José Reyes, asst. features editor 

“The Twilight Saga,” is a film series that is based on the books by Stephanie Meyer. The tale follows the love story of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen throughout five films: “Twilight,” “New Moon,” “Eclipse,” “Breaking Dawn Part I” and “Breaking Dawn Part II.” There are several references to the films that remain known in popular culture today. 

Jacob Black’s line “Bella! Where the hell have you been, loca?” continues to fill my Twitter feed. 

Another is, “About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him — and I didn’t know how dominant that part may be — that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him,” where Bella is talking about Edward after he showed her his sparkly vampire skin. 

While the films have received a great deal of criticism, some points being valid, what has irritated me is that audiences have referred to Kristen Stewart, Bella, and Robert Pattinson, Edward, as bad actors. Stewart has been nominated for Best Actress for her role as Princess Diana in “Spencer” at the 2021 Academy Awards. Stewart has proven repeatedly that she has range as an actress that goes beyond “Twilight.” Stewart’s work in “Clouds of Sils Maria,” “Underwater” and “Adventureland” are testaments to what she has to offer the industry. 

Similarly, Pattinson’s work has gone unrecognized as audiences continue to describe him as the pale and sparkly vampire from “Twilight.” Throughout the entirety of The Twilight Saga films, Pattinson’s character is awkward, and he tries to protect Bella from the forces that threaten their safety. Pattinson plays that character well as the descriptions of Edward from the book are prevalent in his acting. Therefore, it is imperative that the world understands that his acting is limited to the roles he has taken on. Pattinson is more than just the overly traditional vampire who died of the Spanish Flu. The English actor is as one of the highest paid actors, which shows the quality of his work and demand for his on-screen presence. He has also been the protagonist and antagonist of several films by companies like A24, Netflix and Underground Films. 

I will admit, “Twilight” was one of the first of Pattinson’s films that I watched, but it certainly was not the last. “Remember Me,” a film directed by Allen Coulter, shows that Pattinson can play a character who knows loss but is still capable of loving in the end. In “High Life,” directed by Claire Denis, Pattinson plays a father in a completely different capacity than what is depicted in “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II.” In “Tenet,” a complex film by Robert Eggers, the actor’s versatility is captured. He makes an almost unintelligible film worth the watch as he navigates the bending of time and nature like no other. 

Pattinson’s skill is on display in each of these films and each show that he is constantly evolving as an actor. This is exactly why his portrayal of Batman will be one of the best and should not be something that people protest. Pattinson, like his costars from “Twilight,” should not be reduced to a role that they played back in 2008. Instead, I invite audiences to sit back, eat popcorn and enjoy Pattinson in the upcoming “The Batman” in theaters on March 4.