After ‘Twilight‘ turned Robert Pattinson into an international star, it seemed like Hollywood wanted him for every major franchise. He went from a young British actor with a few brief stints to a heartthrob with massive fandom, especially among teens. After playing Edward Cullen for four years, the actor found himself in the middle of rumors tying him to the adaptation of E.L. James‘ novel, ‘Fifty Shades of Grey.’
Reports claimed that R-Patz walked away from the major role, but that’s not exactly how things played out. Addressing the speculation, the actor revealed that he never turned down the offer. Here’s what actually happened.
Robert Pattinson Explains Rejection of Christian Grey’s Role
For a long time, Pattinson was seen as the favorite candidate to portray Christian Grey in the movie adaptation of E.L. James’s best-selling novel. During his 2017 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, the actor shared how he got linked to the film and why he refused to play Grey.
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In response to Stern’s question on why he declined the offer even if James insisted, Pattinson said that despite all the talk about his interest in the role, he never got too involved with the project. When asked again whether he received the offer, the actor recalled a meeting.
“I know the writer of the book. Before any of that happened, I met her in Chateau Marmont. I was talking to her, and she’s a lady from England,” Pattinson said. “This is before the movie happened, and I found out, once her friend told me, ‘Oh, that’s E.L. James. She wrote Fifty Shades of Grey.'”
The discussion then switched to the physical requirements of the role, with Howard assuming that Pattinson probably didn’t want to take on the character who’s into sadomasochism, a type of s–ual practice. In his reply, the actor highlighted how such roles required a lot of workout.
“It’s literally just gonna be exhausting,” he added. Despite the suggestion to spend more time in the gym to get “jacked up” and garner even more female attention, Pattinson said that it has never been his strong point.
“I’ve tried. I tried. It just doesn’t work. Literally, I just can’t. I don’t understand how people do it,” he said. The ‘Fifty Shades’ franchise became a massive hit, but the missed opportunity had little impact on Pattinson’s career, which has taken off in recent years.
Pattinson Made A Career Without Christian Grey
As Pattinson rejected Christian Grey’s role, the part went to Jamie Dornan. He starred alongside Dakota Johnson in all three parts of the franchise. Despite mixed reviews, the films were successful at the box office and became one of the most profitable romantic franchises created by Universal Pictures.
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While Pattinson lost the chance to star in a popular franchise, he chose a different path. Unlike many actors, the actor didn’t want to be part of another blockbuster after ‘Twilight.’ Instead, he focused on independent movies and auteur works.
He worked with some of the finest filmmakers in modern Hollywood, including David Cronenberg, James Gray, and Robert Eggers. Through movies such as ‘Cosmopolis,’ ‘The Lost City of Z,’ ‘Good Time,’ and ‘The Lighthouse,’ the actor proved his acting range and a knack for serious roles.
Eventually, it resulted in Pattinson’s return to the blockbuster genre on his own terms. The actor worked in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ and played Bruce Wayne in ‘The Batman.’ He also appeared in Bong Joon Ho’s ‘Mickey 17.’ The actor reunited with Nolan for the film adaptation of ‘The Odyssey.’
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