Some people might prefer to erase the Twilight saga from memory (and I’d love to have a little chat with them), but Robert Pattinson’s career after playing a vampire has been nothing short of impressive. While many have rightly praised the English actor for his ability to take on such diverse roles, one person seemed to think Pattinson had disappeared from Hollywood after causing the famous Team Edward vs. Team Jacob rivalry.
In an interview with The New York Times, Pattinson shared a funny story about an encounter at the airport. He and his fiancée, Suki Waterhouse, were approached by an employee who said, “Hey, you’re the guy from Twilight. Why’d you stop acting?” The situation could have been awkward, but Pattinson came up with the perfect response: “I was like… ‘I’m Batman?’”
It’s surprising that someone wouldn’t know that Pattinson went on to play Batman in the 2022 movie The Batman, which was a huge box office success. Edward Cullen might have been a beloved character (and sometimes a cringe-worthy one), but doesn’t Batman have a slightly bigger claim to fame? It was a major moment in Hollywood when Pattinson was cast as the iconic superhero in 2019, especially since he followed in the footsteps of legendary actors like Christian Bale and Michael Keaton.
Though Pattinson hasn’t exactly ditched acting since Twilight, he hasn’t been shy about expressing his less-than-enthusiastic feelings about his role as Edward. He once described the character as “ridiculous” and “a weirdo” — not exactly the kind of words you’d expect someone to use about a role that brought them immense fame. It seems his real frustration was with the intense level of celebrity that came with Twilight, rather than the films themselves. In 2015, Pattinson revealed that he avoided going to supermarkets for six years, and even had fans camped outside his house. That level of attention must have been overwhelming, though by 2019, he softened and looked back on the Twilight experience more fondly, saying, “Now the intensity has died down and it’s just very warm memories.”
Despite his reservations, I think Pattinson should feel proud of his Twilight work. The franchise was a cultural phenomenon, and his portrayal of Edward Cullen proved that he had serious acting chops. Yes, some of the scenes — like watching Bella sleep — might be cringeworthy, but Pattinson made Edward more than just a brooding heartthrob. He made you believe that Edward was a vampire trying to do the right thing. Maybe I’m just defending Pattinson because he seems so down-to-earth and sweet, but I think he did justice to that role.
Regardless, there’s no denying that Pattinson’s career after Twilight has been far more varied and noteworthy. From starring in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet to the dark and atmospheric horror film The Lighthouse, to the gritty crime thriller The Devil All The Time, Pattinson has chosen roles that showcase his versatility and commitment to complex characters. Let’s not forget, he was also in a Harry Potter film before Twilight made him famous.
Maybe the person at the airport will finally watch some of Pattinson’s post-Twilight films after that awkward encounter and be just as impressed as everyone else by his range. At least he doesn’t have to deal with being mobbed by teenage fans at airports anymore, which was the reality back in the Twilight days.