‘Twilight’ heartthrob Rob Pattinson has been in the news a lot lately, but not for his acting. The 26-year-old leading man has been trying to keep a low profile in the wake of his lady love Kristen Stewart’s startling admission that she cheated on her co-star. Maybe now’s the time to look beyond that vampire franchise into what made Robert Pattinson who he is today!

-Pattinson was born in London and began modeling at 12, but saw his offers dwindle when he hit puberty. He looked back at his youthful career with this comment: “When I first started I was quite tall and looked like a girl, so I got lots of jobs, because it was during that period where the androgynous look was cool. Then, I guess, I became too much of a guy, so I never got any more jobs.”

-In his late teens, Pattinson turned to acting and in 2005 played his breakthrough role as Cedric Diggory in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.”

-In 2008, Pattinson landed the star-making part of Edward Cullen in the first installment of the “Twilight” franchise.

-The actor was chosen one of People magazine’s “Sexiest Men Alive” in 2008 and 2009.

-Pattinson has quickly become one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, earning an estimated $27.5 million in 2010. His current net worth is approximately $64 million.

-His favorite TV shows are “American Idol” and “X Factor.”

-Pattinson plays guitar and piano, but had no ambition to be a serious musician.

-He calls the gold-colored contact lenses he wears as Edward Cullen “orange blobs.”

-Just in case he decides not to forgive Kristen Stewart for cheating, here’s what Pattinson may be looking for in his next romance. He told Closer magazine, “The stuff I find attractive in women, I always regret finding attractive. I always like a kind of madness in a woman, and when they are really, really strong. And they’re the worst – mental, strong women! But I like it when they hate me right from the beginning.”