Robert Pattinson Disgusted After Audition—Missed Out on Iconic 2000s Film!

Robert Pattinson is predominantly known for his role in the “Twilight” series, adapted from Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling novels. Now 38, Pattinson has since managed to shake off the teen idol image that his portrayal of the romantic vampire Edward Cullen had cemented.

He has certainly succeeded: Pattinson has demonstrated his versatility and acting prowess in films directed by notable filmmakers like David Cronenberg, Werner Herzog, Claire Denis, Robert Eggers, Christopher Nolan, and most recently, Bong Joon-ho—the director behind “Parasite”—in the sci-fi action comedy “Mickey 17” currently in theaters. Despite initial skepticism from many fans, he also delivered a compelling performance in the superhero thriller “The Batman” in 2022.

Yet, his career trajectory could have been quite different. Before his breakthrough in “Twilight,” Robert Pattinson had the chance to act in two films now regarded as some of the greatest cinematic achievements of the 2000s. One wonders if he would have ever played the famous vampire had he accepted those roles.

A Different Kind of Blood Story

Indeed, here’s an intriguing hypothetical: Robert Pattinson had the opportunity to audition for Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece “There Will Be Blood” and for Andrew Dominik’s hauntingly poetic Western “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck.

Pattinson himself considers missing out on the chance to work alongside Daniel Day-Lewis, a three-time Oscar winner, in the former film as one of the biggest mistakes of his career. “I remember the day I read the script for ‘There Will Be Blood’ and thought it was the best script ever. But I couldn’t do the movie. Coming out of the audition, I was disgusted. I was going to audition, but then I thought: ‘I can’t,’” Pattinson revealed in an interview with HitFix (via The Playlist).

He continued, “And then there was ‘The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.’ I don’t know why I backed out of those. I would never do that again.”

It’s unclear which roles he auditioned for, but it’s speculated that for “There Will Be Blood,” it was the dual role of preacher Eli Sunday and his twin brother Paul, roles that eventually went to another rising star at the time, Paul Dano. To recall, the film narrates the story of a prospector (Day-Lewis) who buys oil wells from a family living on a ranch.

Instead, as you know, Robert Pattinson became a youth idol through “Twilight”—following his role as Cedric Diggory in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” He has gradually moved away from teenage roles, taking on increasingly adult and complex characters. He is now sought after by the biggest names in the industry.

While fans await his return as the Dark Knight in “The Batman: Part II” slated for 2027, Robert Pattinson can currently be seen in cinemas in Bong Joon-ho’s “Mickey 17.”