Robert Pattinson says he enjoys stepping into the role of a villain, with the actor taking on major antagonistic characters in both The Odyssey and Dune: Part Three this year.
Speaking to PEOPLE at the London premiere of The Odyssey on Monday, July 6, the actor reflected on what draws him to darker roles.
“I do. I like lowering people’s expectations; that’s always my favorite, that’s always my place to be. Undersell and overdeliver, that’s my motto,” Pattinson said when asked if he enjoys exploring his villainous side.
In Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The OdysseyPattinson plays Antinous, the suitor who attempts to win Penelope’s hand while Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, is missing after the Trojan War.
Antinous also seeks to seize the throne of Ithaca and eliminate Odysseus and Penelope’s son, Telemachus, portrayed by Tom Holland.
Despite his character’s actions, Pattinson offered a playful take on Antinous’ motivations. “I don’t think he’s really the bad guy,” he said. “I think he’s just like… It’s a love story, it’s a love story. Penelope is just waiting for Antinous to get older.”
The actor is also set to portray Scytale, the shape-shifting antagonist in Dune: Part Threewhere he stars opposite Timothée Chalamet and reunites with Zendaya following their collaboration in The Drama.
Pattinson also revealed that he develops a unique habit or quirk for each role to help him get into character.
“There’s always one little thing that you kind of do every movie,” he said, adding that while he remembered people finding one of his on-set habits “very strange,” he could no longer recall exactly what it was.
The Odyssey arrives in cinemas on July 17, while Dune: Part Three is scheduled for release on Dec. 18.
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