Why can't "The Batman" star Robert Pattinson stand to see certain fish dishes anymore?
And was he serious when he said he wasn't working out in lockdown?
Keep watching for the details of his regimen.
Batman has been played in a variety of ways over the years by a wide array of actors,
from Michael Keaton to Christian Bale to Ben Affleck.
Then there's the latest to don the batsuit, Robert Pattinson.
Though some seem to have done more than others before putting on the cape and cowl, there's
no doubt that every Batman actor had to put in some work to get in shape before taking
on the role.
The physical standards for a Batman actor change from project to project.
If anything, it's become more integral than ever recently, with every Batman now guaranteed
at least one or two shirtless scenes displaying Bruce Wayne's obsession with remaining vigilant
in mastering his body and mind to weed out Gotham's criminal underbelly.
For "The Batman," pressure was on for the typically lean Pattinson to bulk up a bit.
He has revealed that he took some fairly drastic measures to get in shape for the iconic role.
In an interview with People magazine, Pattinson revealed he was on a strict diet that helped
him physically prepare for the role in only three months.
And before shirtless scenes, it got really extreme.
He said:
"You just cut down and cut down and cut down before the couple of scenes with your shirt
off, and you're counting sips of water."
According to Muscle and Fitness, cutting back to just sips of water is a strategy that can
be used by bodybuilders and wrestlers trying to drop weight to make a certain weight class.
The 35-year-old Pattinson said "shame" was his biggest motivator in building his Batman
body, and he was working out before and after work.
The actor has said his diet was bland too, with the sight of boiled fish, a key component
of his diet, causing him discomfort today.
He told On Demand Entertainment,
"I never want to see--"
"Salad?"
"--a piece of white fish with just lemon on it.
Boiled fish."
Pattinson also had to undergo some fairly intense physical training.
The actor said his routine included weight training, boxing drills, military sandbag
drills, and three to six mile runs.
He said,
"It's all about pushing boundaries and building up to a point where you know you can do justice
to the physicality required."
The actor added that he drew inspiration from Marvel stars like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris
Hemsworth.
Pattinson's scheduled training included cardio to start and then a succession of exercises
that sound fun to nobody, like bicycle crunches and dumbbell side-bends.
The physical commitment from Pattinson is all the more impressive when you consider
how much he hated exercise before the role, as he's admitted it would have taken a lot
to get him to do some cardio before "The Batman" came along.
He joked,
"A few years ago, I would have run a mile from anything with a physical edge."
"Training's a lot more fun…it's a lot more fun when you kind of get good at it."
The actor appears to think it was all worth it — and not just because the film seems
to be doing well with audiences and critics.
He told People that wearing the batsuit on set was like "wearing a crown or something,"
adding,
"People react to you differently, the crew reacts differently.
Your entire world suddenly changes."
Pattinson said fitting into the costume, which he claimed has an "elemental power to it,"
ended up being an essential part of being able to buy into the role and accept himself
in it.
He explained,
"It's funny, because you read the script and you spend loads of time trying to figure out,
'How can I play this character who does these sort of audacious acts?"
His extensive workout routine and respect for the Batman myth may come as a comfort
to some fans, as the actor has previously commented about not working out before "The
Batman," which had some thinking he was not doing enough to prep for the iconic role.
While "The Batman" production was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pattinson said that
working out was not a "high priority" for him, and those working out in quarantine were
"part of the problem."
But Pattinson told MovieMaker his earlier comments were all in jest.
Of course he was staying in shape for the role.
He said,
"You're playing Batman.
You have to work out.
I think I was doing the interview when I was in lockdown, as well, in England...
I was in a lower gear of working out."
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