While the world has been captivated by the grumpy old man of crime, Alfred Pennyworth, and the beautiful, but lethal, Catwoman, fans of the Batman have had other characters to obsess over. One of those characters is Robert Pattinson, who has embodied the famous caped crusader since his 2014 portrayal of the character in The Batman. Since then, the 28-year-old British actor has starred in several more films, including the highly anticipated sequel, The Batman XXX, which is due to be released this Friday, August 25th. Despite the intense interest in and demand for his services as The Batman, Pattinson has remained relatively silent about the character, choosing instead to focus on his personal life and career challenges. However, the actor has now broken his silence about the character and has revealed some interesting things about his time in captivity as the famous superhero.
Pattinson Reveals His Experience As The Batman
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Pattinson revealed that he has never actually seen the entirety of The Batman. When asked if he had seen all of the films in the series, the actor replied:
“I haven’t, actually, seen the entire Batman series… But I did watch the first one, which is the most important one, because the rest are kind of based on it. It would be like reading a book and then watching the movie and then going, ‘Oh, that’s what happened!’ It’s the same with The Dark Knight… the other two aren’t as good as the first one, but they’re still really cool.”
Pattinson went on to say that he tried out for the part of The Batman and that he auditioned twice, with the second try being more successful. “I guess it was kind of a last-ditch effort, and I wasn’t really expecting to get it,” said the British star. “So I was like, ‘Yeah, sure, why not?’ And then it all happened really quickly.”
The Last Time He Saw His Family
As we’ve established, the world hasn’t seen the entirety of The Batman. Pattinson hasn’t seen his family in over a year, since filming on the film began. Interestingly, his father Gordon, who is played by Harry Potter alum, James Phelps, died while filming The Batman XXX. After the funeral, Pattinson was visited by his mother, Elizabeth, who is played by Breaking Bad’s Anna Gunn. The two appeared to patch up their differences for the cameras, putting on a happy face for the sake of their son and the film. However, that facade quickly crumbled as Elizabeth revealed she hadn’t seen Pattinson in a long time.
“Since his father’s passing, I have not seen Robert,” Elizabeth said in an interview with Deadline. “I last saw him when I visited him on the set of The Batman. Since then, our phone calls have been limited to pleasantries, as he has been understandably nervous about being seen by me since his father’s death. Sadly, I have not been able to cheer him up, as I think he sees this as a personal failing. His father was the proudest man I have ever known and would want him to be brave and strong like him, and I fear that he may never understand how much pain he is causing himself by blocking these feelings of grief and loss.”
Why He Is More Suited To Play The Batman Than Most Actors
Pattinson isn’t the first actor to be cast in the role of The Batman. The character has been portrayed by Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, and most recently, Christian Bale. However, it is believed that Pattinson is the first actor to actually embody the character. His physical appearance — including his full beard and long hair — as well as his voice, which is deeper and more sonorous than most actors’, suit him perfectly for the part.
“Mystery surrounds the death of Robert’s father, who played Batman’s butler in the 1989 film,” his manager, Leslie Wolff, tells Us Weekly. “The family is still haunted by the specter of his father’s fatal overdose 17 years ago.”
While he doesn’t really talk about his personal life on social media, his publicist notes that he has suffered from clinical depression since he was a teenager. The actor’s mother battled drug addiction for many years and eventually died from an overdose in 2014. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Pattinson noted that his mother’s death was a turning point for him. He has since been open about his experiences with mental illness and even established the mental health advocacy group, Generation Indigo.
Pattinson On The Future Of The Batman
Pattinson has been consistently vocal about the need for more diversity in superhero films and TV shows. Last year, he took to Instagram to voice his support for Black superheroes, writing:
“I love that Marvel is bringing more diversity to their films, but it’s still not enough. There should be more representation of black superheroes in films and TV shows. If we don’t see ourselves represented in the media we consume, we will never truly believe that we can be heroes too.”
Pattinson also revealed that he has been approached about taking on the role of Batman in the past, but had always declined. Since his inception, the character has largely been portrayed by white actors and drawn from a handful of well-known stories. However, that is starting to change, with Marvel and Warner Bros. putting out a call for applications for a black Batman. So far, no one has come forward, but maybe that’s because they know how difficult it is to get the part. After all, there are already several celebrities and public figures who have tried and failed to play the role.
Pattinson has been open about his desire to play more complex or “mature” roles, as he calls them. While he would still like to play the goofy, comedy leads for which he is well known, he feels that he has something more profound to offer as an actor. “I’ve always wanted to play more mature roles, but I feel like that’s what society is looking for now,” said Pattinson. “I want to play people that you can actually connect with on some level, even if it’s just one scene.”
The Difference In Character Versus Personal Life
Pattinson has been open about his experiences with depression and has spoken about how much it has influenced his life and career. However, that doesn’t mean that his public persona is completely removed from his personal feelings. While he never mentions his father in interviews, he has spoken about the lasting influence of his passing. In an interview with ShortList, he said:
“I think about him every day. I miss him desperately. He was a great father and a wonderful man. He will be greatly missed. While we were making The Batman, I didn’t see my family for months because we were filming, so it’s been very tough. It changed my whole life.”
As much as the public persona of Robert Pattinson has been defined by his work as The Batman, his personal life has been marked by tragedy and struggle. Despite that, he remains an extraordinary example of mental and physical durability. For those who have followed his career since the beginning, it is perhaps not a great shock that he has chosen to play such a dark and brooding character, given all that he has been confronted with in his personal life.