Robert Pattinson Reveals Why He Wanted To Punch ‘The Witch’ Director On The “Harsh” Set Of His New Movie

Somehow, Robert Pattinson has done what many high-paid young actors haven’t been able to — shed the franchise stigma. Much like his “Twilight” co-star Kristen Stewart, Pattinson took his notoriety gained from being plastered on the bedroom wall of millions of young women and began making bold career choices. Sometimes it works out well (last year’s “Good Time”) and sometimes, not so much (the forgettable “Life”).

2018 is a year full of interesting choices again for the actor, as he stars in the upcoming Claire Denis film “High Life” and filmed the upcoming Robert Eggers film “The Lighthouse.” However, it appears that taking these unique roles comes with some consequences, as Pattinson explains in a new interview.

READ MORE: Robert Pattinson Talks Recent Films & How He’d Join A ‘Twilight’ Reunion “At A Moment’s Notice”

Speaking to Willem Dafoe, courtesy of Interview Magazine, Pattinson talks about his career, his process, and why he almost punched a director in the face. But before we get to the almost-assault, the actor talked about why he was so nervous when he walked into the auditorium before the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of “High Life.” Namely, why seeing people with popcorn wasn’t a good sign.

“It was a little scary after the first screening in Toronto. I don’t think that audience was really prepared for it. It was a huge auditorium, and as soon as they walked in, I could see everyone sitting there with popcorn, ready to be entertained. And I just suddenly thought, ‘Oh, no, a train is about to hit these people in a second. They’re definitely not expecting an esoteric movie about demon harvesting,’” explained Pattinson.

That being said, “High Life” was received just fine, apparently, as the film now sports a solid 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. And it looks like that same type of caution might be ahead for Pattinson as “The Witch” filmmaker Robert Eggers puts the finishing touches on “The Lighthouse,” the highly-anticipated horror follow-up film.

READ MORE: ‘High Life’: Claire Denis Makes Strange, Scary, Kinky Sci-Fi With Robert Pattinson [TIFF Review]

While the actor was excited to work with Eggers on “The Lighthouse,” he admits to Dafoe (who also stars in the film) that he didn’t have the greatest time on set (Dafoe called the set “harsh”), mainly because he felt completely unprepared for the role. While details about the film are scarce, Pattinson explains that when he went to rehearsals, he didn’t have the grasp on the material that Dafoe and others did, and that unnerved him.

Dafoe then brings up a day on set when Pattinson was sprayed with water so hard that it stung, while filming a scene. This led the actor to recount his mindset at the time and why that filming experience almost led Pattinson to punch Eggers:

“That’s the closest I’ve come to punching a director. However much I love Robert [Eggers], there was a point where I did five takes walking across the beach, and after a while I was like, ‘What the fuck is going on? I feel like you’re just spraying a fire hose in my face.’ And he was like, ‘I am spraying a fire hose in your face.’ It was like some kind of torture. It definitely creates an interesting energy. [Laughs]”

Surprisingly, Pattinson also revealed that while he appears to be at the top of his game, acting-wise, he really feels out of his depth on every project. “With every single movie I’ve done, I’ve felt a compulsive need to tell the director on the first day that I have no idea what I’m doing…I mean, I’ll literally do a movie specifically because I think I can’t do it. You just hope you don’t drown. And then when you don’t drown, you hopefully figure out how to swim,” he admits.

READ MORE: Robert Pattinson Joins ‘The Witch’ Director Robert Eggers’ ‘The Lighthouse’

This could be Pattinson being modest, but it appears that whatever comfort zone that the actor ventures out of frequently, he should keep doing it because it has been working out pretty well so far.

“High Life” was recently picked up for distribution in the US with a non-specific 2019 release date from A24.