Pattinsonmania

Watch out for Pattinsonmania!



In 2008, Robert Pattinson was unknown to the general public. An English former model and largely anonymous actor with an unusual physical appearance, his career was in the doldrums. But since his role as a romantic vampire in “Twilight” he has become a true phenomenon. 



As proof of his success, Robert Pattinson finally made it to Madame Tussauds in London last month, when the managers of this pantheon of celebrities bowed to the wishes of his legions of groupies and created a replica of the handsome thespian known to his fans as “R-Pattz”.

Since its inauguration, his wax statue has attracted thousands of adolescent girls (and often their mothers too) who, while awaiting their chance to meet their idol in the flesh, can at least kiss the cheek of his double as often as they like!

There is no doubt that the actor has a certain charm, with his rebellious attitude and carefully dishevelled look contributing to his mythic appeal. But how has this young man, whose film appearances used to often end up on the cutting room floor, now managed to create such a buzz?

Robert Pattinson’s story is the kind of fairytale that might inspire a Hollywood director. His career trajectory demonstrates how perseverance can pay off in the end. After numerous setbacks, and what must have been the shortest modelling career in history, the young Pattison finally snagged the role of Cedric Diggory in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” in 2005. This was his first real contact with the world of cinema, and brought him to the attention of the industry. At the time, a few critics boldly described him as the next Jude Law. But even they could not have imagined that, just a couple of years later, his popularity would far outstrip that of Mr Law. And when he attended the casting of the “Twilight” saga to audition for the role of Edward Cullen, young Bob himself could never have dreamed that the film would alter his life to such an extent and provoke riots on its release.

This feature film, adapted from the bestseller by Stephenie Meyer, tells of the troubled relationship between a woman, Bella Swan, and a vampire, Edward Cullen. It was a huge box-office hit when released in 2009. “Twilight: New Moon”, the continued adventures of the film’s two leads, was equally successful. And it goes without saying that fans of the series are impatiently awaiting the third instalment, “Twilight: Eclipse”, coming to cinemas on 7 July. The good news for Pattinson’s female admirers is that the “new James Dean” will be omnipresent over the next few months, starring in “Bel Ami” alongside Uma Thurman, in “Water For Elephants”, and then in the western “Unbound Captives”. It seems that his fans will have a chance to get their teeth into Robert for some time to come...