Interview with Robert Pattinson From The Remember Me Press Junket

A few people have pointed out that this interview does have a couple of indirect spoilers... so if you want to stay spoiler free I suggest skipping this one. Kat


Exclusive interview with Robert Pattinson! Rob talks Remember Me, Bel Ami, and what makes him happy!




Yesterday I attended a roundtable interview with Robert Pattinson for his upcoming romantic drama Remember Me. I’m a new writer at Collider and it was my first time attending a press junket and participating in a roundtable interview. Let’s just say it was an interesting experience. Anyway, in the coming days, expect more from the junket and I’ll also be contributing TV and film news.

Since Rob was there to talk about Remember Me, I was only able to get a small bit of information for you Twilight fans. But about Remember Me, Rob was very passionate about the film and seemed very eager to dive deep into his character, Tyler Hawkins. He spent a lot of time unfolding the elements of Tyler, and discovering how much he had in common with him. Hit the jump for everything Rob had to say. Remember Me gets released March 12.

Was there a time where you were sitting with Alan Coulter and the producer and something clicked for you? Can you talk about why you were attracted to this character, and about taking that step to produce?


Robert Pattinson: Well, the producing thing. (laughs) I’m kind of embarrassed about the producing thing because I wasn’t really acting like a proper producer. I only really came on after the shoot just to kind of help Alan and Nick make sure that the product was what the product in which we all wanted to make in the end. It was the summer after the first Twilight thing. I read it then and I met with Alan and Nick. I thought they were really great, and I talked to them for hours about it. I think basically what I commented to them about was, what shocked me was I was reading a ton of scripts and it just didn’t fall into any, the way the dialogue was written and the plot was structured, it didn’t fit into any kind of normal category. It didn’t seem very formulaic. I had just read tons and tons of formulaic scripts in one genre or another and it was just such a relief to find that. There was also something about Tyler, the way he reacted to things seemed very relatable to me, and I hadn’t seen another character like it in like 100 scripts. So that’s why when the period came up between New Moon and Eclipse, we only had two months, you can’t really do that much, it’s difficult to find a movie which can fit in such a short period. It seemed like the perfect fit.

He’s a rebellious character, especially against his father. Were you attracted to that idea?

Pattinson: I mean, I don’t know if it was so much about just the rebellion that interested me. I liked how it seemed like Tyler didn’t really know what he was rebelling against. It seemed like no matter what his father was like, no matter what everyone around him is like, he’d still be rebelling. There was one interesting thing, I liked how he wasn’t fighting against everybody, he only chose to fight against his father. I think it was a pretty broken family to begin with, and I think he just takes out all of his rage on his father because his father is the only one who can take it. I mean if he tried to attack his mother, she’d probably end up killing herself or something. She’s too wounded to be able to take that. I don’t think it’s particularly typical rebel. It just comes in fits and starts all the time, so I think he’s kind of faking it. I think what he’s really rebelling against is himself.





Were there any scenes that were cut from the movie that you wished stayed?


Pattinson: I don’t know, I haven’t seen the final cut. (laughs)

What was your favorite scene to film, then?


Pattinson: I like the scene where Tyler confronts his little sister’s bullies. Basically because I kind of fancy which I would have myself just kind of being the tough guy. Actually there was more of a take that was cut out, or they didn’t use. When I pushed the little girls desk that was bullying her, and the first take I pushed it too hard and she fell on the floor and the desk on her. She looked absolutely terrified after, and it just became this turn into a psychopath. (laughs) And they had to cut it out, because they were like “you wouldn’t just go to jail for vandalism, you’d go for child abuse.” (laughs) That would really change the story. That was quite fun.

Both characters seem to really be embracing life, and I think audiences will really come away with that. What do you think is the overall feeling around love. What will people learn from watching this film?

Pattinson: I think one of the things, which I always liked about it, is that he doesn’t. Like when you meet someone who you feel whatever for, it doesn’t necessarily mean that that’s a finish line, and that’s like “oh you’ll be alright now afterwards.” I think that worked in the relationship with Allie and Tyler. I think it’s to show that its sort of ok to have, if you just have one moment of happiness, where you can feel that you’re happy, even if it just lasts for a minute. It’s worth a lot. Because I think people now, everyone does all of these things because they think they should be happy like all the time. Doing therapy, and taking anti-depressants and all of these things. If you’re happy all of the time, it’s difficult to acknowledge when you actually are happy.

What makes you happy?


Pattinson: I don’t know. It’s like these weird little things. It’s like what I was trying to put across in the movie, when funny little things happen, it’s not just meeting Allie, it’s all of these things kind of melds together and it hits you from left field, and you’re just like “oh yeah, I’m happy” (laughs)

This movie is so steep. The locations are amazing in the film, and it feels so authentically New York. What’s interesting to me is so much of the cast aren’t New Yorkers and don’t have a New York accent, and you’re Brooklyn accent is on point. I wonder if, working on that, what kind of research you did, or if you knew a lot about New York in 2001. And what it was like to film in the streets of New York?

Pattinson: My sister lived in New York for like 5 years and I used to go visit her all the time. I don’t know. When I read the script there seemed to be a sort of voice that was just there as soon as you read it. I’ve never had a dialect coach or anything. Ironically I’ve only had a dialect coach for this film I’m doing now, which I’m doing now in an English accent. (laughs) I guess I’ve forgotten how to do an English accent.

But what was it like for you to film in Queens, at NYU, what was that like?


Pattinson: It was nice. Obviously it was great for doing stuff at NYU, you’re filming at NYU, which is perfect. I like this bar, I went in there a few times before we starting shooting. That’s not really research. (laughing) Oh yeah I just went to a couple of bars. (laughs)

So that was a sum total of your New York research?

Pattinson: (laughs) No, I mean it was nice. I was sort of staying, it’s difficult to go out and stuff there at the time. I’ve gone out more in New York since. There’s funny little things which happened, experiences which I had in New York which were put into the script. Like a friend of mine, the whole fight in the beginning, how that was all set up, it happened to a friend of mine the day before we did the rewrites to the script. We were down in Alphabet City, and this guy jumped out of the car with a little mini baseball bat and just hit my friend in the face. The whole thing. It was literally the day before. The whole thing was put into the movie. (laughing) Annoyingly, I didn’t react in the same way. (laughing)

You ran?

Pattinson: (laughing) I didn’t see what was happening until it was too late. (laughs) Even when the police asked me, they asked all the people around to give a testimony. The police looked at me and was like “oh it’s alright you don’t have to give one”, and it was because of the Twilight thing. I was like “no, I want to give a testimony!” (laughing) “I want to be a witness!”

Alan spoke a lot about your focus that you had to maintain while shooting because of the constant paparazzi attention and the screaming fans. What was that like for you to shoot such an emotional movie under the eye of people Twittering about it, and people screaming at you?

Pattinson: It’s like the first two weeks were kind of crazy, because I was all around NYU and Washington Square park and there’d be tons of people around anyway. I think it was annoying people as well, that all of these crowds came and disrupted peoples days, so that was really difficult at the beginning. But, I think after that you just get used to it. You just block certain things out. I was trying to figure out a way to use the sort of rage that was built up, but you couldn’t really use it for that character. If the same thing had happened during this movie that I’m doing now, it would have been perfect and I could have gone around hitting paparazzi and stuff and it would have been great because I would have been staying in character. (laughs) But it didn’t really work for Tyler, he’s not that kind of guy.

Do you see yourself trying to sort of make a big gap between Twilight and everything else you do so people realize there this…something so different from the phenomenon that everybody focus on?

More to you…


Pattinson: No, I don’t really focus on trying to do it, I don’t think. I pick scripts the same way, I think, that I’ve always done. I barely like anything, and so it’s kind of easy to pick your jobs. The things which I’m signed onto now are all completely different. Like I’m playing a white Comanche in one thing and the parts completely in Comanche. Bel Ami is, I thought there was a kind of irony in Bel Ami as well, because a lot of the women are attracted to this character and then he kind of screws them over and steals their money and stuff. (laughs) Which I thought was quite funny compared to the Twilight character. (laughing) It’s kind of the polar opposite. It wasn’t intentional, I just thought Bel Ami was very funny, and it’s a very interesting character. With Remember Me, I’d never done a simple story before, and it’s not that simple, but its playing a normal guy and trying to relate to things on a normal level it’s kind of relief in a lot of ways.

It reminded me of James Dean on a slight, with the rebel without a cause. Did you think of him in sort of a classical way? When you said he’s rebelling against himself, that this is just someone who’s just someone who’s sort of in a fury about the way the world is.

Pattinson: I think it’s a fairly typical state to be in. I think there’s that element, but I was also interested in the kind of, in Tyler there was a lot of elements of sort of arrogance things about him, which I thought were quite interesting. To have a loss in your family, and then I think a lot of the fighting in his family is because he feels like the attention has kind of gone off of him a bit. You have these petty things, which turn you into this iconic rebel or whatever, and it’s just based on these silly things, kind of like almost despicable emotions that you have about it. I tried to make that apparent in Remember Me. There’s a reason why James Dean stereotype is so common, especially in actors, I think. I think its pretty real. It’s also an ideal for young guys I think. I think, anyway. Because as soon as you stop struggling against something, what have you got to do? That’s the whole point being young, struggling against things.

Your chemistry with the younger sister character was so strong. Can you talk about what you had to do, and if there was anything different you had to do finding that with a child actor?

Pattinson: She did everything; I mean completely. On the first day I met her. Me, Alan, and Emilie were sitting around discussing our scenes together and she hadn’t really said anything, and I kind of asked just to be nice. I was just like [ducking his head down and talking just above a whisper] “so, you know what do you think about it?” And she’s sitting there with her pencil and engaged in this whole diatribe of her characters back story and everything, and in the most interesting way. And she’d be writing notes, about all of the stuff we were saying, like quoting what we were saying. She’s phenomenal. She’s going to be a massive actress, I think. She’s the best improviser I’ve ever met. You can literally say anything to her, and she’ll completely stay in character. Even if the camera is not on her, she’ll stay completely in character the whole time. Also, she’s no actressy as well. She’s kind of like one of those weird, hyper-intelligent, hyper-mature kid. Then I saw her with her little friends and just like a little girl when you see her with her friends. I just don’t understand how that happens at all. She’s so easy to act with, you don’t have to do anything, just look at her. It’s the first time since the day I began acting where I just feel completely unselfconscious, because I could feel that she wasn’t at all and it rubs off on me. I love when she was like “you’re so retarted” (laughs) That’s just an 11 year old girl thing to say.

How was it to work with Emilie?

Pattinson: She’s great, yeah. And completely different to what I…what I thought was going to be cast.

Are you a fan of LOST?

Pattinson: I’ve never seen it

What are your thoughts on the Breaking Dawn being two films?

Pattinson: I really don’t mind either way.

Source

53 comments:

ShariG said...

Very nice interview. I hope we get many more on this order that really focus on Remember Me. Although I hope someone asks him about Water for Elephants. I am anxious to know if he is going to do it.

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

What an amazing interview.....but there's a big spoiler in it...

Probably too late for for some... But shouldn't read tge whole thing if you want to stay virginal...

Angie said...

RPG, I noticed that, too.

It was a very nice interview. Is it weird that I kept thinking, at any minute they will bring up Edward? I'm just used to it. LOL

Ana73 said...

rpg - thank you i didn't read the whole interview, went to comments first. i am trying to stay virginal til March 12th, then rob can pop my RM cherry. LOL

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

I know ADM!!!! So weird no Edward... But they did ask about BD!

The clips from today just made me want to see even more if that's even possible....

I adore this man!!!!

Hey Ana73!

LTavares2011 said...

"If you’re happy all of the time, it’s difficult to acknowledge when you actually are happy."

I recognize an intelligent man and good reader when I read thoughts like these. Reading makes Rob a man more mature and sensitive.
I love Robert Pattinson and admire him even more each day. Adorable!!!

Gwen Cooper 426 said...

Hi, all! This is from CL & Angie via twitter!

http://twitpic.com/15yowx

Woot!

Kat said...

RPG - what bit are you classing as a spoiler? I definitely don't want to spoil people but I don't see anything that jumps out...

Gwen Cooper 426 said...

Oh, right, the thread! (I'm so far behind today---wedding went soooooo well! Still hyper!)

Yep, saw that tidbit; weird.

But, this seemed like a really good interview! Liked the questions and the answers---then, again... Rob!!!

What's the scoop on Unbound Captives? It now sounds like it's when? Will WFE be filmed after Bel Ami, before BD?? Confused.

wensdazzled by ThePretty said...

finally no twilight questions--this could be the one--

@qwen--glad the wedding went well
hi-rpg and ADM

@ana--i read on another thread you were rereading the brotherhook books--who is your favorite? i love those books.

Kat said...

RPG - I see what you're saying, not a direct spoiler... but yeah, I'll post a warning. Thanks :-)

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

Thanks Kat!

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

Ok I'm removing my response as to not spoil as well...

Ana73 said...

hey all, well i didn't see your response was away from computer for a minute, thank you RPG.

gwen - that is so cool that the robstock team are there, YAY!!!

wen - please email me @ mcpherson6@msn.com would love to talk about brotherhood story, i know NO ONE that is reading it and would love to talk about it. but my fav. story was wrath & beth but my fav. character is zsadist he is pretty screwed up...but i really like them all.

Ana73 said...

oh by the way did anyone read the update for MOTU...Fifty is very resourceful, he shot down james' plans real quick, love it. it really sucked for me to get on twilighted but i finally got there.

wensdazzled by ThePretty said...

@ana--i will. i only have 1 other friend who reads those--have you read demonica series by larissa ione?

Ana73 said...

no i haven't, is it good because i am looking for another series to start??

jc(britlover) said...

Great interview. Rob always honest and diplomatic. What a great guy we love!

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

Ana73,
MoTU update was awesome!!!! I read the edited version which was still great!!!

Does anyone know if EP has updated?

Khar has disabled comments on her blog due to hateful comments... fuckers... Don't know why people are so hateful

RPLover said...

rpg, last time EP updated I got an email...signed up for the alerts on her profile. and I haven't gotten one since so I don't think it's updated. She was getting nasty comments? WTF is wrong with people?!

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

RPl,

no idea... Anonomous comments & I guess they were calling her all kinds of names...

Marna said...

Ana73, I love the Black Dagger Brotherhood books, I can't wait for the new one in April. Right now I'm reading all the Christine Feehan Dark books. I blame Twilight for getting me hooked on all these paranormal romances LOL.

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

Ana73,
have you read If this is fate? It's really good...
But heavy abuse in the story....it's got quite a few chapthers up...

I'm also reading eighteen... That one is sad...

womadsart said...

Oh so sweet as usual. I would like to meet this man!
@rpattzgirl.. EP Eman..Proclam..? I can't take more hateful trolls..
I'm so in MotU right now until I catch up but want to stat reading other ffs.

@gwen. Glad wedding was good! *waving hello*

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

Ana73,
I just realized you're talking about real books, not ff!
LMAO! I am ruined for real books!

wensdazzled by ThePretty said...

@RPG--you would like the brotherhood books--not quite 50--but very good

Ana73 said...

rpg - that is funny. i read "real" books when i am in bed and sometimes at work when i am not near the computer.

no updated on EP yet for me

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

wens,
if I can ever get Edward our of my blood I'll try that series...

I have tried & failed reading other stuff... FF has ruined me!

womadsart said...

wow.. I read ff in bed.. I bring my laptop to bed and fall asleep with Fifty for the past week..
I open my eyes in the morning, open my laptop and continue until I need to get ready...
Am I weird?
:)

Gwen Cooper 426 said...

More twitpix from CL & Angie!

http://twitpic.com/15z12o

http://twitpic.com/15yzz3

http://twitpic.com/15yz1l

(Told them to grab one of those last one's!)

wensdazzled by ThePretty said...

@rpg--edward never leaves your head--but they are good--they are alpha males who are extremely hot--which helps--LOL

Shani said...

Great interview. Wow. So one of Rob's friends(either Tom, Sam who we saw with him at one point or someone else)got hit with a mini baseball bat. *cringe*

One of his sisters stayed in NY for 5 years. Nice

And Ruby sounds like she will definitely be an actress that will be doing big things in the years to come.Such high praise from Rob. Maybe be nominated with the right role.It will be interesting to see what comes of her career.

Ana73 said...

if i had a laptop i would bring it to bed with me too but i dont.

anyways chat with you ladies tomorrow, off to bed

good night and sweet rob dreams to you all :))

Shani said...

Gwen- I loving the pics that Ang and CL took. I told them to get the marquee and they got it. It's looks nice. I see the streets are clear but there is still snow on certain parts of the sidewalks.

Shani said...

Night Ana!

Shani said...

I meant to say "I'm" and not "I". I need pay more attention to what I'm typing. UGH!

Gwen Cooper 426 said...

Another twitpix from CL & Angie:

http://twitpic.com/15z4q7

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

The NBs are doing great work in NY!!! Tomorrow will be epic!!!!

ShariG said...

I watched Twilight again on Showtime tonight. I really cannot get enough of this movie. I love Rob and can't wait to see him in Remember Me. But, without Edward I would not have known about Rob at all. So, I don't really ever mind if they ask a Twilight related question or two. I am very proud of him that he never has a negative thing to say about any of his previous collaborations. In fact, I have never heard him say a negative thing about anybody or anything. Even crazy fans. Just one more thing I love about him.

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

My 17 year old grandson is going to see RM! How cool is he? His g/f is making him, but he een says it looks good!

rpattzgirl survived Rob! said...

ShariG,
I'm watching it on showtime as well... Again..

ITA Rob says nothing but positive things!

MMc said...

This was a very newsy interview and a lot of info from Rob. I liked it.
A little concerned about him knocking the little girl over in her desk.........he didn't seem the least bit remorseful about that, poor dear. I bet she was terrified.
He doesn't know his own strength.

Oh I hope no one asks him about Negros or vaginas in these upcoming talk shows.......but............it's just too good of fodder to resist.

MMc said...

jc.....re: Rob being honest.......seems like I recall one of the things Kristen said about Rob was that he was honest to a fault..

That's a great quality in a husband!!!

But I'm surprized he's interested in politics!! lol

Cindygal said...

Wow I love this interview…everytime I read his interviews I just fall all over again in love with him even more.
I specifically liked how he describes working with his onscreen little sister..oh oh..such a sweet guy!
And the best part about this interview is that he’ll be using his English accent for Bel Ami!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i’m sooooooooooooooooo happy. Rob with his English accent…*sigh**
I literally cant wait to see Bel Ami

Filtm

Audrey said...

A very nice and interest interview.
Rob is very great. He will have a big career.
I´ve got the sensation that all the journalist who interview him like him after. He let a very good sensation to the people, that´s so great.

WhyIstheRumAlwaysGone said...

Wow, this a really great interview, so interesting and complete and honest. He's so interesting... I could read a mile-long interview with him and not get tired! I love the way he speaks of little Ruby Jerins, such respect and admiration, it's kind of endearing. I wish he had said more about Emilie too. Reading this anyway I can't wait to see how Rob will evolve in his career in the years to come!

Tess said...

Another good interview. The interview in Details, which I thoroughly enjoyed, made me realise how much I missed 'hearing' his voice. I hope we get more.

My favourite quote:

"There’s a reason why James Dean stereotype is so common, especially in actors, I think. I think its pretty real. It’s also an ideal for young guys I think. I think, anyway. Because as soon as you stop struggling against something, what have you got to do? That’s the whole point being young, struggling against things."

Noe said...

oo i likey this interview!

Unknown said...

"So one of Rob's friends got hit with a mini baseball bat."

Tom was in NY with Robert before the auditions of Remmeber me...remember?

Wow

And people say us- twilight fans - are the crazy ones!!!!

Down to Earth said...

Love it !

I've spend time reading all comments and found someone 's got the same fav. about Brotherhood & also Dark Series. Please let me in there. VV""VV

Kelly Louise said...

Really amazing interview. Love his thoughts on his character, raises some pretty interesting new ideas about Tyler, reading the script I never thought of him that way.

He never ceases to amaze me with the things he says. It's always either absolutely hilarious or amazingly deep. Liked his quote: "If you’re happy all of the time, it’s difficult to acknowledge when you actually are happy." He really has interesting theories.. I could listen to his ideas forever and never be bored.

AP said...

It seems the only negative things Rob says are about himself - but he's learning not to do that either.:)

think the 'bat' incident involved a musician...

I remember sitting on that statue in CP just where Ruby is - no Rob on the other side, though, dammit. lol

 
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