Robert Pattinson, the brooding star of The Batman, revealed an interesting anecdote from his early acting career. He said that his initial approach to the Twilight character almost cost him the role.
Robert Pattinson, famous now for playing the role of Batman, was once at a juncture in his early acting career where he almost lost a role that later defined his future. The British actor became a household name from the role of Edward Cullen in the Twilight Saga, revealing how his unconventional way of approaching the character almost cost him this iconic role.
Pattinson rose to fame in 2008, starring in Twilight. He played the gloomy vampire Edward Cullen, the character in the book by Stephanie Meyer. However, his way to success, which eventually granted him the status of an actor in Hollywood and the right to later explore more complex characters in The Lighthouse and The Devil All the Time, was everything but smooth.
But it’s worth pointing out that this was during the late 2000s, and there was almost a kind of cultural shift; a lot of dudes were just embracing their emotional sides, at least partly through fashion and attitude. For Pattinson, the era seeped into everything, from his personal style to how he approached acting. In GQ, he mentioned that his wanting to play Edward Cullen with an “art-y” edge and really emotional got him almost canned from the project. He explained that at 21, he wanted to put intensity into the role because he felt making Edward more “emo” was the right way to go in the direction of the character.
“I was 21 and kind of wanted to make [Twilight] as art-y as possible,” Pattinson recalled. His approach, however, clashed with the studio’s vision. Evidently, it was the producers who were concerned with making the film too dark and heavy emotionally, fearing that such a development would turn off the target audience. This came to a head in a creative tension that moved Pattinson to frustration because he was caught in two conflicted directions.
“It just seems so ridiculous talking about it now because I was literally – I spent so much time just infuriated,” he revealed. The actor showed an understanding that much of his behavior was then likely driven by his age when he mentioned that he could hardly come to terms with what he did those days.
The situation had to be resolved through the intervention of Pattinson’s management. It was while shooting the most important scene where Edward introduces Bella to his family Pattinson had his agent and manager visit him on set. He thought it was just another norm rehearsal, yet indeed, it was a setup for lunch to drop the bomb: “Whatever you are doing right now, after lunch, just do the opposite, or you will be fired by the end of the day”. Knowing he meant business, Pattinson lightened up and even found a few more opportunities for smiles.
He could now balance his artistic instincts with the decidedly commercial demands of the film. The entire experience taught him the element of flexibility and collaboration required in the business, lessons that most likely have translated into his later career as an actor. Today, Pattinson’s career reflects growth and adaptability, and a diverse filmography that indicates range and depth as a performer.
