‘Twilight’: Robert Pattinson Spoke in an American Accent to Deal with Fame
It seems that some British actors often speak a more authentic American accent than even American actors can. Some notable actors in this category are wide-ranging, if always reverting to their native British tongues in interviews or when interacting with fans.
Robert Pattinson is one who seems to be a lone standout in acquiring an American accent and using it in real life. As strange as this might sound, it was apparently a psychological mechanism, according to him.
In past interviews, Pattinson addressed his ability to do a convincing American accent and how it helped separate himself from his own self. To cope with fame, it proves Pattinson as an offbeat acting case study.
Robert Pattinson’s American accent during ‘Twilight’
No doubt about it that the Twilight franchise changed Pattinson’s acting life. Without those movies, he likely would not have had a springboard into the actor he is today.
More recently, his movie parts are primarily in the very indie category, including doing numerous offbeat offerings like The Lighthouse. In many of those films, one can see he continues to master an American accent, something he first managed to do well in the Twilight movies.
Playing Edward Cullen, it was purely a character cut from an American frame of mind. After all, Edward was born in Chicago in 1901 and was turned into an eternal vampire when dying of the Spanish Flu.
Not many people even knew Pattinson was British when he made Edward an iconic part of pop culture. Because of that, he nearly had to create an alternative persona to separate himself from fame.
Robert Pattinson started speaking in an American accent to fans
During the height of his Twilight fame, Pattinson admitted to ditching his American accent, according to the Telegraph, when talking to fans, and even during American auditions. He did the latter to help him win better parts rather than being a stereotypical British actor.
Said Pattinson: “I speak in an American accent when I’m talking to crowds, because it’s so separate to my actual life. I still feel like I’m kind of acting. I think that’s so I don’t go completely mad.”
A comment like this might already sound a little mad. Yet, when placed in the right context, it makes sense from a psychological point of view. Pattinson has gone on the record a few times about his troubles dealing with fame, including talking about having therapy, per NME, to deal with his career and life.
Was talking in an American accent a part of his therapy process? Based on his comment above, it seems like that was either a therapeutic exercise via his own therapist or for himself.
Mastering more than an American accent
Perhaps talking in an American accent kept Pattinson sane. At the same time, it helped his acting, including fans noting how much more depth it brought to his roles.
On a Reddit thread from last year, fans noted Pattinson uses a lot of offbeat voice patterns and accents in his movies to create unique characters. The amount of them he accomplishes in his films opened a lot of eyes to how incredible each of his performances really are.
Said one Reddit user: “I should’ve never doubted him for playing that one vampire dude.” Indeed, looking back at the role of Edward Cullen now, one can see it had more acting power than anyone really understood at the time.
With numerous incredible American accents in his arsenal, it probably sets Pattinson up well for his take on Batman in upcoming The Batman. He may even be able to give his own take on the gravel voice timbre the Bruce Wayne character keeps receiving from all previous thespians.
