Viggo Mortensen, Magneto, and a movie with Rob Pattinson next, with all that Twilight hoopla around him. You don’t mind stars with franchise baggage it seems.
It’s like with Viggo with The Lord of the Rings, frankly. We’ve talked about this a lot. He wouldn’t have been a candidate for A History of Violence if it hadn’t been for Lord of the Rings because he wasn’t well-known, he was really kind of a B actor, character actor before Lord of the Rings made him a star. Therefore, he would not be somebody who could get you the financing that you need. It’s something about casting that people don’t think about but as a director, you really have to think about it because your producers make you think about it and so do your distributors. You say, “I want this guy,” and they say “Forget it! Nobody knows who he is and we can’t build a campaign around him to release to movie.” So not only do you have to get the right guy, you have to figure out who that guy is creatively but he has to want to do it to, you have to be able to afford him, he has to be available at the time you want him and he has to have the star power to get your movie financed. It’s very tricky casting a movie and for a director it’s a huge part of what you do, to weave your way through this mine field and end up with the right guy in your movie. Because if you make a huge miscasting mistake, it can kill your movie before you’ve even shot a foot of film.
Another day, another great David Cronenberg interview. This time he’s talking toCinemaBlend.comand the topics range from ‘A Dangerous Method’, to discussing character with his actors, to his assumption of the audience’s intelligence. David Cronenberg talks again about his efficient and lean shooting schedule – I always love to hear about that, having marvelled when I saw it first hand during this summer’s filming of Cosmopolis in Toronto. We’ve heard Robert Pattinson comment on David Cronenberg’s confidence and here we hear it from the man himself.
R.K.: Your next film is “Cosmopolis,” which is adapted from a Don DeLillo novel. What can you tell me about it?
D.C.: It’s the story of a young billionaire played by Rob Pattinson who travels across Manhattan to get a haircut. That’s the plot. Robert’s a very underestimated actor. I think he’ll blow some people away.
JT: In addition to budgetary reasons, do you prefer shooting in one or two takes for creative reasons as well?
DC: I did the same with A Dangerous Method and the same with my latest movie Cosmopolis. One or two takes…if you’re working properly with your actor and your actor is properly prepared, you don’t need more than that. The idea of doing ninety-nine takes like David Fincher is supposed to have done…it’s a completely different way of filmmaking.
JT: Cosmopolis is slated for next year, which is a return to screenwriting for you and features a stellar cast. What can you tell us about it, in particular Robert Pattinson, who seems a unique choice for a Cronenberg leading man?
DC: I think he’s kind of parallel to [Knightley] really. I think he’s a very underrated actor who’s really good. And so he proved to be. I think he’s fantastic in the movie… He’s really great. You can ask Paul Giamatti who’s said that publicly, because he does a big scene with him. Cosmopolis is based on a novel by Don DeLillo. It couldn’t be more different from A Dangerous Method, except that it to has a lot of dialogue. But it’s a very different kind of dialogue. You’ll have to wait and see.
Here’s an interview with David Cronenberg where he talks about Rob and Cosmopolis
JT: In addition to budgetary reasons, do you prefer shooting in one or two takes for creative reasons as well?
DC: I did the same with A Dangerous Method and the same with my latest movie Cosmopolis. One or two takes…if you’re working properly with your actor and your actor is properly prepared, you don’t need more than that. The idea of doing ninety-nine takes like David Fincher is supposed to have done…it’s a completely different way of filmmaking.
JT: Cosmopolis is slated for next year, which is a return to screenwriting for you and features a stellar cast. What can you tell us about it, in particular Robert Pattinson, who seems a unique choice for a Cronenberg leading man?
DC: I think he’s kind of parallel to [Knightley] really. I think he’s a very underrated actor who’s really good. And so he proved to be. I think he’s fantastic in the movie… He’s really great. You can ask Paul Giamatti who’s said that publicly, because he does a big scene with him. Cosmopolis is based on a novel by Don DeLillo. It couldn’t be more different from A Dangerous Method, except that it to has a lot of dialogue. But it’s a very different kind of dialogue. You’ll have to wait and see.
I asked him if Cosmopolis will be the movie that will separate Robert Pattinson from his Twilight past. Here’s what the director had to say below.
“I have no control over that, obviously. All I know is, as with Keira, I thought that Robert was very underrated. I mean, Keira has done more work than Robert has, but in England, they’re always on her for whatever weird English class reasons. I’m not sure what that is. I always thought she was a substantial actress, and I had no doubt that she could really ace this role. I felt the same about Rob. The fate of the movie, though, who knows. I certainly think this. I don’t think that any director who’s looking to see what Rob can do, will not be able to see how terrific he is by looking at Cosmopolis. Even if the movie isn’t a success at the box office, creatively, as far as I’m concerned, it is a success, and for Rob, it totally is. He’s brilliant in the movie, he’s fabulous. If nothing else, it will be a great demo film for Rob, for any other director who’s looking for a great actor.”
Rob, Kristen and Taylor talk Breaking Dawn – starts at 1:30 Rob’s interview at 4:30 (talks Breaking Dawn and Cosmopolis) Cosmopolis talk – coverage of the Lisbon and Estoril Film Festival at 6:30 – Sarah Gadon’s interview at 7:00 – David Cronenberg’s interview at 7:40 (talks about Rob “The movie is him”) – Paul Giamatti’s interview at 8:10 (talks about the climax of the movie, their scene together)
Another young actor whose acting ability has polarized critics is Twilight star Robert Pattinson, who stars as a millionaire enduring a limo-driven odyssey across Manhattan in Cronenberg’s next film—an adaptation of Don DeLillo’s novel Cosmopolis.
“I think that [skeptics] are being critical of the Twilight series; they’re not being critical of him,” says Cronenberg. “He’s just a cog in that machine and they’re confusing the nature of that project with him. He’s a terrific actor, trust me. I’ve directed some of the best in the world, and he’s terrific.”
Exclusive: With “A Dangerous Method” headed into release next week, thoughts inevitably turn to director David Cronenberg‘s next film; unusually, the filmmaker shot two pictures virtually back to back, following his period drama with “Cosmopolis,” an adaptation of the Don DeLillo novel. And the film hass come with an uncharacteristic level of attention in the mainstream press.
Robert Pattinson
c/o Curtis Brown Group Ltd.
Haymarket House
5th Floor, 28-29
Haymarket
London, SW1Y 4SP
England
or
Robert Pattinson
c/o Endeavor Agency
Stephanie Ritz
9601 Wilshire Blvd. Floor 3
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
USA
Calendar
March 2026
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Partners
DISCLAIMER
Thinking of Rob is not affiliated with Robert Pattinson or his management in any way.
There is no copyright infringement intended on this blog. If you are the original owner of any media used and would like it removed, we will be happy to do so, please contact us.
Copyright and Trademark Notice
All original content on this site, including any manipulations or enhancements, is the sole copyright of ThinkingofRob™ and ToR™.
Thinking of Rob 