Robert Pattinson is no strange to a fan following. Having become a household name in films like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and the Twilight series, the actor suddenly found himself in a rarefied position of being a poster-boy for men and women around the world. Men wanted to be him, taking notes on his sharp sartorial style and tousled locks, while women wanted to be with him, doing all they could to simply be in his vicinity – even if it meant the obstructing arm of a security guard. But where some actors are more than happy to rest on their good looks and teen fandom, Pattinson has been known to eschew the easy, blockbuster film in preference for something more obscure, a little unhinged, a film that allows the actor to go deep. Having starred in films of the indie variety of late, Pattinson will once again return with a blockbuster: The Batman.
The role is a coveted one that’s no doubt seen countless actors audition for the part. But with a new direction and new storyline, Pattinson edged out his colleagues to nab the caped crusader. Naturally, you’d think such a role demands gruelling training sessions and an elaborate plan of bulking up. And most often, it does. Which is why many fans of the franchise were shocked to hear Pattinson wasn’t training for the role. In a 2020 interview with GQ, Pattinson revealed that unlike his predecessors Christian Bale and Ben Affleck who trained in Wing Chun Kung Fu and adopted ‘chaos training’ to get jacked for the role, he was taking a different approach.
“I think if you’re working out all the time, you’re part of the problem,” he told the publication. “You set a precedent. No one was doing this in the ‘70s. Even James Dean, he wasn’t exactly ripped.” Pattinson then went on to detail that he’d been given a Bosu ball and some weights to work out with, but was “barely doing anything” with them.
Thankfully, Pattinson has now assured fans it was merely a jest. In an interview with MovieMaker, he expressed: “That really came back to haunt me. I just always think it’s really embracing to talk about how you’re working out. I think it’s like an English thing. Unless you are in the most unbelievable shape, where people are just genuinely curious, going, ‘How have you achieved, like, physical perfection?’ or whatever.”
He added, “You’re playing Batman, you have to work out. I think I was doing the interview when I was in lockdown, as well, in England…I was in a lower gear of working out.”
So, despite his jokes, Pattinson was working out after all. His training even involved working with Brazilian jiu-jitsu Master, Rigan Machado. Fans won’t have to wait much longer to see the proof of Pattinson’s efforts, with the film’s release fast approaching on March 4.
