Pattinson's Hidden Voice Role Links Him to Chalamet Film
Director Josh Safdie reveals an unexpected cameo that brought two major stars together in an unusual way, marking their first collaboration since a 2019 historical epic.
Director Josh Safdie dropped a surprise revelation about Robert Pattinson's involvement in Timothée Chalamet's latest ping-pong drama. The Batman actor provided voice work for the film, though audiences might miss his contribution entirely.
Pattinson serves as the English announcer during the British Open Semifinals sequence that opens the movie. Safdie described this as an easter egg that viewers could easily overlook in the finished product.
An Unexpected Reunion Takes Shape
The collaboration happened organically when Pattinson visited Safdie during production. The director needed someone with a British accent for the announcer role and seized the opportunity.
"No one knows this, but that voice — the commentator, the umpire — is Pattinson. It's like a little easter egg. Nobody knows about that. … He came and watched some stuff and I was like, I don't know any British people. So he's the umpire," Safdie explained.
This marks the first time Pattinson and Chalamet have worked on the same project since 2019's The King. In that Netflix historical drama, Pattinson played the French Dauphin opposite Chalamet's King Henry V.
Future Collaborations on the Horizon
The voice cameo won't be their final reunion. Both actors are set to appear in Dune: Part 3, where they'll likely share actual screen time. Reports suggest Pattinson will play Scytale, a Tleilaxu Face Dancer plotting against Paul Atreides.
Pattinson recently described his challenging experience filming the desert sequences. "When I was doing 'Dune' it was so hot in the desert that I just couldn't question anything. And it was so relaxing, like my brain actually wasn't operating, I did not have a single functioning brain cell. And I was just listening to Denis [Villeneuve]: 'Whatever you want!'"
The ping-pong film continues Chalamet's successful holiday movie streak, earning strong ratings from both critics and audiences. Meanwhile, fans await the 2026 release of the final Dune installment.