Robert Coppola Schwartzman (born December 24, 1982) is the lead singer of the rock band Rooney. He has also acted in the short black and white film Lick the Star, The Virgin Suicides, both directed and co-written by his cousin Sofia Coppola. He has also acted in The Princess Diaries. He adopted his grandfather's first name as part of his stage name. He was a vocalist for the song "Party" by Demi Lovato.

Personal life

Schwartzman was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Talia Shire (née Coppola) and the late producer Jack Schwartzman. Many other members of Schwartzman's family are involved in film; he is the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola, cousin of Nicolas Cage, Sofia Coppola, Roman Coppola and Christopher Coppola, and grandson of Italia Coppola (née Pennino) and Carmine Coppola (the source of his old stage name). His brother is Jason Schwartzman, lead singer of the band Coconut Records (also an actor and former drummer of the band Phantom Planet) and his half-brother is cinematographer John Schwartzman. Carmine is of Italian descent on his mother's side and Jewish descent on his father's.Interfaith Celebrities Five Beautiful Women A Violinist and One - InterfaithFamily.com

Career

Schwartzman attended Windward School in Los Angeles, California. Schwartzman formed his band Rooney in his junior year of school in 1999. He left the band temporarily when he attended Eugene Lang College in New York City in 2001. Schwartzman wrote songs in his dorm room and flew home every month to perform new material for Rooney in his first semester at college. Most of the songs on the first Rooney album were written while in college. It was during this time that he realized that he wanted to go back to Los Angeles and pursue a professional career in music with Rooney. Shortly after he left school, he was signed to Geffen/Interscope records in early 2002. Rooney recorded their first album in June 2002. They also were selected by Schwartzman's friend, Johnny Ramone, for the Ramones tribute album entitled We're A Happy Family, which was released in early 2003. Rooney opened for Weezer in the summer of 2002, it was their first national support slot. The next tour the band landed was with the band The Strokes. Rooney's album was finally released in May 2003 and has since sold approximately 500,000 copies. The band had a cameo appearance in an episode of The O.C., "The Third Wheel". Their song "Blueside" was featured on the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 soundtrack and their song "I'm Shakin'" was featured on an episode of the daytime soap opera All My Children.