Robert Pattinson’s persistence to work with Claire Denis Pays Off

Claire Denis spoke to Le Soleil and this is what she had to say about High Life and Rob:

(Translation via Google)

Q:  These days you are putting the last touches on High Life, a co – production between Germany, France and Great Britain, which you shot in Germany with Robert Pattinson and, again, Juliette Binoche. It is said to be a science fiction film. Really?

Because history happens in a spaceship, people immediately associate it with science fiction. But the approach is very intimate and the story is mainly focused on the relationships between individuals.

Q: Is it true that Robert Pattinson has been very insistent on working with you?

In fact, I knew that Robert asked his agent to let me know his interest. But in my eyes, he was far too young for the role, and I was counting at the time to work with another actor, who, meanwhile, passed away (Philip Seymour Hoffman].  Moreover, his death devastated me, so much so that my momentum was completely blocked. Later, when I started again, the English producer told me about Robert again. I was of course delighted to meet him, but I still remembered that it was impossible to give him the role, because I still believed he was still too young for the role.  However, I found him wonderful at this meeting. Really. I also saw in him something else, which has nothing to do with age. Like a kind of lucidity in his life, in his work. It’s a great chance to work with an actor like him. And no matter what age, deep down. Life gave me a huge gift. As beautiful as it was to find Juliette.