“Twilight? Oh, That’s Old News—I’m Batman Now!
Credit: Unsplash
Vampire…Batman…and Funny? How Does He Do It?
Imagine walking into an airport, minding your own business, and a passport control officer tells you, “Hey, you’re that vampire guy! Why’d you quit acting?” That’s exactly what happened to Robert Pattinson, who learned firsthand that not everyone knows he traded sparkling for a Batmobile.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Pattinson hilariously recounted the awkward moment during a trip to St. Vincent and the Grenadines with his fiancée, Suki Waterhouse. The officer at passport control recognized him, but apparently, her knowledge of his career stopped circa 2012, when Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 hit theaters.
Robert Pattinson says an immigration officer recently stopped him and said, “Hey, you’re the guy from ‘Twilight’. Why’d you stop acting?”
"I was like… I’m Batman?”
(via @nytimes) pic.twitter.com/BaZLOWBRsr
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) December 4, 2024
“She said, ‘Why’d you stop acting?’” Pattinson explained, laughing. Caught off guard, he responded in the only way he knew how: “I’m Batman?” Unfortunately, his suave reveal didn’t land as expected. “She just laughed,” he added, clearly realizing his Caped Crusader cred wasn’t going to save him from this one.
From Glitter to Gotham
Robert Pattinson’s journey from teenage heartthrob to indie darling and superhero superstar has been anything but predictable. After retiring his sparkly Edward Cullen persona, he didn’t quit acting—he just quit blockbusters for a while.
Instead, Pattinson took a detour into edgy, arthouse cinema. He delivered jaw-dropping performances in films like The Lighthouse (where he shared a lighthouse and a lot of tension with Willem Dafoe), Good Time (as a desperate thief on the run), and High Life (a trippy space drama by Claire Denis). These roles proved that Pattinson wasn’t just the guy who made girls swoon—he could also make film critics do double takes.
Holy Bat-Signal, He’s Back!
Robert Pattinson pic.twitter.com/xQnXayZnbo
— Stephanie (@TigerMarlowe) November 27, 2024
Then came The Batman, where Pattinson ditched the playboy Bruce Wayne image for a broody, emo twist. Instead of swanky cocktail parties, his Bruce probably spent his evenings curating a Spotify playlist called “Rainy Nights and Justice.”
“I thought, what if Bruce is this socially awkward recluse?” Pattinson said, explaining his unique take on the role. Turns out, audiences loved his gritty, vulnerable Caped Crusader, and the film’s massive success secured his spot in the DC universe. He’s now signed on for a trilogy, with the next installment set to swoop into theaters in 2026.
In typical self-deprecating Pattinson fashion, he joked about his newfound franchise fame: “I could genuinely be retiring by the end of them.”
Robert Pattinson breaks down his most iconic characters including his roles in #Batman, #HarryPotter, and #Twilight
Watch here: https://t.co/xOBLmSyV6F pic.twitter.com/aAxisuZUeo
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) February 8, 2022
The Airport Chronicles
Pattinson’s tale is both funny and humbling. Even Batman himself can’t escape the shadow of his teenage vampire years. But it’s a reminder that reinvention is part of the journey. Whether you’re a sparkly vampire, a broody detective, or just someone trying to prove you’re more than your past, there’s always room for a plot twist.
As Pattinson gears up for Bong Joon Ho’s sci-fi epic Mickey 17, hitting theaters in April 2025, it’s clear he’s still got plenty of stories to tell. And maybe next time he’s at passport control, he’ll skip the “I’m Batman” line and just hand over a signed movie poster.
