Biography of Robert Pattinson
Robert Thomas Pattinson, born on 13 May 1986 in London, is an English actor, model and musician. He is best known for playing Edward Cullen in the film adaptation of Twilight, a novel by Stephenie Meyer, and for the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
His mother, Clare, worked for a modeling agency, and his father, Richard, imported vintage cars from the U.S. Pattinson attended Tower House School and Harrodian School. He became involved in amateur theatre through the Barnes Theatre Company. After some backstage experience there, he took on acting roles. He caught the attention of an acting agent in a production of Tess of the D’Urbervilles and began looking for professional roles. Pattinson has two elder sisters, one of whom is singer Lizzy Pattinson.
Pattinson plays guitar and piano, and composes his own music. He also appears as the singer of two songs on the Twilight soundtrack: “Never Think”, which he co-wrote with Sam Bradley, and “Let Me Sign”, which was written by Marcus Foster and Bobby Long. The songs were included in the film after director Catherine Hardwicke added Pattinson’s recordings into an early cut without his knowledge, and he agreed that “one of them specifically, it really made the scene better. It was like it was supposed to be there.” The soundtrack for the film How To Be features three original songs performed by Pattinson and written by composer Joe Hastings.
Pattinson began modelling when he was twelve years old, but it wound down only four years later. He has blamed his lack of work as a model on his masculine appearance.
Pattinson had supporting roles in the made for television film Ring of the Nibelungs in 2004 and in director Mira Nair’s Vanity Fair, although his scenes in the latter were deleted and only appear on the DVD version.
Aside from recording for the soundtracks, Pattinson has said, “I’ve never really recorded anything – I just played in pubs and stuff”, and when asked about a professional music career, he said, “Music is my back-up plan if acting fails.” In 2008, he also performed with his first girlfriend’s current boyfriend’s band, called Bad Girls.
Pattinson was named one of the “Sexiest Men Alive” in 2008 and 2009 by People magazine. In 2009, he was also named “Sexiest Man Alive” through a poll conducted by Glamour. GQ named Pattinson Britain’s “Best Dressed Man” of 2010, stating, “Extremely elegant and inspiring, the true essence of a contemporary man.” He was named one of Vanity Fair’s “Top Hollywood Earners of 2009″ with earnings of $18 million in 2009.