- 6 weeks ago
Pattinson shared how he came to know the Safdie brothers and why he chose to work with the directors.
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00:00Good afternoon, everybody. I'm Scott Feinberg with The Hollywood Reporter, and so glad you could be with us today,
00:06because it is my great honor and privilege to introduce a man who, at just 31, has already proven himself among the finest actors of his generation.
00:18He has packed a ton into the last decade.
00:21We all know that he played a brooding vampire, Edward Cullen, in five phenomenally popular Twilight movies,
00:29which turned him into an international star, and in addition to that series, he has been hired by and done acclaimed work for just about, you know,
00:37he's making his way through all the great directors out there right now.
00:40We've got David Cronenberg twice, Werner Herzog, James Gray, Anton Corbin, David Michaud,
00:45and now in what I and a lot of other people think is his best work yet, what you've just seen, the Softee brothers in Good Time.
00:52So, at this rate, it seems there's nothing that he can't do, and it's extremely exciting to see what he's going to do
00:58over the coming decade and decades.
01:00We do know for sure, though, what he's doing today, and that is joining us here at SCAD for the Savannah Film Festival,
01:07and so I hope you'll join me in welcoming Robert Pattinson.
01:10Wow. Thank you.
01:31And they were doing that before you came out at the end of the movie, so we know they really love this movie.
01:35I like the screams for Werner Herzog as well.
01:39I'm really enthusiastic Werner Herzog.
01:41He's got a big cult down here.
01:43Well, thank you for coming. I know it's a big trip.
01:46And I guess I want to just sort of set the scene for this movie in the broader context of your career.
01:53You know, the world got to know you through the Twilight movies, but even during, in between those,
01:59you, when you, you could have been at home laying on the couch, you know, having a beer, you worked during those hiatuses, or is that the proper plural?
02:08I don't know. During those hiatuses.
02:10And I just wonder, first of all, what that was about.
02:14Were you kind of thinking long-term as far back as that?
02:18Yeah, yeah. I mean, I was kind of, yeah, I think when something becomes, the first Twilight became so big,
02:29and it suddenly, like, your control of your life suddenly feels wrenched away from you.
02:34I think the easiest way to feel like you're controlling it again is just to keep working all the time.
02:39So, yeah, I, yeah, I think there's a period of, like, five years where I just didn't stop, really.
02:45And, you know, we can touch upon some of those, but I think we should also mention just that, to remind people,
02:51because we all know what Twilight became, but the first movie was, as far as you knew when you started to do it,
02:57and the first one was an indie feel, indie budget, indie director, Catherine Hardwick.
03:03It's not like you had suddenly decided, I'm going to go make a massive franchise when you sign up for the first, right?
03:10Yeah, no, not at all. Like, it was, yeah, it was time.
03:13No one ever believes me when I say that now.
03:16But, like, I couldn't even get the books at Barnes & Noble when I did the first one.
03:22You had to order them off Amazon.
03:23It was that early. Yeah, yeah.
03:24Wow. So, post-Twilight, I mentioned some of these filmmakers that you worked with, and it's incredible,
03:29and I just want to list the films now as well.
03:32Cronenberg with Cosmopolis and Maps of the Stars both went to Cannes, Michaud, the Rover, Herzog, Queen of the Desert, Corbin Life,
03:41and James Gray, Lost City of Z, and now this one, of course, with the softies.
03:45Is there anything that all of these share in common?
03:48Is there something that you specifically were seeking that led you to all of these ones?
03:58I mean, character-wise, not really,
03:59but, I mean, I think in terms of directors who have a very singular approach,
04:04they have a very strict identity.
04:07I think you work with someone who you know that they,
04:12if they put their name on something, it's going to be their movie afterwards,
04:15and I was trying to find that, I think.
04:18I think every one of these actors, as they say.
04:22I want to also ask you, you know, if you, I guess with the Softie brothers,
04:28these are guys that have primarily worked with, like, micro-budgets on their movies,
04:34typically not with people who have been actors professionally before.
04:38Or how familiar with their work were you, and how did you guys end up teaming up?
04:44I mean, I wasn't familiar with them at all, embarrassingly.
04:47Like, but I'd seen this still, and I told the story a million times,
04:54but, like, I saw a still on IndieWire website,
05:00and there was just something about it I just really loved.
05:06From one of their earlier movies?
05:07Yeah, from Heaven as well.
05:08And then I kind of committed to this on the strength of, like, nothing.
05:13Like, I mean, I kind of, there was no script for this, there was nothing.
05:16And I really liked them in the meeting, but I hadn't seen anything, really.
05:21They're just charming guys.
05:22Yeah, they are.
05:23They're just so good looking.
05:27Double dose of them.
05:29So they, I guess this script and character, Connie,
05:35it doesn't feel like anything we've seen you do before,
05:38and I wonder if you can kind of pinpoint what some of the specific,
05:43you know, new territory for you was as an actor with this one.
05:47What were the things you were most excited to bite into with this guy
05:50as the script sort of eventually did come together?
05:56I mean, I like things where the moral compass of a character is not,
06:00it's quite vague.
06:03I think the interesting part for me of this movie is that you don't,
06:06I mean, if you add up some of his actions,
06:10he's ostensibly a bad person.
06:13There's something about it that, like,
06:15you can't, like, entirely put him into a box that he's a bad person.
06:21And that's always fun.
06:22It kind of, it frees you up to do quite a lot of different things
06:24in the performance.
06:25But, yeah, I mean, I think that sort of dynamic, like, New York energy,
06:32I think all the movies which I grew up watching
06:36and kind of being influenced by were all that kind of sort of,
06:41like, like, hustlers and stuff.
06:45I'd sort of, like, the opposite of being an English person, basically.
06:50Now, what was your reaction, I guess, how early on did you find out
06:56and what was your reaction to finding out that one of these co-directors,
07:00Benny, was not only going to be directing you
07:02but was also going to be playing your mentally challenged brother?
07:05I mean, it turned out great.
07:08It could have gone very wrong.
07:10I mean, he auditioned for it.
07:14And a lot of people auditioned for it.
07:16And when they sent me Benny's audition tape,
07:23I mean, it's kind of unfair
07:24because Benny can literally improvise as that character for an entire day.
07:29And so, like, no one can really, no one can compete with it at all.
07:33So, yeah, I was kind of, I watched his audition tape
07:36and it was 40 minutes of him in character.
07:39And, I mean, it's just, it was insane.
07:42I mean, I was more nervous about him kind of out-acting me after.
07:47Now, logistically, how does this work?
07:49Like, end of a scene, does he just break character and say cut?
07:54Or how does this work?
07:55Yeah, not really.
07:56I mean, it's kind of, that was,
07:57there were scenes when he has all the bandages on his face after the hospital.
08:01I mean, he's literally kind of, would break character like 25%
08:05and then kind of, so he'd still sort of have his voice and stuff
08:07and then kind of direct me when he's in a scene with me.
08:12But also our character dynamics as well.
08:14I mean, I was literally, whenever he said something,
08:17you're kind of just like, shut up.
08:19I would have to, I would have to get him to say it to Josh
08:21and then say it to me afterwards.
08:23Which, yeah, it was interesting.
08:25I mean, yeah, I was wondering, have you ever had anything like that?
08:27I don't think too many actors have where you're...
08:29I actually did it, the movie I did immediately after it,
08:33I did it with two directors with his illness,
08:35who were both in the movie.
08:38Yeah, so I did it, another sibling double act.
08:42So talk about, was there one scene or moment in this movie
08:48that challenged you the most?
08:49Was there something where you felt,
08:51maybe even when you looked at the call sheet,
08:53you're like, oh, geez, I'm not looking forward to this day.
08:56And then it turned out okay.
08:57I want to just kind of ask you that.
08:59Um, I mean, it was all so kind of, like,
09:07it was very, like, seat of your pants kind of thing,
09:11so you could never really fully prepare for stuff.
09:13I remember the last, the last scene with me and buddy Ray
09:19having an argument, um, that was kind of crazy,
09:24because, I mean, the dynamic of the scene is totally different
09:28from what it was, it was supposed to be me just, like,
09:31completely laying into buddy and just humiliating him.
09:35And, um, buddy the day before was just like,
09:38I'm just not having a scene when, when you're gonna,
09:41you're just gonna humiliate me.
09:42And so, and I remember, like, turning up to set,
09:46and I could just see him sitting in the set, like, ready.
09:50And he planned out all these comebacks.
09:53And, like, um, and we were kind of improvising
09:56a lot of that scene at the end.
09:57And so, uh, but it ended up being kind of interesting
10:02because it's sort of, it's, it's Connie
10:04basically looking in the mirror
10:06and accusing, accusing another person
10:09of being a disgrace when he's just describing himself.
10:12Um, and, uh, but yeah, that, I think that was,
10:15that was one of the more nerve-wracking scenes,
10:17but it was really fun.
10:18How do you like improvising?
10:19Is that something that has been a part
10:21of most of the movies you've worked on,
10:22or not so much?
10:24Um, I don't really like it.
10:26I mean, I like, I really like good writing.
10:29And I think, you know, you'd think if,
10:31if you can just improvise a movie,
10:33then, like, it's completely negates the writing.
10:36I mean, it's like I spend my entire life
10:37trying to look for good scripts.
10:38Like, I kind of want someone to write it well.
10:41But, uh, I think in, in that scene,
10:45especially, if I, if I hype myself up enough
10:48so I don't, I'm not self-conscious at all
10:50and don't understand really what's going on,
10:53sometimes you get a few good pieces out of it.
10:56But, um, yeah, I think it devolves
10:59into just swearing at each other too easily.
11:01Like, everyone's just doing
11:03Reservoir Dogs impressions.
11:05Yeah, right.
11:07Well, one thing that I remembered, uh,
11:09hearing you say was that
11:11you and, I guess, Benny had a,
11:14did some interesting character development
11:15before any of the cameras ever rolled.
11:18And that, but in, and not the normally,
11:21let's just talk about our, our characters
11:23and their history kind of way,
11:24but actually via email?
11:26Um, yeah, we were writing, like, um,
11:30letters from Connie in, in prison.
11:33Um, and we did that for a while.
11:34That was when I was shooting
11:35Lost City of Z.
11:36Um, but, uh, that went on for a while.
11:41And then we did stuff kind of in character,
11:45like just going out into the world,
11:46trying to kind of just see how people reacted
11:50to the, the sibling dynamic between us,
11:53um, which is kind of interesting too.
11:55I suspect not a lot of people
11:57would have recognized you
11:58with this, uh, flop sweat
12:00and all the other things this guy's got.
12:02So, um, well, one thing actually
12:04where I believe there was
12:06on-camera interaction
12:08with just un, un, uh, aware
12:11members of the public
12:12was the mall sequence, right?
12:15Yeah.
12:15How did that work?
12:17Uh, I mean, there was a lot of stuff.
12:19It was interesting
12:19because when we were doing
12:21the police chase, it was funny
12:24because, uh, we had,
12:27no one knew we were shooting a movie,
12:29but people were dressed up as cops,
12:31like, around chasing after us.
12:32But the general public
12:33kept trying to get in the way of the cops
12:35and were, like, like,
12:37trying to tripping them up and stuff,
12:38like, getting out of the way.
12:40But, but then, like,
12:41the ironic thing as well
12:42was that Josh had hired real cops,
12:44so they were actually real cops.
12:46And they were, like,
12:47trying to, they were thinking
12:48about actually arresting the people.
12:49Oh, my God.
12:50So it became, like,
12:51an actual, an actual, uh, crime scene
12:54as we were shooting it.
12:56It's nice to know
12:56they wanted you to get away.
12:57Let's see.
12:58They had your back.
12:59Um, so the movie premiered
13:02at Cannes in May,
13:03uh, was phenomenally received there
13:06and, um, and has continued to be
13:10as it's rolled out more and more.
13:11And I just wonder
13:12what it's been like for you
13:13to get this type of, uh, reception,
13:17and particularly your performance,
13:19um, in some cases from people
13:21who may have given you
13:22a hard time in the past.
13:23It might make it extra sweet.
13:25I don't know.
13:25But, I mean, really,
13:26what this is,
13:27you've got to be feeling pretty good.
13:28This is the best, uh,
13:30I would, I would think,
13:31as well-received
13:32as anything you've done.
13:34Yeah, no, it's great.
13:34I mean, it's kind of, uh,
13:37I think it's really nice
13:38to know that it,
13:39it was such a kind of,
13:42a punt,
13:43I don't know how you describe it,
13:44like a punt from, like,
13:46having no script at the beginning,
13:48and I just,
13:48I just really knew
13:49it was going to be something.
13:52Um, I meant to see
13:53Josh and Benny,
13:54like, kind of go into,
13:56like, the stratosphere,
13:57directing things for everybody now.
13:59Yeah.
13:59Um, and, uh,
14:01I don't know, it's great.
14:03It's, it's also,
14:03it's just kind of nice as well
14:04when people,
14:06it's, it's just,
14:07I mean,
14:08in a lot of ways
14:08sort of against type,
14:10I guess.
14:10Um, yeah,
14:13it's nice for people
14:14to sort of believe,
14:15at least believe it.
14:16Yeah.
14:17Um, I guess,
14:18I wonder if we can close
14:19with a few big picture questions,
14:22just sort of your take
14:23on some things.
14:23So, now that you've done
14:25this sort of territory
14:26of something that you've
14:27not previously
14:29really done before,
14:30what, what is the next
14:31thing you would most like
14:32to be given the opportunity
14:33to do that you haven't done?
14:36Is there some kind
14:37of a character or genre
14:38or, uh, anything like that?
14:41I don't know.
14:42I think just the longer
14:43I do it,
14:43I just realize it's just,
14:44you just pick directors.
14:45That's it.
14:46That's like,
14:46it's the,
14:47it's the only thing
14:48you have to do.
14:49Um,
14:50and just go after,
14:52just go after
14:54the best directors.
14:55Um, and you don't have
14:56to think about anything else.
14:57You don't even have
14:58to read the script.
15:00Well, you were saying,
15:02like,
15:02It doesn't even have
15:02to be a script.
15:04And just,
15:04and you were like,
15:05I think just between us,
15:06if it doesn't make
15:07any money,
15:07that's okay.
15:08also, right?
15:09But, um,
15:10one other thing,
15:11though,
15:11I wondered is,
15:13having made five movies,
15:15I guess,
15:15in five years
15:16that were part
15:17of a big franchise,
15:18would you ever do
15:19another franchise-type
15:20project?
15:22Yeah, for sure.
15:22I mean,
15:23it's the same thing.
15:23It's just like,
15:24if there's a director,
15:25it's just always a director.
15:26Um,
15:27I think,
15:28anyway,
15:28I mean,
15:29you know,
15:29until you've got,
15:30you know,
15:31tons of alimony
15:32to pay and stuff,
15:33then everything
15:34changes again.
15:36Well,
15:36we should even
15:37remind folks,
15:38I mean,
15:38there were some
15:39great directors
15:40of those films,
15:40Bill Condon,
15:41and one of the Oscars,
15:42and a lot of people.
15:43So,
15:44but that's interesting.
15:45So,
15:45just as long as
15:46it's a great director,
15:47no limitations
15:48on whatever else.
15:49Yeah,
15:49if it's like,
15:49you know,
15:49if suddenly,
15:50Claire Denis is doing
15:51Spider-Man,
15:53I'm like,
15:54I'm 100% down.
15:55Yeah,
15:57that needs another reboot,
15:58I think,
15:59after three of them.
16:02If you had to name
16:03one other actor
16:04working today,
16:06maybe somebody
16:07who's older,
16:08been doing it
16:09a little longer,
16:10and you had a gun
16:11to your head,
16:11you have to name
16:12somebody whose
16:13career trajectory
16:14you would most like
16:16the rest of yours
16:16to resemble.
16:17It doesn't mean
16:18you're going to make
16:19the exact same choices,
16:20but the kind of career
16:21that you imagine
16:22for yourself going forward.
16:23Who else is kind
16:24of a model to you?
16:27I don't know.
16:28I mean,
16:29it's like,
16:31yeah,
16:31I don't know.
16:32I mean,
16:32I guess,
16:34I was talking
16:36about it earlier.
16:37I mean,
16:37I remember working
16:37with Paul Giamatti
16:38on Cosmopolis
16:40and just,
16:41when we had this
16:42big scene together
16:43and I was so nervous
16:44about it
16:44because it was
16:44this really long scene,
16:45it was really complicated
16:46and I was just
16:48absolutely terrified.
16:49I mean,
16:49when I went to set,
16:51he was,
16:51I just saw Paul
16:52just like,
16:53trembling
16:53and I was just thinking
16:55like that,
16:56I've thought about it
16:57more and more since
16:58that's what,
16:59that's,
17:00I just want to feel
17:01like that when I,
17:02and I don't know
17:03how much older Paul
17:04is for me,
17:05but like,
17:06but when you've just
17:07done so many movies
17:07and you still have
17:08that kind of,
17:09the level of adrenaline
17:10and that kind of,
17:11the fear
17:12and the need
17:14to prove yourself,
17:15like,
17:16I find it's
17:16the most satisfying thing.
17:18I mean,
17:18it drives you
17:18completely crazy
17:19on one hand,
17:20you're kind of
17:21trying to satisfy
17:22this amorphous blob,
17:25this hole inside you
17:27that's never going
17:28to be filled
17:28by anything.
17:30But like,
17:31but it's nice,
17:32but it's nice to,
17:33yeah,
17:33but there's something
17:34nice about having
17:35a hole to fill.
17:36what better place
17:45to end on that?
17:47We are excited
17:48to,
17:49we will be,
17:55we are very excited
18:02that you are here
18:03and are going to be
18:06filling a hole
18:08on your mantelpiece
18:09later this evening.
18:11So,
18:12congratulations
18:13and thank you
18:14so much for coming.
18:15Thanks a lot.
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