With his performance as Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga, Robert Pattinson captivated the hearts of millions of fans. The actor portrayed a vampire who falls in love with Kristen Stewart’s character in the trilogy. The films were box office smashes, and Pattinson rose to fame as his role. It proved a problem for the celebrity, though, because he had to work hard to shatter that image and be acknowledged as a distinguished performer. He has portrayed a number of parts since The Twilight Saga, but only a few of them have made a significant effect. One of the most difficult performances was in Robert Eggers’ film The Lighthouse. For his role in The Lighthouse, Robert Pattinson got the moniker “Madman.” Robert Pattinson pushed himself physically and emotionally to achieve perfection in the historical horror picture. For the character, the actor had to put up with misery. To play Winslow, he had to go through extensive training. He’d walk around the streets, repeating the lines to himself to get the right accent. He devoted himself completely to the persona. Robert Pattinson had to play a figure who is slowly disintegrating as he goes insane and drinks kerosene. He had to pretend intoxicated on kerosene in the scenes, and he claimed that he was practically comatose the entire time. The actor would make himself puke, stumble, and sometimes urinate in his pants.
To make matters worse, Robert Pattinson had put rocks in one of his shoes. Before the shoot, he would spin in circles to simulate disorientation from alcohol. Robert Pattinson’s behavior irritated Willem Dafoe. Robert Pattinson was leaning on Willem Dafoe in one scene, and they were slow-dancing together. He began making himself gag, forcing Eggers to yell Cut. Pattinson recalled in an interview with Esquire: “There’s a scene where Willem’s kind of sleeping on me and we’re really, really drunk, and I felt like we’re completely lost in the scene, and I’m sitting there trying to make myself gag and Robert [Eggers] told me off because Willem’s looking at him going: ‘If he throws up on me, I’m leaving the set.’ I had absolutely no idea this whole drama was unfolding.” For the film, the Batman actor had completely immersed himself in the role. He could be as wild and intense as he wanted on the sets, which allowed him to improvise his persona. He revealed, “It’s like being addicted to adrenaline.” Why not just run straight into a wall when you don’t know how to do something? Let’s see what happens. I don’t have any other ideas.” The Lighthouse debuted in 2019 to significant critical praise. It was hailed for its directing, aesthetics, and Dafoe and Pattinson’s outstanding performances.
