Well, yes, Homer’s The Odyssey and the Twilight saga can coexist in thematic harmony, according to star Robert Pattinson.
In response to a question about how “fun it is to play a character that everyone is not rooting for” via his role as the sleazy Antinous in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic, Pattinson told MTV that he has a slightly different take.
“I think they will be rooting for him,” Pattinson replied earlier this week on the red carpet at The Odyssey’s United Kingdom premiere.
He continued, “I keep comparing. It’s kind of like Jacob in Twilight,“ he said, referencing Taylor Lautner’s role in the super successful vampire-werewolf romance series in which both actors starred opposite Kristen Stewart.
Pattinson, who played vampire heartthrob Edward Cullen in Twilight, explained that audiences might side with Antinous throughout The Odyssey, as the character attempts to court Penelope (Anne Hathaway) while her husband, Odysseus (Matt Damon), is long thought to have died after setting out on a treacherous journey.
“What The Odyssey is about, Penelope can’t make her mind up between the two guys,” Pattinson quipped. “And I’m just trying to help her make a decision.”
He then looked into the camera as he joked, “It’s like, it’s fine, he’s dead. Get over it!”
One thing fans haven’t gotten over, it seems, is the Team Edward vs. Team Jacob matchup of fandom factions, as both characters competed for the love of Stewart’s Bella Swan across the Twilight films.
In March, a reporter at a press conference posed a question to the cast of Pattinson’s The Drama about which team they supported, with lead actress Zendaya proclaiming that she’s firmly Team Edward.
“No one’s Team Jacob,” Pattinson replied, waving his hand in the air. “That was just a marketing thing.”
After the journalist admitted that they were Team Jacob, Pattinson playfully rolled his eyes and joked, “Sorry!”
The Odyssey is out July 17. Watch Pattinson discuss his role above.