Story: Before the first installment of the
Twilight saga even hit theaters on Nov. 21, 2008, Life & Style was already scooping the allegedly budding romance between its stars, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. As mortal Bella Swan and vampire Edward Cullen, the young pair spurred rumors from the onset. "They got along so well that people were convinced they were secretly in love," an insider told the magazine in early November of last year. "They were very touchy-feely around each other and they seemed to share a lot of inside jokes." The only problem: The 18-year-old actress was already dating former co-star Michael Angarano. But apparently that didn’t stop Robert from reportedly
proposing to her on set "on several occasions."
Verdict: Fiction. Chalk it up to good acting skills and a sense of humor. Perhaps the actor was merely gearing up for the second installment of the series,
New Moon, in which his character does in fact propose to Bella. The only truth in this story is that Kristen has a penchant for taking on-screen romance off-screen.
Story: After
Twilight brought in more than $150 million at the box office during its first month in theaters, the teen vampire romance garnered a lot of attention—as did its stars. Fame had allegedly taken its toll on 22-year-old Robert, who was reportedly showing up hungover to meetings, and teenaged Kristen, who allegedly turned to a different substance to cope with her newfound fame. "It’s no secret that Kristen likes to unwind by
smoking pot, a source told Life & Style.
Verdict: Fact. Kristen’s pot smoking went public shortly after this rumor started, when
TMZ published pictures of her lighting up. And while there’s no word on just how much the vampire-playing Pattinson likes to drink (not blood), he certainly does do it, as this
X17 video proves.
Story: Continuing with what was Life & Style’s seemingly exclusive coverage of Robsten, as they came to be known, in March 2009 the magazine reported the co-stars had been
hooking up again. "We went through a lot together, so we feel very close," Kristen said of Robert. But the tabloid suggested more was going on—she reportedly blushed "uncontrollably" when asked about kissing her leading man at a news conference. Still, as they began filming the second
Twilight film,
New Moon, Taylor Lautner (who plays werewolf Jacob Black in the series) threatened to come between them. "Taylor takes it very seriously," Rachelle Lefevre, who plays villainous vampire Victoria, told Life & Style. "He’s going to be sure that his relationship with Kristen is just as intense and has just as much chemistry."
Verdict: Fiction. Besides the obvious embarrassment any 18-year-old would experience in discussing her romantic exploits, the actress recently made it perfectly clear that she and Taylor are not an item. "If people started asking me if I was dating Taylor [Lautner], I’d be like ‘F*** off!’" she told
Entertainment Weekly. At which Robert looked at Taylor and replied, "Me too."
Story: With his character, Jacob, taking center stage in
New Moon, Taylor Lautner had to gain some muscle—reportedly 30 pounds worth. Life & Style reported that Kristen took notice: She and Taylor were allegedly
spotted dining out and walking together on March 18, much to Robert’s alleged dismay. "He’s feeling very worried about his status as a fading superstar," an insider told the magazine.
Verdict: Fiction. Though Kristen did tell
MTV Taylor is "really buff," the newly jacked Jacob was busy romancing someone else in Vancouver, where
New Moon was filming—16-year-old Disney starlet Selena Gomez, who was filming
Beezus and Ramona nearby. "I went to Vancouver thinking I was going to focus on my work, but instead I got to meet him, and it ended up being the best thing ever," Selena told
Seventeen in September. "He is so sweet. Taylor has made me so happy. I didn’t know I could be that happy."
Story: Shortly after reporting that Taylor and Kristen were taking their onscreen romance to the streets of Vancouver, Life & Style reported that
Twlight star Nikki Reed was having
late-night rendezvous with Robert. "Rob’s been flirting with everyone on set in front of Nikki, even though they’ve been sleeping together," an insider told the magazine, saying the actor "leads her on."
Verdict: Fiction. Besides the eerie fact that Nikki plays Robert’s character’s sister in the saga, she recently told
Seventeen, "A few weeks ago I was at this event, and they said, ‘You missed Rob’s birthday, how do you feel?’ And I said, ‘I called him, it’s fine.’ And they wrote, ‘She’s clearly bitter over the breakup.’ I’m like, what breakup? Rob and I were never together."
Story: Another tabloid finally hopped on the
Twilight bandwagon in April. When Taylor, Nikki, and fellow
Twilight actor Jackson Rathbone reportedly headed to Robert Pattinson’s impromptu jam session at his hotel after a Sage & the Dills concert in Vancouver on April 18,
Ok! made particular mention of only one guest—Kristen Stewart.
Verdict: Fact. Lead singer Sage told the
magazine, "We just got really creative" of Robert’s intimate hotel-room rock/country musical after party. "Everything blended together really well."
Story: Forever with their finger on Robsten’s everlasting pulse, Life & Style took its reportage and Robert and Kristen’s relationship to the next level, claiming they’d reached the "
meet the parents" stage. On May 13, the magazine reported, Kristen met Robert’s parents, Richard and Clare. At his 23rd birthday party, Kristen allegedly bonded with the Pattinsons at Vancouver’s Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar.
Verdict: Fact. Yes, Kristen did meet Robert’s parents, who were in town, but so did
Twlight actors Ashley Greene and Jamie Bower, as these
Splash News photos reveal. Plus, Life & Style also reported Kristen’s longtime boyfriend, Michael Angarano had already
visited the Vancouver set twice. "It doesn’t make my relationship harder. It’s not like, ‘Maybe I should be with [Pattinson] to make them happy and it’ll make me more popular!’" she told
USA Today, laughing about the rumors in April. She added that Michael "is totally not a threatened guy. But, dude, it sucks."
Story: After auctioning off two kisses on the cheek for $28,000 apiece to benefit AIDS research in Cannes, Robert had more charitable lips to offer at an afterparty at Hôtel du Cap, Life & Style reported. The magazine claimed the 23-year-old began
flirting with Los Angeles resident Erika Dutra at Eden Roc bar. An eyewitness told Life & Style the young actor was "smitten" and spent two and a half hours sipping drinks with her. "Robert took pictures of her, and they were even seen kissing," the source continued. "There was serious chemistry between them."
Verdict: Fact-ish. Pictures? Yes—here’s
one of the few Life & Style published. But chemistry? Apparently not. The former University of Southern California student made her Facebook page private (as it remains) and has not been seen out publicly with Robert since.
Story: The week the Robsten rumors truly started to gain some legs was at the MTV Movie Awards in May. As Robert and Kristen took the stage to accept their award for "Best Kiss" at Universal City’s Gibson Amphitheatre, millions of viewers watched on worldwide, hoping for the pair to re-create their Bella and Edward moment. But as the two silently stared at each other,
parting lips and moving closer, Kristen backed away from the steamy moment. "Thank you sooo much," she told the audience before darting. Life seemingly imitated art.
Verdict: Fiction. There was no denying the staged chemistry Kristen and Robert created for MTV’s viewers, but a source told
Ok! the romance was one-sided. "Although [Robert] knew Kristen had a boyfriend, he made no secret of the fact that he was
crazy about her ," one of her friends explained to the magazine. "A lot of guys would not be as understanding," the source said of Kristen’s boyfriend of five years. "But one thing Michael is not quite as understanding of is all the gossip about her and Pattinson."
Story: Before Robert and Kristen accepted their MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss, Life & Style claims the couple practiced
lip locking at a photoshoot for
New Moon on May 27 in Montepulciano, for 10 1/2 hours. So do Robert and Kristen have the same chemistry as Edward and Bella? "I saw them surfing the Internet together," a bartender at the Grand Hotel Admiral Palace in nearby Chianciano told the magazine. "They were looking and laughing at something."
Verdict: Fiction. If there is even a story here, its legitimacy certainly seems off base. These are "actors," of course, thus putting the kissing in question. And are laughter and cyberspace reserved only for significant others?
Story: The morning after their not-quite kiss at the MTV Movie Awards, the
Twlight stars reportedly
spent the night at a West Hollywood hotel named for one-time resident Charlie Chaplin. Their cottage allegedly had two bedrooms and two baths, which clearly sounds very romantic. And that’s the problem,
Ok! claims. "Robert is completely frustrated. If Kristen isn’t interested in a serious relationship, she needs to tell him so he can move on," one source said, claiming he gave her until they returned to Vancouver to shoot
Eclipse, the saga’s third installment. "He’s asked her to choose between him and Michael," the insider claimed.
Verdict: Fact—at least their shared stay at the Charlie Chaplin House, based on these
paparazzi photos. Whether they were in the same room or not remains a mystery. But joint accommodations do not necessarily a couple make—a publicity department, however, yes.
Story: Using castmate Ashley Greene as fuel for Robsten’s reported fire, Life & Style built on the love allegedly blossoming over viral videos. In June, the magazine quoted Ashley, who plays Rob’s onscreen sister, Alice Cullen, as saying, "I get little crushes on a lot of people who I work with." Perhaps she does, but, "For Rob, half the attraction with Kristen was
the chase," an insider added. The reality of winning her from ex-boyfriend Michael, however, was not nearly as fun. "Now that Rob’s with her," the insider went on, "it’s just anticlimactic." Ashley hinted the "are they or aren’t they" Robsten status was getting in the way. "Maybe they should just not be a couple until after the fourth movie,
Breaking Dawn," she said.
Verdict: Fact. Though the couple did not confirm their relationship to anyone at that point, there is truth in Rob’s apparent enchantment with wanting what he can’t have. While it may relate more to Bella than Kristen, in speaking about
New Moon in Paris to
20 Heures, the actor said, "It’s all about the thrill of the chase, which in my opinion is the best the part of a relationship."
Story: While Life & Style alleged their love had grown cold after they finally got together, Ok! claimed absence was tearing the two apart physically but bringing them closer together emotionally. While Rob was in New York shooting
Remember Me, Kristen was chopping off her hair to play Joan Jett in the rock biopic
The Runaways. "It’s no secret that their relationship has been heating up these past few months," a source said. "They are attracted to each other, and there is definitely
something very special going on between them." The source added that they had been constantly communicating via phone and text to "check in."
Verdict: Fiction. Rob is allegedly not the type to be in constant communication. "I don’t see people. I don’t even have people’s phone numbers," he told
GQ. "I almost don’t want to have a girlfriend, in this environment." Though he did say "almost"…leading to...
Story: As cameras rolled on Robert’s Central Park set of
Remember Me, rumors began about him and his co-star,
Lost’s Emilie de Ravin. Seeing the two
kiss on film was allegedly too much for Kristen, who "flipped out" when she saw photos of the pair in full lip-lock, according to a friend of Rob’s. "They’re definitely getting close—you can tell it’s more than a work relationship," one eyewitness said. They were allegedly seen off-set as well, spending time at Manhattan’s Soho House and Gemma.
Verdict: Fiction. It seems Kristen could care less about Rob’s reportedly romantic on-set antics. "He probably proposes to several girls a day," she told
GQ "bone-dryly" of their rumored engagement. "It’s sort of his thing. He thinks it’s cute." She did
not sound amused nor interested.
Story: Just two weeks after Life & Style said Rob had broken things off with Kristen for Emilie, Ok! claimed the original on-and-off-screen lovers would be reuniting at Comic-Con in San Diego on July 23 and Kristen allegedly planned to win her man back. "Her friends are insisting she
look as hot as she can when she and Rob see each other so he will fall head over heels with her all over again," a friend said. "And Kristen is taking their advice to heart. She asked her
Runaways stylist to find her a sexy sundress and a couple of great outfits to wear at the convention [so] that Rob won’t be able to take his eyes off her."
Verdict: Fact. Rob and Kristen did in fact reunite at the place and time Ok! claimed, but Kristen’s motives remain a mystery. Though perhaps her goal was still to make Rob weak in the knees, a sundress was certainly not her weapon of choice. In various photos (like these
Getty Images), Kristen’s Joan Jett-inspired locks, baggy T-shirt, and hoodie are not exactly oozing sweet sundress sex appeal.
Story: While Ok! continued pondering their impendent Comic-Conmeet up, People finally gave Rob their
cover. Signs were pointing to romance at least in one direction for Rob and Kristen when they would reunite on the set of Eclipse in August. "He’s a total ladies’ man," an insider said about Rob. "She’s unattainable, and that makes her attractive to him." Another source told the magazine that when it comes to Kristen, Rob strays from his typical player role. "She’s the one girl he can’t get," the source said.
Verdict: Fact. A recent
Harper’s Bazaar cover shoot reports on Rob and Kristen’s palpable chemistry and her rough-on-all-edges attitude. "I have a no-bullshit detector," Kristen claims about her seemingly nonexistent romantic side. Rob admitted he was "kind of intimidated" upon meeting her for the first time and realized she was "unique." He went on to say, "You really don’t meet many people like Kristen." Is that code for girls who cannot resist his literally other worldly ways?
Story: As Kristen, Rob, and the rest of the
Twilight cast prepared themselves for the Teen Choice Awards on Aug. 9, the half-underage pair was allegedly seen drinking at L.A.’s Chateau Marmont on Aug. 7, where they held hands and
kissed "passionately." When they went up to their room at 1:30 a.m., Rob was reportedly wobbling a little and they "were giggling like two naughty schoolgirls."
Verdict: Fiction. The emasculating simile aside, the only
photographic evidence of Kristen and Rob at the celebrity haunt on the 7th are of the pair separately, albeit evading the paparazzi’s flashes. However, the following day, the pair did
dine together Palihouse Hotel with another man and woman and their respective Ray Bans and cigarettes. Is that their knees touching? It must be love.
Story: Yes, Ok! did indeed have the inside scoop on the
Twilight wedding—from the flowers to the cake to the dress to the ring to bridal party. The
wedding bells, however, were not sounding for Rob and Kristen, but their onscreen characters, Edward and Bella. For the third installment of the vampire teen lit-turned-film phenomenon,
Eclipse, the producers reportedly brought author Stephenie Meyer’s visions to life.
Verdict: TBD. Because
Eclipse has a tentative release date of June 30, 2010, there’s no word on whether Ok!’s coverage of this fictional ceremony is accurate. While we wait with baited breath for the next seven months, however, InStyle did feature these exclusive designer sketches of Bella’s would-be
wedding dress, because what’s better than imagined images of an imaginary wedding for imaginary people?
Story: Rob and Kristen’s alleged
house, featured in Ok!, is a very very very fine house. The
Twicons reportedly "can’t be apart," an insider says of the pair, who apparently shacked up in Vancouver while filming
Eclipse. Robsten, it seems, microwave Hot Pockets, have a bathroom complete with Jacuzzis, and listen to the Rolling Stones, according to the magazine.
Verdict: Fiction. Kristen recently told Interview, "I don’t leave my hotel room—literally, I don’t," in response to all the tabloid stories about her. Well, if she’s literal, then it must be true. There is, however, some truth to Ok!’s story—Rob does love microwave meals, he told
Extra.
Story: Sadly, the tabloids last left us with the
reported breakup of the glory couple, much
to the dismay of Twi-hard teens worldwide. "Rob was talking marriage," a
friend of the couple tells Ok!. But Kristen was allegedly on a different
page. "She was giving Rob all her attention to the exclusion of everyone
else," the insider adds, noting one particularly difficult to overlook
New Moon co-star—Taylor Lautner. "She shot some physically
intimate stuff with him"and couldn’t help noticing his bod. His hot bod,"
another source claimed. Others say the London vs. Los Angeles debate and
his swooning female fans were the cause of their supposedly temporary
split.
Verdict: Fiction. It’s hard to say what will come of Robsten, based on
Kristen’s latest, most confusing comment to
Entertainment Weekly,
"There’s no answer that’s not going to tip you one way or the other. Think
about every hypothetical situation: ‘Okay, we are. We aren’t. I’m a
lesbian.’" But with their recently released
hand-
holding photos, published to much mockery from co-stars Peter Facinelli
and Kellan Lutz via
Twitter, keep fans holding on to the hope that Robsten
will live on.
