Mickey 17: Robert Pattinson’s Jackass Impressions Were Rejected by Bong Joon-ho

Robert Pattinson’s accent in Mickey 17 is something that everyone talked about once the trailer for the film came out, and according to the actor, his original idea for the accent was vetoed by director Bong Joon-ho.

Speaking to Empire Magazine, Pattinson revealed that his initial accent idea was to do a mix of Steve-O and Johnny Knoxville from the Jackass franchise. However, Bong Joon-ho quickly nixed that idea.

“My initial idea was to do impressions of Steve-O and Johnny Knoxville [from Jackass],” he chuckles. “I love Steve-O’s voice. We did it on the first read-through. And Bong was like, ‘That voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard.’ I was like, ‘Is that a good thing?’ He was like, ‘No.’”

Instead, Pattinson landed on a voice that he says is inspired by Ren & Stimpy, the cult classic 1990s cartoon. “It’s a little like Stimpy,” said Pattinson. “When 18 comes in, it’s a little bit more like Ren.”

What is Mickey 17 about?

Mickey 17 is based on the 2022 novel Mickey7 written by Edward Ashton. The story is about a “disposable” employee, Mickey Barnes (Pattinson), who is sent to colonize an ice world called Nifflheim.

“Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim,” a description of the novel reads. “Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous—even suicidal—the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal…and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it.”

“On a fairly routine scouting mission, Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. By the time he returns to the colony base, surprisingly helped back by native life, Mickey7’s fate has been sealed. There’s a new clone, Mickey8, reporting for Expendable duties. The idea of duplicate Expendables is universally loathed, and if caught, they will likely be thrown into the recycler for protein.”

Alongside Pattinson, the movie also stars Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, Holliday Grainger, Angus Imrie, and more.

Bong Joon-ho wrote the script for the movie. His past filmography includes 2000’s Barking Dogs Never Bite, 2003’s Memories of Murder, 2006’s The Host, 2009’s Mother, 2013’s Snowpiercer, 2017’s Okja, and 2019’s Parasite.

Mickey 17 will be released in United States theaters on January 31, 2025, from Warner Bros. Pictures.

(Source: Empire)

Anthony Nash

Anthony Nash has been writing about games and the gaming industry for nearly a decade. When he’s not writing about games, he’s usually playing them. You can find him on Twitter talking about games or sports at @_anthonynash.