Robert Pattinson relives Cronenberg’s past films in this French photo shoot

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

David Cronenberg’s COSMOPOLIS is premiering this month at Cannes Film Festival and so star Robert Pattinson, both in honor of both Cronenberg’s contribution to cinema and in appreciation for what being cast in the film has done for him, participated in a thirteen hour long photo shoot for French magazine Premiere.  The pictures recreate three of Cronenberg’s classic early films – VIDEODROME, SCANNERS, and DEAD RINGERS – but with Robert Pattinson in each of the lead roles.  And while to me Pattinson seems to be lacking a distinct spark of life and character in most of the photos, being a huge fan of Cronenberg I still find this whole thing pretty cool indeed.

Running along with the photos were a few quotations pulled from an accompanying interview conducted by the magazine, so if anything seems wonky in the phrasing or what Pattinson says I’d just put that down to the translation from the French.  Either way, I think it can at least be gleaned that Pattinson is really trying to make a conscious shift in who he is as a celebrity and as an actor, which is definitely cool to see.  Let’s hope he can pull it off!

You can also find the translated interview in full here (about halfway down the page).

“I’m in a phase where I’m trying to determine what I can to do as an actor.”

“Shooting Cosmopolis with Cronenberg changed something in me. It gave me balls (laughing). ”

“I have 5 projects lined up right now. Before, I used to doubt all the time. I was beginning to get annoyed with myself. When i was reading a script that I liked, I was annoying myself. I was asking myself if I could do it & if I had the talent. Now I only tell myself: ‘F*** it! If they’re ready to hire you, go for it!’”

“I’ve always wanted to make good films. But before, I was more the type of guy who would get drunk & say ‘If people don’t like me, they can go f*** themselves!’ (laughing) Nowadays it’s different. I want the people that I respect to respect me too. It seems normal, when you say it like that, but you sometimes need time before you understand that gaining the respect of others is what’s the most important.”

“The first day of shooting, I wasn’t the most confident. While we were getting ready for the first scene, Sarah Gadon asked me ‘So. How did you prepare for the role?’ I lost it & left the limo feeling really angry and I screamed: ‘Why are you judging me like that? Are you testing me or something?’ (laughing)”