Robert Pattinson Opens Up About His Unexpected Zendaya Run

Robert Pattinson did not plan to spend a year sharing the screen with Zendaya, but Hollywood rarely moves in straight lines.

In an unexpected twist, the actor will appear alongside the Emmy-winning star in three major films, spanning intimate drama, epic mythology, and blockbuster science fiction.

Now, Pattinson is reflecting on how the unusual run came together and why the experience has stood out.

The idea of appearing in three films with the same co-star within such a short time frame is rare, even for established actors. Yet for Pattinson, the experience unfolded naturally rather than strategically.

Speaking with GQ, he made it clear the collaboration felt less like careful planning and more like fortunate timing.

“It’s so nice. She’s great. I really, really like her. And yeah, she’s incredible in 'The Drama' as well and in all of them,” Pattinson said, praising Zendaya’s range and presence across their projects.

The admiration reflects a working relationship that developed quickly and comfortably, despite the vastly different worlds their films occupy.

The first film audiences will see from the duo this year is "The Drama," an A24 release that keeps its secrets tightly guarded. Pattinson and Zendaya portray a couple whose seemingly perfect engagement begins to fracture when an unexpected revelation disrupts their wedding week.

A trailer released in December hints at emotional tension beneath polished surfaces, showing the pair navigating social events while something unspoken looms between them. Their characters, Emma and Charlie, move through intimate moments that feel increasingly unsettled as the story unfolds.

The film was shot in Andover, Massachusetts, where Pattinson and Zendaya were spotted working closely together on set in late 2024.

The project established the foundation for their on-screen chemistry, one rooted in subtlety rather than spectacle, before their collaboration expanded into much larger cinematic territory.

After "The Drama," the two reunite in Christopher Nolan’s epic adaptation of "The Odyssey," a dramatic shift in scale and tone.

Pattinson steps into the role of Antinous, one of the suitors attempting to win Penelope’s hand while Odysseus remains away from Ithaca.

Zendaya, meanwhile, portrays Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare.

Despite sharing the film, Pattinson admitted his and Zendaya's paths did not cross extensively during production.

“Well, I haven’t seen what she did in 'The Odyssey,'” he said. “I just saw her pictures and we saw each other in passing.”

The film also brings another layer of intrigue, as Zendaya appears alongside her real-life fiancé, Tom Holland, who plays Telemachus.

The sprawling production places Pattinson and Zendaya within a legendary narrative, even if their time together on set was limited.

The third project in Pattinson and Zendaya's shared run is "Dune: Part Three," scheduled for release in December 2026.

Zendaya reprises her role as Chani, while Pattinson joins the cast in a role that has not yet been officially revealed.

For Pattinson, the experience of filming in the desert left a lasting impression.

“You’ll never experience these things in any other profession. I mean, literally, I was experiencing things which hardly anybody in history has or will ever experience and it’s just absolutely incredible,” he said, describing the scale of the production.

He recalled the surreal nature of stepping into such an iconic universe alongside Zendaya.

“Being out in the desert shooting 'Dune,' it’s weird. I remember shooting a scene with Zendaya, the first scene we shot together out in the desert, I’m like, ‘Oh! We’re, like, in 'Dune!’' And she’s like, ‘Yeah… we’re doing a 'Dune' movie.’ But it really was like, ‘It really feels like you’re in a 'Dune' movie.’ It was really, really fun.”

While filming "The Drama," Pattinson had already begun to experience just how grounding Zendaya could be as a creative partner.

In a March 2025 interview with French publication, Premiere, Pattinson admitted he nearly unraveled over a single scene opposite her.

He also described spiraling into intense over analysis as the shoot approached.

“We had a scene together that was driving me crazy,” Pattinson said per IndieWire. “I was desperately looking for its meaning, writing pages and pages of textual analysis.”

The night before filming, he called Zendaya and spent hours unpacking his doubts. Her response cut through the noise.

“She made me understand that the line just said what it meant to say, that there was no hidden meaning,” he recalled. “And there I was going crazy for three days.”

The moment offered an early glimpse into the dynamic Pattinson would later praise, one defined by trust, clarity, and an ability to pull him back when his instincts ran too far ahead of the work.