For “The Batman” to offer moviegoers something new, the on-screen chemistry between Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz was essential. Previous films boosted the presence of memorable villains, but marketing for Matt Reeves’ film instead focuses on the never-quite-a-couple crime-fighting vigilante duo, Batman and Catwoman. Even the final trailer was titled “The Bat and The Cat.”
“The chemistry read was really intense,” Kravitz told Entertainment Weekly, explaining that her audition was a “proper camera test” with Pattinson in the Batsuit on a full soundstage. “It wasn’t just reading lines in a room. So it was intimidating, to say the least.” While she panicked over capturing Catwoman’s cool vibe, Pattinson was also having serious anxiety. Despite already being cast for the titular role, everything was still so new. “The first time I’d even said lines from the script was in Zoë’s screen test,” he revealed. “The camera’s not even on me … I’m literally having this major panic attack, just looking for emotional support from Zoë, who’s trying to get the part.”
The two may have been lost in their own nerves, but Reeves could quickly tell the match was made. Kravitz and Pattinson point out their characters’ attempts at ignoring a strong connection, which fits perfectly into the overall “outsider” theme we’ve seen so far. And, as Kravitz previously told Variety, “He’s a really interesting artist, and that is very much Batman in a way … I think he’s perfect for this role,” before quipping, “… and he looks good in the suit, man.”
