Robert Pattinson Explores Acting Diversity in Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mickey 17’

Robert Pattinson, known for his diverse roles and acting prowess, is set to delve into further eccentricity in director Bong Joon-ho‘s upcoming science fiction film, “Mickey 17.” The movie presents a unique challenge for Pattinson as he portrays multiple iterations of the character Mickey, a “sadsack” expendable clone. Each clone of Mickey is created anew every time the previous one meets its demise, resulting in multiple roles for Pattinson to bring to life.

A key plot point involves an unintended coexistence of Mickey 17 and Mickey 18, owing to a mishap that forms the central conflict of the film. Pattinson embraced this challenge by distinguishing between the characters with distinctive voices, initially drawing inspiration from unexpected sources. “It’s a little like Stimpy,” Pattinson comments regarding Mickey 17’s voice, referencing the cult 1990s cartoon “Ren & Stimpy.” For Mickey 18, he envisioned a vocal tone “more like Ren,” the counterpart character from the same cartoon, he revealed in an interview with Empire magazine.

In his development process, Pattinson initially considered channeling Steve-O and Johnny Knoxville of “Jackass” fame for his character’s voices. However, this approach was promptly discouraged by director Bong Joon-ho, who noted that such voices were akin to “nails on a chalkboard.” Pattinson humorously recalled Bong’s feedback, saying, “I was like, ‘Is that a good thing?’ He was like, ‘No.’” Hence, the evolvement towards Ren & Stimpy for vocal differentiation.

Pattinson further elaborates on the thematic essence of the Mickey clones, describing the character as possessing “a complete lack of self-worth,” yet driven by a “combination of deep, misguided guilt, and also survival.” This notion is exemplified through Mickey’s recurrent expectation-lowering demeanor as he continues his existence across clone iterations.

“Mickey 17” is scheduled for release in the UK on January 31, 2025. The film stars Robert Pattinson alongside Steven Yeun and Naomi Ackie, promising a compelling exploration of identity and survival against the backdrop of a sci-fi narrative. For those interested in Pattinson’s character inspirations, “The Ren & Stimpy Show” is currently available for streaming on Paramount+.