How Robert Pattinson's 37th Birthday Party Turned Into A Twilight Reunion
In May 2023, Robert Pattinson hosted a surprise get-together that featured some familiar faces from the "Twilight" crew. Among the guests were none other than Kristen Stewart, who starred in the series as Bella Swan, and Catherine Hardwicke, the director behind the 2008 film that marked the beginning of the beloved vampire saga. Hardwicke recounted the story of their unexpected reunion on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast.
The director had snuck into the party with her friend and Pattinson's recent co-star in "Mickey 17," Toni Collette. Then to great surprise, Stewart rang the doorbell to check if it was okay for her to join the celebration. Pattinson, being the good host, naturally welcomed her inside. "When Kristen walked into Rob's birthday, she's like, 'Catherine? Rob's birthday? What's going on?'" Hardwicke told podcast host Josh Horowitz. "I go, 'I kinda crashed it with Toni,' and she goes, 'Well, I crashed it too.'"
This unexpected reunion unfolded nearly a decade after the end of Stewart and Pattinson's highly publicized off-screen romance. In the 10 years since their split, both have found happiness with new partners — Stewart is engaged to Dylan Meyer, and Pattinson is embarking on the journey of parenthood with his girlfriend, Suki Waterhouse (via People).
Robert and Kristen's relationship ended in heartbreak
Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, the power duo behind Bella Swan and Edward Cullen in the "Twilight" saga, weren't just turning heads on screen — they were sending fans into a frenzy off-screen too. Sparks flew on the set of the teen vampire drama, and rumors of a real-life romance started swirling. As the "Twilight" saga unfolded, so did the gossip.
From details about their steamy audition to red carpets, Pattinson and Stewart's outings became a game of "are they or aren't they?" It wasn't until 2012 that the two made their first public appearance as a couple at the Teen Choice Awards (per Marie Claire). The confirmation came shortly before tragedy struck: pictures surfaced of Stewart and her "Snow White and the Huntsman" director, Rupert Sanders, kissing.
This led Stewart to publicly apologize for her infidelity and it cost her a role in the upcoming film sequel (via The Mirror). She finally opened up about the incident, which eventually led to her split from Pattinson, years later. "It wasn't innocent, that was a really hard period of my life," Stewart admitted on The Howard Stern Show. Of choosing not to speak on her relationship with Pattinson, the "Spencer" actor reflected: " ... I was so self-conscious about seeming like an attention-seeker. We were together for years, that was my first [love]."
Robert and Kristen are on different paths now
After the "Twilight" era, both Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart pursued different journeys — For Pattinson this meant more privacy, meanwhile, Stewart has been open about her sexuality and experiences in Hollywood. Ever since his relationship with Stewart ended in 2013, Pattinson has been cautious about discussing his romantic life in the media. He entered into a relationship with British singer FKA twigs in 2014 — the couple was engaged but eventually split in 2017 (via Us Weekly). Shortly after, the "Batman" actor began dating model Suki Waterhouse, and the couple are now expecting a child.
Kristen Stewart's journey after "Twilight" has been marked by her openness about her sexuality. In 2015, she confirmed in an interview with Elle U.K. that she was dating visual effects producer Alicia Cargile. This marked the beginning of Stewart's public acknowledgment of her relationships with women.
Stewart revealed that she had a disdain for her early experiences of hiding her relationships due to societal expectations. " ... There were things that have hurt people I've been with. Not because I felt ashamed of being openly gay but because I didn't like giving myself to the public ... It felt like such thievery," she told InStyle.