Robert Pattinson has revealed where his distinct accent in Mickey 17 came from. For award-winning director Bong Joon-ho’s latest film, Pattinson portrays Mickey Barnes, an unlucky drifter who volunteers as an “expendable” on a human colony where he takes on perilous missions with little expectation of survival. Each time he dies, a new clone appears. Based on Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7, much of the film revolves around the exploits of his 17th and 18th iterations—both of whom speak in bizarre accents. The Mickey 17 cast also features Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, and Toni Collette.

As reported by Variety, Pattinson revealed during the Berlin Film Festival press conference that he based the voice of Mickey’s 17th iteration on Steve Buscemi’s character in the award-winning film Fargo. Early reviews of Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi dark comedy have been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the leading actor for his chaotic yet brilliant performance. Mickey 17 is set to hit theaters March 7. Read what Pattinson had to say below:

I actually think I realized today what I was doing. We were doing an interview earlier and Bong said one of the thoughts he was having for 18 was Peter Stormare from “Fargo.” And then I think how that went into my head was to do Steve Buscemi as 17. I kind of did it by accident, but I don’t think I realized that until today. I thought I was doing something else.

What Robert Pattinson’s Mickey 17 Accent Means

Mickey 17 And 18’s Accent Was Inspired By Fargo

In the Coen brothers’ film Fargo, Peter Stormare and Steve Buscemi play Carl and Gaear, respectively, two Minnesotan criminals hired to carry out a botched kidnapping. Stormare and Buscemi’s accents in Fargo originate from the area surrounding the Minnesota-North Dakota border, the setting of the 1996 black comedy. This dialect is known for its distinct “тιԍнт” vowels and elongated “o” sounds. Across the iterations of Mickeys, Pattinson has distinct vocal characteristics for each.

This is not the first time that Robert Pattinson has sported a distinct accent for a role. In the Southern Gothic crime thriller The Devil All The Time (2020), the actor plays a charismatic yet sinister preacher with a high-pitched and exaggerated Southern accent. In Robert Eggers’ movie The Lighthouse (2019), Pattinson is a delirious lighthouse keeper with a strange New England accent. For the Safdie brothers’ film Good Time (2017), he has a distinct Queens accent, which he picked up at a New York City tattoo shop.

Our Take On Robert Pattinson’s Mickey 17 Accent

Pattinson’s History Of Voices Shows His Versatility

While Robert Pattinon’s accents throughout his filmography have gotten mixed responses from audiences and critics alike, he consistently brings a unique flair to every role. As the actor undertakes distinct nuances in body language and voice for each version of Mickey, Pattinson’s dual performance in Mickey 17 becomes an impressive feat of versatility. Rather than delivering another generic sci-fi hero, Pattinson leans into Bong Joon-ho’s darkly comedic tone, making each iteration of Mickey feel distinctly quirky yet intrinsically connected.

Source: Variety