Robert Pattinson Throws Shade at ‘Twilight’s Jacob While Describing His ‘The Odyssey’ Character

Published 07/07/2026, 9:26 AM CDT

via Imago

Robert Pattinson has playfully analysed his villainous role as Antinous by comparing the epic narrative structure of Homer’s ancient poem The Odyssey to the character Jacob Black of The Twilight Saga. While preparing for the release of his massive new blockbuster, the actor dropped a brilliant character comparison that bridges the gap between classic literature and modern pop culture. For the audiences eagerly counting down the days until this highly anticipated cinematic masterpiece officially debuts in theatres (July 17, 2026), this adds a layer of Pattinson's signature quirk to the anticipation. 

The acclaimed performer broke down the surprising structural similarities that connect these two famous fictional universes.

Robert Pattinson’s view- The surprising Twilight-like dynamics of Homeric poetry

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During a promotional interview with MTV UK at The Odyssey's world premiere, Robert Pattinson suggested that both narratives, The Odyssey and The Twilight Saga, utilize a persistent second-choice suitor trope where a woman is heavily conflicted between two distinct romantic futures. He claimed that audiences might surprisingly root for his antagonistic character, Antinous, drawing a direct parallel to Taylor Lautner’s famous werewolf character, Jacob Black.

“I keep comparing; it's (Antinous’ character) kind of like Jacob in Twilight,” Robert Pattinson said.

In Twilight, Bella Swan is torn between Edward Cullen (the primary love interest) and Jacob Black (the persistent best friend/alternative option). In The Odyssey, Penelope (the Queen of Ithaca) is waiting for her husband, Odysseus, but is besieged by a large group of aggressive Suitors (led by Antinous and Eurymachus) who want her to choose one of them and move on.

"Penelope just can't make her mind up between the two guys, and I'm just trying to, like, help her make a decision," the cast of The Odyssey, Pattinson, stated. He added that since everyone assumed the long-lost King Odysseus was dead, the logical choice was to simply move forward.

“He's dead, get over it,” Robert Pattinson said while answering MTV UK. This humorous perspective reframes the ancient Greek epic as a chaotic battle for romance rather than a purely historical conflict.

'The Odyssey' vs. 'Troy': The Actors Bringing Greek Mythology's Greatest Characters to Life

Explore the busy schedule awaiting this versatile leading man after his journey through ancient Greece concludes.

A spectacular line-up of upcoming cinematic projects of Robert Pattinson

Following the global theatrical release of The Odyssey this summer, Robert Pattinson will transition directly into a diverse array of major Hollywood features. He headlined the romantic dark comedy The Drama alongside Zendaya under the direction of Kristoffer Borgli. The film will officially make its streaming debut on HBO Max soon

The actor will also enter the massive science fiction universe of director Denis Villeneuve by joining Dune: Part Three. He will potentially portray the prominent main antagonist, Scytale, in the highly anticipated adaptation of Dune: Messiah. Furthermore, he is officially scheduled to don the iconic cape and cowl once again for Matt Reeves in The Batman Part II.

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His packed creative schedule extends even further into the genres of true-crime and psychological suspense. He is attached to star in Primetime, a gripping narrative tracking a television investigation into child predators. By comparing ancient Greek lore to teen romance, Robert Pattinson might have just perfectly highlighted the timeless nature of the classic love triangle.

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What do you think about The Odyssey and The Twilight Saga comparison given by Robert Pattinson? Let us know in the comments.

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Soma Mitra

1528 articles

Soma is a journalist at Netflix Junkie. With a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication, she brings production experience from documentary films like Chandua: Stories on Fabric. Covering the true crime and docu-drama beat, she turns psychological thrillers into sharp, audience-aware storytelling.

Edited By: Adiba Nizami

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