Robert Pattinson opens up about buying his dream Shelby Mustang during Twilight and why public breakdowns forced him to ditch it. Read the details!
Hollywood star Robert Pattinson has reflected on his rapid rise to global superstardom following his breakout role as Edward Cullen in the blockbusting Twilight franchise. Speaking in a retrospective interview with GQ, the actor admitted that using his newfound Hollywood earnings to buy his childhood dream car, a vintage Shelby Mustang, quickly backfired into a series of embarrassing public breakdowns.
Pattinson skyrocketed to fame starring alongside Kristen Stewart in The Twilight Saga on Peacock, eventually shifting toward acclaimed indie cinema before stepping into the boots of Bruce Wayne in The Batman on Max.
Why Did Robert Pattinson Regret Buying His Shelby Mustang?
As a young actor adjusting to extreme wealth and intense media scrutiny, Pattinson sought out a classic muscle car inspired by Hollywood action cinema.
- A Childhood Fantasy: Pattinson explained that he had lusted after vintage Ford muscle cars since he was young. "When I was doing Twilight, I got this Shelby Mustang, which is the car I always wanted when I was a kid," Pattinson recalled. "I think it was a GT350, maybe, or a Fastback, like the one from Gone in 60 Seconds."
- The Impracticality of Vintage Muscle: Pattinson quickly discovered that classic high-performance sports cars require constant maintenance and are ill-suited for daily street commuting.
- Humiliating Public Breakdowns: The car regularly refused to start or stalled out in high-traffic tourist areas surrounded by crowds of fans and paparazzi. Pattinson noted the embarrassment of having to manually push his stalled muscle car around street corners while being recognized by onlookers, eventually pushing him to sell the vehicle in favor of reliable transportation.
How Did Robert Pattinson Transition From Teen Idol to Hollywood A-Lister?
Pattinson's car troubles reflect the broader learning curve he experienced while navigating sudden global fame in his early twenties.
- Stepping Away From Blockbusters: Following the conclusion of The Twilight Saga, Pattinson intentionally avoided mainstream studio franchises to focus on challenging roles with auteur directors like David Cronenberg, the Safdie Brothers, and Robert Eggers.
- Returning to A-List Franchises: After proving his range in critically acclaimed indie films like Good Time and The Lighthouse, Pattinson returned to studio filmmaking by starring in Christopher Nolan's Tenet and taking over the Cape and Cowl in Matt Reeves' The Batman.
- Trading the Mustang for the Batmobile: Today, the actor is far more selective about his personal and professional rides, leaving the finicky muscle cars behind while preparing to get back behind the wheel of the Batmobile for upcoming superhero sequels.