Willem Dafoe talks Robert Pattinson to Variety

Here’s the video of Willem talking about his films and Rob. The Lighthouse conversation starts at about 4.16 – Willem talks about filming, rehearsals and of course Rob. Mark also slips in the Batman question – I thought Willem’s response was gold.

Here’s the extact from Variety Print Interview

Oscar buzz began almost immediately after the movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to ecstatic reviews for both Dafoe and Pattinson. Eggers is being hailed as the next big talent to look out for. “That’s good. I’ll take that,” Dafoe says when asked shortly after the premiere about the accolades. “I’m happy to hear that talk because that kind of recognition really helps the movie.”

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Shot on location in Nova Scotia, the real-life weather captured on film is the third star of “The Lighthouse.”

“It’s cold, it’s miserable, [but] that’s kind of the point,” Dafoe said. “We’re there on a mission. That helps sometimes with really extreme situations. The weather tells you what you need to do and you can’t act that red nose, that red runny nose and that shivering and that bone-cold tiredness.”

Dafoe says he and Pattinson approached the project completely differently. Dafoe likes rehearsals whereas Pattinson didn’t want to reveal too much about his preparation beforehand because his “Lighthouse” character not only has a mysterious past, but is a man of few words. “We’re different, and the truth is, because our methods were different, they sort of mirrored the differences in the characters,” Dafoe said. “If it was a problem, I’m sure Rob Eggers would have corrected it. But in fact, he liked the tension and difference.”

Dafoe is quick to point out that he thinks Pattinson is a “great guy.” There was no “personal animosity, [but] we didn’t have much contact as far as hanging out or anything like that,” he explained. “It wasn’t a method thing. We worked hard, and it was miserable weather so when you’re free, you head for cover.”

Just three days before “The Lighthouse” team landed at Cannes, Variety exclusively reported that Pattinson was in final negotiations to star as the next Batman in director Matt Reeves’ upcoming “The Batman.”

“He’s got a strong chin,” Dafoe said of the former “Twilight” teen heartthrob taking on the Caped Crusader. “That’s a part of it. Can you imagine anyone with a weak chin ever playing Batman? I don’t think so.”