Robert Pattinson’s character in “Life” shines behind the camera rather than in front of it, as the “Twilight” actor plays a photojournalist profiling James Dean.
Directed by Anton Corbijn (“A Most Wanted Man”), the period drama set in the 1950s follows Dennis Stock (Pattinson) as he meets the up-and-coming Hollywood icon, played by Dane DeHaan.
See-Saw Films and First Generation Films produced “Life,” which also stars Oscar winner Ben Kingsley and Alessandra Mastronardi (“To Rome With Love”). Luke Davies wrote “Life,” and it is co-produced by Wolfgang Mueller and Benito Mueller of Barry Films.
In the stylish trailer, Stock tells his editor that he is “working on a photo essay on a unknown actor … he won’t be unknown for long.”
He describes the “Rebel Without a Cause” and “East of Eden” actor, who died in a car crash at age 24, as having an “awkwardness and something pure.”
“Are you going to make me famous?” asked the tragic star.
The pair became unlikely friends as Stock accompanies Dean to Los Angeles, New York and his hometown of Indiana, taking black-and-white photographs of him that would outlive his short life.
Ultimately, Dean lost his life behind the wheel of his Porsche 550 Spyder “Little Bastard” on Sept. 30, 1955.
He became the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.