Pattinson first achieved true fame in 2008 when he portrayed Edward Cullen in “Twilight,” though he already had a pivotal role before that as Cedric Diggory in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” His sparkling talents as the century-old vampire quickened the pulse of many adolescents, and middle-aged women, but all that attention would be a double-edged sword for Pattinson.
While the vampire romance wooed a lot of teens, it didn’t steal the hearts of many critics, which led to the movie being widely panned. The franchise had a lot of weak points, the most famous being Kristen Stewart’s stone-faced portrayal of Bella Swan, but Pattinson’s performance also drew some criticism. He was often ridiculed for his brooding facial expressions, and his inability to find chemistry with his leading lady.
None of these criticisms stopped “The Twilight Saga” from making major bank or being a pop culture phenomenon, but Pattinson had his sights set much higher than teen fantasy. In a 2011 Vanity Fair article, Pattinson expressed his concerns about his ability to branch out from the popular series:
“Being in such a specific pigeonhole right now, it’s very strange. Having a persona people recognize, it’s the thing that probably gets you paid the most, but it’s also the thing that virtually every actor in the world doesn’t want. ‘Cause , like, no one would believe me if I wanted to play something ultra-realistic, like a gangster or something.”
Over a decade later, Pattinson has proven himself wrong. While he hasn’t played a gangster yet, I totally believe his portrayal of Eric Packer, and what’s more realistic than a self-absorbed billionaire?