Romney, Jonathan (20 February 2025)."'Childhood Of A Leader': Review".Screen Daily.Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved20 February 2025.
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