In an exciting announcement, Robert Pattinson has disclosed the inspiration behind his singular accent in the upcoming film Mickey 17. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, the movie features Pattinson as Mickey Barnes, a down-and-out drifter who volunteers as an “expendable” in a human colony, facing dangerous missions with grim prospects of survival. Each time Mickey meets his end, a new clone emerges, causing the narrative to follow the escapades of his 17th and 18th clones, both of whom boast quirky accents.
The cast of Mickey 17 also includes notable actors such as Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, and Toni Collette. During a press conference at the Berlin Film Festival, Pattinson shed light on his unique vocal choice for Mickey’s 17th iteration, revealing that he drew inspiration from Steve Buscemi’s character in the critically acclaimed film Fargo. Early reviews of Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi dark comedy have been overwhelmingly positive, with many critics praising Pattinson’s dynamic and chaotic performance.
Mickey 17 is scheduled for release in theaters on March 7. Pattinson shared his insights, stating, “I actually think I realized today what I was doing. We were doing an interview earlier, and Bong said one of the thoughts he was having for 18 was Peter Stormare from ‘Fargo.’ And then I think how that went into my head was to do Steve Buscemi as 17. I kind of did it by accident, but I don’t think I realized that until today. I thought I was doing something else.”
In the Coen brothers’ Fargo, characters played by Peter Stormare and Steve Buscemi are Carl and Gaear, two criminals from Minnesota hired for a botched kidnapping. Their distinguishing accents are notable, stemming from the region between Minnesota and North Dakota, famously characterized by tight vowels and elongated “o” sounds. Pattinson adopts these unique vocal traits across the different iterations of Mickey, showcasing his remarkable versatility.
Robert Pattinson’s career continues to flourish, with multiple upcoming projects and new collaborations on the horizon. Notably, this is not Pattinson’s first encounter with a distinctive accent. In the Southern Gothic crime thriller, The Devil All The Time (2020), he portrayed a charismatic yet sinister preacher, employing a heightened Southern accent. In Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse (2019), he played a deranged lighthouse keeper with a peculiar New England accent. Similarly, in the Safdie brothers’ film Good Time (2017), he adopted a distinct Queens accent influenced by experiences at a New York City tattoo shop.
While audiences and critics have provided mixed responses to Pattinson’s varied accents throughout his filmography, he consistently brings a unique and creative flair to each character. As he navigates distinct nuances in body language and vocal expression for each version of Mickey, Pattinson’s dual performance in Mickey 17 serves as a testament to his impressive range. Rather than relying on a typical sci-fi hero, Pattinson embraces Bong Joon-ho’s darkly comedic tone, endowing each Mickey clone with an eccentricity that feels both distinctly quirky and intrinsically connected.
