Robert Pattinson and Leonardo DiCaprio both started their acting careers as attractive young men who were impossible to ignore on camera. And while DiCaprio might be getting a little old to play roles that have a Titanic appeal, Pattinson is just starting to reach a peak of recognition that may charm a new generation of movie-goers. Both have the traditional appeal of a leading man on screen. And both can’t stop getting compliments from critics on how handsome they are. But where Leonardo DiCaprio began his fame pleading at the hands of his star-crossed lover to go on living, Robert Pattinson lies dead at the feet of a dark wizard.
DiCaprio has always played roles whose descriptions can be prefaced by the word charming; young artist, billionaire philanthropist, corporate thief. Not so for Robert Pattinson. Not to say that Pattinson isn’t a charming actor, but even if Edward Cullen did have a certain likable shyness about him, he still watched Bella in her sleep. What was up with that? The undeniable charisma both these men have on-screen shares a similar allure for audiences, but each has their own particular…flavor. The mania we saw for DiCaprio after starring in Titanic was similar to the insatiable draw people had to Pattinson during the Twilight era. But even when we watch Leo descend into madness during Shutter Island, it’s nowhere near the kind of crazy Pattinson gave us in The Lighthouse. In every role that might be comparable between the two, Robert Pattinson gave us something more raw, more emotional, darker.
What Makes a Leading Man?
Though the term is outdated, a "leading man" usually refers to the star of the film with the biggest audience appeal. It's typically used in movies with a narrative focused on a single character. Like everything Tom Hanks has been in. Both these gentlemen have played parts in which the camera could not ignore them and has found them both as the center of audience attention. But this Hollywood meta-role has had bigger feet than either of theirs fill its shoes. In the old days, it was known for being a type that Humphrey Bogart didn't just play but defined in cinema. Casablanca (1942) remains one of the most romantic movies of all time.
As for a man who is still alive that could be considered leading, George Clooney was quite popular in the early 2000s, mostly known for his starring role in Ocean's Eleven (2001). But interestingly enough, he has also played the part that has all our eyes fixed again on Robert Pattinson: Batman. Even though it was a tad more cartoonish than the brooding caped crusader we see today, superhero roles often lead into this position of being center stage in Hollywood. Leonardo DiCaprio's best movies are certainly focused on him in a similar way, even though he isn't playing a comic book character. Regardless of whether he was a frozen explorer or a mysterious dream thief, he possesses a screen presence that not many actors have. Of course, those that do aren't all men. To give some examples of the female gender, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are among those in the renowned position of leading lady. And Zendaya may be shooting up to the title as well, though it's still early in her career.
Both of these men fit this role phenomenally. Or at least one of them used to. Leonardo DiCaprio is now switching to parts that better fit his age. Don't Look Up is a movie more concerned with its message than abs. Which is what a good film is meant to do, but there is no denying it implies his transition into the more mature half of his career.
Robert Pattinson Wants to Take You Somewhere Darker
Robert Pattinson is changing. After becoming Edward Cullen in Twilight, he could work wherever he wanted, and most of the parts he took were in art-house films. In interviews, he has admitted that he prefers to work on smaller, more meaningful pictures than on large franchise-based films. In fact, in a GQ interview, it was noted that his plan was to do Batman so he could make his money and then go back to doing indie films. Regardless of what the actor wants to do in his career, he imbues his roles with a particular emotionality that influences his performance.
Along with discussing his Bat Playlist, he spent hours alone in the Batsuit mixing ambient electronic music. The Lighthouse, The Batman, The Devil All the Time -- all the characters Pattinson plays in these are consumed by a deep fear that manifests itself in a terrible rage. He is not a bright-eyed backpacker living on a mythical beach, and his fans know it.
That's why people love him. Where Leonardo DiCaprio is the cool kid in high school that's so magnanimous he can still be friends with the nerds, Robert Pattinson is the deep, brooding Goth kid who is so enigmatic everyone in school is dying to discover his secrets. DiCaprio is a shining light of charisma and friendship, and Pattinson is his equally influential shadow, consumed by his Doc Martins and thirst for blood. He is the hero this genre needs.