Robert Pattinson plays Antinous in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. The role marks Pattinson’s first collaboration with Nolan since Tenet, and it gives the actor another opportunity to play a complex antagonist. Best known for leading The Batman and starring in acclaimed auteur projects like The Lighthouse and Mickey 17, Pattinson steps into one of the epic’s most recognizable villains as one of the leading suitors competing for Penelope’s hand during Odysseus’ long absence.
In Homer’s The Odyssey, Antinous is the most arrogant and ruthless of the suitors occupying Odysseus’ palace in Ithaca. Believing Odysseus is dead, he pushes Penelope to choose a new husband while consuming the king’s wealth and plotting against Telemachus, Odysseus’ son. Antinous becomes the primary symbol of the corruption that has taken hold in Ithaca, making him one of the central obstacles standing in the hero’s way once he finally returns home.
Robert Pattinson has described Antinous as a character who may be more sympathetic than audiences expect, suggesting there is a misunderstood love story at the center of his motivations. While the original poem portrays Antinous as a clear villain, Nolan’s adaptation could add new layers to the character, giving Pattinson another memorable performance in a career that has become defined by unpredictable and challenging roles.
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