He was eager to take on The Batman, even though he has avoided studio movies since his Twilight days

“I felt a connection to it, I don’t know why. I just really wanted it. The role has a ‘power’ which is why everyone is attracted to it. It’s an unidentifiable thing … I remember watching the Tim Burton Batman movies as a kid … I was obsessed with them.

“There was something that appealed to me. Batman movies have always attracted really good directors, and really good actors, and it’s got a legacy and lineage to it. It’s never been something that seemed like just a cash-in.”

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It was an awkward experience trying on the Batsuit for the first time

“You do feel powerful immediately. And it’s pretty astonishing, something that is incredibly difficult to get into, so the ritual of getting into it is pretty humiliating. You’ve got five people trying to shove you into something. Once you’ve got it on, it’s like: ‘Yeah, I feel strong, I feel tough, even though I had to have someone squeezing my butt cheeks into the legs’.

“You’re trying to think of the way to balance, how to bring something new to it and not scare people off. And [you have to] work in the confines of the costume.”

He is much more settled compared to his Twilight years

“I’ve calmed down in terms of my everyday life, but mainly because I spend more time in London, which is totally different. When I was living in LA, I felt out of place. I didn’t feel connected to that city and its life and culture. Over the years I’ve been able to do a lot of travelling and that has helped me grow as an individual. It has also helped me become a better actor because I have greater insight into things and that shows in your work.

“I’m also doing more parts that just sort of interest me, while in a lot of ways taking a little bit of a step back just to learn and get better. Everything feels more honest and authentic. I used to be treated like a baby bird that needed to be protected from the outside world and I hated that.

“I like having people around me now who are willing to tell me what they really think and having my management let me know if they think I’m making the wrong choices. I hate the phoniness that sometimes comes with the business.”

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He didn’t expect Twilight would turn him into a big Hollywood star

“When I started on Twilight, I didn’t even know that the Stephenie Meyer books had this huge following. I thought we were making more of an indie movie because Catherine Hardwicke (the director of Twilight) had just finished two very well-received art-house films, Thirteen (2003) and Lords of Dogtown (2005). So, I had no idea what I was getting involved in.

“After shooting began, I was amazed at all these screaming teenagers who were spending the entire day waiting outside the set. It seemed completely surreal to me. Even then, it still didn’t hit me. The first time I really understood that millions of people would be going to see the movie was at the world premiere when I went to the theatre with my family and friends and there was such a commotion. It felt insane, but over the years you learn to adapt. You don’t have a choice.”

He stays grounded despite his fame

“I’ve never allowed myself to believe that all the attention is for me. You need to separate your identity from your celebrity because as soon as you start letting yourself think that when you hear applause, they’re applauding you, you’re [finished].

“I also think that working in smaller films has helped change the perception of me, and the kind of celebrity that came with doing the Twilight movies has worn off. It’s fine with me.”

He believes that the best relationship is one where you become soul mates

“Especially as you get older, it becomes easier to find your soulmate because you’re more mature and better prepared for a serious relationship.”

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He is a risk-taker in his work

“After having experienced the kind of fame and commercial success very few actors get to enjoy, I wanted to be able to take risks. I knew that sci-fi adventure High Life (2018) would be controversial, and now I would love to maybe [star] in a film about a dancer.

“I can already hear my agent telling me: ‘What, you want to play Rudolf Nureyev? Robert, you’re the last man on earth who should play the greatest ballet dancer of all time’. But my answer would be: ‘Give me nine months to practise my grand jeté and I can pull it off!’ [Laughs] The idea of taking on an impossible role like that is what excites me.”

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