Both actors play major parts in some of the most successful film franchises of all time. But age isn’t the only thing that sets Robert Pattinson and Ian McKellen apart; they also took very different routes to end up in their successful career path. This blog will delve into the pasts of these celebrated actors, highlighting their training and best work to date.
Sir Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen realised he was good at acting from a very early age. He had a fascination with theatre that developed in early childhood, and led to his first Shakespearean role at 13 playing Malvolio in Twelfth Night. He was fortunate enough to attend schools that gave him great performance opportunities, such as Bolton School where Ian acted in the annual classical play in front of an 800-strong audience. He also attended summer performing arts camps in Stratford-upon-Avon to build on his skills.
Also a strong academic student, at the age of 18 Ian McKellen secured a scholarship to read English at Cambridge University. He took part in many undergraduate productions and mixed with other influential performers, and on graduating decided to abandon his scholastic studies and follow his dreams to become a serious actor.
In the years to follow, Ian appeared in countless West End productions and performed on stage with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He became a well known and respected theatre actor and was knighted in 1990 for his contribution to the arts.
More recently Sir Ian has swapped the stage for the silver screen, appearing in three of the biggest film series’ of our times – The X-Men movies and Peter Jackson’s trilogies The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, for which he was the only actor to receive an Academy award nomination.
Robert Pattinson
Born in London in 1986, Robert Pattinson was always born to be a performer, but he was first a talented musician before he found his aptitude for acting. He plays the guitar and the piano, writes and sings his own songs and his material has featured in the films he stars in.
It wasn’t until Robert was 15 that he decided to join a local drama group. He had admitted to never taking up drama in school, and learnt everything he knows from his extra curricular activities. He has actually been quoted in saying he owes everything to the Barnes Theatre Group which he attended regularly as a teenager. After just two years of learning the craft and performing in amateur productions, Robert’s acting career took flight as he was cast in a TV movie, Curse of the Ring.
After an exceptional performance in the fourth Harry Potter film, Robert quickly evolved from TV appearances to Hollywood in a matter of months. He beat 3,000 people to the role of Edward Cullen in the cult teen movie adaptation of the Twilight books. Apart from finding fame and being adored by millions of girls worldwide, starring in the blockbuster series also cemented his well deserved place in the acting world, and Robert has since took on a variety of different roles to showcase his versatility.
The two actors are at very different points in their career, yet they share one similarity; they did not attend a formal drama school or have any full time training. Collectively they have appearances in 5 major movie franchises under their belt proving that with natural talent and determination, anyone can succeed as a successful performer; these men are a great inspiration for young budding actors.
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