Robert Pattinson’s Opinion on Method Acting Is Different From Jared Leto’s; Their DC Journeys Are Bound To Contrast
Every actor has a process to get ready for a role; whether that’s months of research or zoning into character during hair and makeup. But some actors take that even further sometimes, going into uncomfortable territory. While DC actor Jared Leto went that route, DC newcomer Robert Pattinson is not interested in method acting.
Robert Pattinson doesn’t method act; he’s only seen people playing ‘a-holes’ do it
Pattinson, who is the next actor taking on the role of Bruce Wayne, has proven time and again that he is truly a powerhouse in his career. Starting with a role as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter to Edward Cullen in Twilight, he moved into the independent film space over the past several years. He’s heading back into franchise territory for The Batman, but he’s always been opposed to staying in character indefinitely, or method acting as it’s called.
“I always say about people who do method acting, you only ever see people do the method when they’re playing a**holes,” Pattinson said in an interview with Variety in November. “You never see someone being lovely to everyone while they’re really deep in character.”
While he respects it, it’s obviously not for him. When he worked with the Safdie brothers on Good Time, he was impressed with the way Benny Safdie stayed in character the whole day. “But [it’s] also kind of crazy,” he said. Pattinson revealed that he needs to have that disconnect between his part in a film and real life.
“I need to know when you’re on stage and when you’re off stage. I need to know that between action and cut, that’s the thing,” he told Variety. “That’s the safe space. I need to know it ends. I need to know there’s a cut coming, and then I’ll feel safe. If it just feels like you can’t get out, that’s when you go crazy.”
Jared Leto, though, was all into method acting for the Joker
Pattinson’s reasonings make sense, and not a ton of actors practice method acting. However, one DC actor did. Leto took the role of the Joker in Suicide Squad so seriously that he didn’t even speak to co-star Will Smith outside of filming their parts.
And according to MTV News, Leto sent Margot Robbie, who played Harley Quinn, a live rat. While she ended up keeping it as a pet for a bit, it’s still… odd.
“He did some bad things, Jared Leto did. He gave some really horrific gifts,” Viola Davis told Vanity Fair. “He had a henchman who would come into the rehearsal room, and the henchman came in with a dead pig and plopped it on the table, and then he walked out. And that was our introduction into Jared Leto.”
But Pattinson is obviously prepared if ‘The Batman’ trailer proves anything
Of course, Pattinson isn’t playing the Batman to Leto’s Joker. So Leto’s method acting isn’t going to freak Pattinson out, at least not for this role. But regardless, Pattinson seems to be well-prepared for the role of the Caped Crusader. The trailer premiered on Aug. 22 and gave fans so much to look forward to. It’s quite evident that Pattinson is ready for Bruce Wayne without the need to go method.
However, in May, Pattinson angered some fans when he talked about the concept of working out and how Hollywood actors tend to overdo it.
“I think if you’re working out all the time, you’re part of the problem,” Pattinson told GQ. “You set a precedent. No one was doing this in the ’70s. Even James Dean—he wasn’t exactly ripped.”
Regardless of this angering some fans, who felt he should work out to play the vigilante, Pattinson was clearly in a joking mood. He talked about how he had to take his shirt off in New Moon and “they told me to put it back on again.”
He also pointed out that The Batman co-star Zoë Kravitz was working out five times a week, to which he replied, “Literally, I’m just barely doing anything.”
Well, Robert “I’m vengeance” Pattinson is embodying Batman very well, method (or lifting) be damned.
