Playing a movie villain usually goes one of two ways: either the actor gets way too theatrical, or they just sit there and brood. But Robert Pattinson, who’s on an absolute roll right now, is doing something completely different.
With major roles lined up in both ‘The Odyssey‘ and ‘Dune,’ the British actor is offering a twist on how we view bad guys on screen. Instead of playing it safe, he uses a unique personal motto to keep everyone off-balance and make his characters totally unpredictable.
Robert Pattinson Lowers The Bar To Steal The Show
In recent years, Robert Pattinson has totally embraced his dark side. While chatting with PEOPLE about playing the main antagonist in ‘The Odyssey’ at the movie’s world premiere in London on July 6, a reporter asked if he enjoys exploring his sinister side.
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“I do. I like lowering people’s expectations; that’s always my favorite, that’s always my place to be. Undersell and overdeliver, that’s my motto,” he said. It is a counterintuitive strategy for the Hollywood star, but one that has consistently allowed him to surprise audiences.
In Christopher Nolan’s grand IMAX adaptation of Homer’s epic Greek novel, which hits theaters on July 17, Pattinson portrays Antinous. The conniving character aggressively vies for Penelope’s (Anne Hathaway) hand in marriage.
He is sure that her husband, Odysseus (Matt Damon), who has been missing since the Trojan War, won’t return. Antinous aims to exploit the hero’s absence, claim the throne of Ithaca for himself, and systematically eliminate the couple’s young son, Telemachus (Tom Holland).
Despite these overtly ruthless motivations, Pattinson views his character through a very sympathetic lens. On the red carpet, he shared his personal impression of Antinous’ place in the movie. “I don’t think he’s really the bad guy,” he said of the character.
“I think he’s just like…It’s a love story, it’s a love story. Penelope is just waiting for Antinous to get older.” This skewed interpretation injects a layer of unexpected dark humor into Homer’s ancient text, transforming a tyrant into an arguably delusional romantic rival.
Shapeshifting Through Hollywood’s Most Anticipated Universes
Meanwhile, the ancient Greek epic is just the beginning of the actor’s dark turn, as Pattinson will also play a major villain in another blockbuster this year with ‘Dune: Part Three.’ In the highly anticipated sci-fi sequel directed by Denis Villeneuve, he portrays Scytale.
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The character is a deceptive, shapeshifting Face Dancer who orchestrates a complex political conspiracy to overthrow Timothée Chalamet’s imperial ruler, Paul Atreides. Interestingly, his villainous roles in ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘Dune: Part Three’ reunite him with recurring co-star Zendaya.
The duo recently starred together in the thriller ‘The Drama.’ To craft these distinct internal worlds, the actor relies on subtle physical eccentricities that keep his performances totally erratic.
At the film event, Pattinson teased the tricks he uses to help himself get into character on set. “There’s always one little thing that you kind of do every movie. I always find some kind of little quirk. I’m trying to remember what it was on this,” he said.
“I remember doing something which a lot of people thought I was very strange doing, but I can’t remember [what].” Whether he is sporting an eccentric wardrobe or drawing on film inspirations, Pattinson’s approach ensures his antagonists are never mere caricatures.
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