There’s some fantastic comments from the always wonderful David Michôd about casting Rob and also about the character of Rey featured in the Cannes French Press Kit (how’s your French? to download click here):
How did you choose your actors?
I had Guy Pearce in mind from the beginning. We needed a man who was his age, who had a quiet and mysterious strength, who had is talent and his extraordinary attention to detail. I didn’t forget the pleasure I had working with him on Animal Kingdom. Rob (Pattinson) came later. We met, I liked him a lot and then he did some screen tests for me, awesome tests, full of life, never forced or artificial, and it was done. And there is something very exciting in having the opportunity to show the world that a star underestimated and reduced to a certain image actually has a wealth of unexploited talent. I quickly found out that Rob is a great actor. And I look forward to everyone can realize the same.
If Guy Pearce’s character is the “Rover”, how do you define Robert Pattinson’s?
He is also a “rover”. Guy is a rover in the sense of “wanderer”. But in classical English, “rover” is also used as affectionate term for a dog. Rob follows Guy everywhere, a bit like a lost dog would.
I’m doing back flips here. This is wonderful. I love men of talent cheering Rob on.
Isn’t the ownership of the title fascinating? I am hungry for more. I hope I get to hear David, Rob and Guy all talking about the process live.
As if we needed another reason to love David… I adore hearing praise for Rob (who doesn’t?) It makes me sad, though, that there are so many doubters still out there. Is it because of ‘Twilight’? Still? He’s done so much before and since, but that is the only thing some people focus on. Imagine if Heath Ledger was still referred to as that guy who was in the TV series ‘Roar’, or Johnny Depp as the ‘heart-throb’ in ’21 Jump Street’! It’s bloody insulting. Rob’s worked so hard to get where he is, and taken huge risks with the parts he chooses – come on, you cynics, give credit where it’s due and stop trying to squash him back into a box that was already too small when he first took on the role of Edward Cullen! Sorry for the rant. I’ll shut up now!
“…… a bit like a lost dog would.” Aaaaw. Why did that affect me so much?
As for “a wealth of unexploited talent” ~ yep, we love you, David.