Robert Pattinson is an English actor who has ventured into anime voice acting, most notably with his role in the Academy Award-winning film from Studio Ghibli, The Boy and the Heron. This performance marked his official debut in the field of voice acting for animation.

In The Boy and the Heron, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Pattinson provided the English dub voice for the mysterious Gray Heron, also known as Aosagi. The film follows a young boy named Mahito who is guided by this enigmatic talking bird through a magical realm to find his deceased mother. The English-language cast for this film also included notable actors such as Christian Bale, Florence Pugh, Willem Dafoe, and Mark Hamill.

Pattinson's performance in The Boy and the Heron was notable for its transformative nature. He adopted a raspy, high-pitched, and almost unrecognizable vocal quality that surprised many audiences and critics who were familiar with his live-action work. Initial reactions to the film's trailer led many fans to mistake his voice for that of co-stars Mark Hamill or Willem Dafoe, actors known for their distinctive vocal work. This performance was praised for showcasing a wide emotional range, shifting from sarcastic and cruel to frightened and emotionally connected, all while maintaining the character's croaky delivery. He reportedly developed the character's voice by experimenting with recordings on his iPhone at home. Pattinson has mentioned that he enjoys changing his accent for roles and feels uncomfortable using his real accent, a practice he brought to this voice role.