-"First rule of Fight Club is: You do not
talk about Fight Club." -VO: "Sorry, Brad, we're totally gonna talk
about it. And about that time you wore a skirt in 'Troy'. Spoiler: You rocked it." -Brad Pitt: "Cool." -VO: "Cool indeed, Brad. And let's not forget
that... -Brad Pitt: "All the ways you wish you could
be, that's me." -VO: "Couldn't have said it better ourselves.
Brad Pitt: an icon, a rebel, and a master of his craft." -Brad Pitt: "We can't begin this way." -VO: "Oh, but we can, Brad. It's not just
a journey, it's a Pitt stop on the highway of Hollywood legends. -Brad Pitt: Jesus Christ... From Tyler Durden to Aldo Raine. From "Cool
World" to "Bullet Train . How did he fall from being a big-time movie star to a weather
forecaster? What does it cost to ditch Tom Cruise? How can one snatch Leo DiCaprio's
dream project? Why's he got a "no fly" over China and when did the Coen Bros decide to
crown him the Jester Supreme? Strap in folks, we're about to dive headfirst into the world
of Brad Pitt! Back in the Yuletide season of '63, specifically
on the 18th of December, over in Shawnee, Oklahoma, one William Bradley Pitt made his
grand entrance onto the world's stage. It was a closed event, though, strictly VIP with
only the midwives getting the golden tickets to the birth suite of young parents Jane and
Douglas. Soon after, they moved to Springfield, but not on the same street as the Flanders;
rather, they moved to Ozark County. One could make a joke about cartels and drug trafficking
here, but The Simpsons have already set the bar too high. In this corner of the world,
they played out their own version of the American dream. Papa Douglas helmed a trucking company,
mama Jane occupied a prestigious seat on the school board, and also managed to produce
two more starlets, Doug and Julie. Let's hit the fast-forward button. Young Bradley
is all set to take on the world. Nails his academics, rules the roost in the debate club,
tackles foes on the football field and strums sweet tunes in the music hall. But it's the
enchanting world of theatre that snags his heart, where he uncovers his passion for playacting.
And kudos to Pitt, he still pops by the old joint and keeps it flush with greenbacks. The kid moves on and signs up for the journalism
faculty at the University of Missouri, supposedly studying advertising. But let's be real, it's
all a fa?ade. The only thing that tickles his fancy is the student theater scene. With
his acting itch growing stronger, he bails out just two credits short of graduating.
He feeds his folks a line about switching to the design faculty in Pasadena, but the
truth is, he's gearing up to storm Tinseltown. Like any newbie star, Pitt's willing to get
his hands dirty with anything but auditions. By the crack of dawn, he's revving up a truck,
schlepping fridges across town. When night falls, he's suited up in a limo, playing chauffeur
to a troupe of exotic dancers. As for that first acting gig, well, let's just say it's
not something you'd slap on your resume. Brad, strutting around in a funky chicken suit,
ruffling his feathers for the crowd outside El Pollo Loco? Not exactly the stuff that
impresses the head honchos at Warner or MGM. But, hey, a guy's got to keep a roof over
his head and cover those acting classes, right? Pitt found his true break courtesy of a pal
who brought him along for an audition as a scene partner. Maybe, that ex-pal was kicking
himself now, as it was Brad who caught the agent's eye. And so, after half a year suffering
toiling behind the wheel and donning peculiar costumes, the lad inked his first acting contract
and began to suffer in the world of cinema. (Brad s Interview) Once, Brad bombed an audition, and his agent
had this genius plan - perhaps Brad should consider, you know, acting lessons. A top-notch
idea, indeed, except for the minor detail that our man had been toiling away in Roy
London's illustrious acting class for a good half year already. Brad, starts his Hollywood journey in the
crowded comedy Hank . Full-fledged role? Nah, more like a "Where's Waldo?" challenge! Next, he had his moment in the sun in the
soap opera "Another World". His line? Who gives a hoot Just kidding, here it is. Now, fast forward to "Dallas", where Brad
steals the show and hearts as a leading actress lover. Four episodes, one steamy scene, and
boom! Brad Pitt, the heartthrob, is born. Around the same time, a spicy legend pops
up, featuring a bed, an ex-wife, and...Mike Tyson? Mike Tyson, the one and only! Tyson
tells the tale with gusto. Pitt s version? We can only guess Brad s early days in Hollywood were nothing
out of the ordinary. His big selling point to casting directors? The hair! They went
gaga over his 'do, landing him in a parade of two-bit roles in B-movies and TV soaps. (Brad s Interview) So, imagine, Brad Pitt wrote a book called
"How to Act Badly 101". Out of that whole mess, two flicks sorta stand out, but mainly
'cause of the shenanigans that happened off-camera. First, we got Pitt's big leading role debut.
Director Bozidar Nikolic chose him over four hundred other wannabes. The thing that got
Brad the gig? His eagerness to hoof it to Yugoslavia for two months for a paycheck of
$1,500. In the movie, Brad's playing a guy who can't stand the sun 'cause of some skin
condition, but finds out love is the best sunscreen. The best thing to happen to "The
Dark Side of the Sun" was losing all the footage in the Yugoslavian war. They found the film
eight years later and voila, the '97 audiences got a taste of Pitt's drama debut. Then there's this other flick "Too Young to
Die", that's just as overdramatic in title. It's about some jailbird chick telling her
sob story, with Pitt playing a clown version of a junkie. And, boy, Juliette Lewis - just
seventeen and she's already the star of the show. Despite having a relationship on-screen
that could give you nightmares, Brad and Juliette decided to give it a go in real life. Their
age difference could make you break into a cold sweat. But in the 90s, the journalists
ate it up like ordinary romance. Their love story was scripted alongside their skyrocketing
careers, so it was a freakin' double feature. So, Lewis scores a ticket to Scorsese's "Cape
Fear", while Brad gets under the sheets of "Thelma & Louise . Geena Davis, sweet talker
that she is, convinces Ridley Scott to cast him as this J.D. guy. Yeah, he's playing a
hotshot whose main action happens in the bedroom, but hey, this is big-time cinema. We're talking
all-star cast and a international release. Same year, Pitt thinks he'll double down on
the good times, signs up for musical drama "Johnny Suede". And man, it bombs. His character
wants to be the king of rock 'n' roll but can't carry a tune. The
movie tries to be this high art, but ends up looking like a garage sale Picasso. But
if you're into this stuff, you get Nick Cave and a "Who's that guy?" moment with Samuel
L. Jackson. And Brad? Keeps taking his show on the road with more leading roles in offbeat
flicks. But the tale of how he ended up in "Cool World"? That's best told by the ringmaster
himself, Ralph Bakshi. (Ralph Bakshi interview) So, Kim Basinger, tag-teaming with producers,
nudges Bakshi to ditch his dreams of an 18+ "Who Framed Roger Rabbit . The original script
had a strong "Sin City" vibe, but misguided 'creative improvements' by the studio resulted
in nothing but sins towards the script itself. The film was a box office Titanic, and, unfortunately,
was Bakshi's last animation feature. '92 would've been engraved in Pitt's mind
as the year of cinema catastrophe if not for Robert Redford baiting him with a fishing
rod. Redford was practically obsessed with the idea of bringing "A River Runs Through
It" to the big screen. But the movie bigwigs just didn't see any financial appeal in these
moody memoirs from writer Norman Maclean. Heck, even Maclean himself gave Redford the
"talk to the hand" gesture a couple of times. But Redford managed to slap the beauty of
the Midwest onto the film. And Brad? He caught the big one - a real dramatic role. Now that's
a good day for fishing! (featurette interview) So Brad, finally, nailed it. Under the watchful
eye of Mr. Sundance himself, his portrayal of Paul was impressive step forward at the
very least. A few years back, he couldn't even spit out a serious line, but in 'A River
Runs Through It Pitt portrays a path of self-destruction, dramatically taken by his character. Fast-forward
a year. The movie is bathing in Oscar nominations and Brad? He's not just a pretty haircut and
a six-pack anymore; he's Hollywood's new poster boy. Roll the next reel. We got him paired up again
with Juliette Lewis, this time for the seven million studio thriller "Kalifornia". Here's
the funny part, the director brought in Juliette because she dazzled him in "Too Young to Die",
but somehow, he drew a blank on her co-star. He picked Pitt based on his performance in
"Thelma & Louise", and, only realized Brad and Juliette were a couple and former co-stars
when shooting started. In this flick, Brad morphs into the embodiment
of evil, disguised as a dirt-smeared hillbilly. His get-up is a bit like a throwback to their
previous movie, only this time, he's putting more muscle into it. Literally, because he
got so deep into character, he said "no" to fake teeth and messed up his own. His transformation,
while impressive, wasn't what the director had in mind - he was thinking more Martin
Sheen from "Badlands". But hey, Pitt's toothless grin won the audience over, and despite the
little dental hiccup, "Kalifornia" raked in the reviews and the box-office. The cherry
on top? The on-screen success was a little tarnished by his off-screen breakup with Juliette.
Rumor mill says the too-real acting and too-much dedication took a toll on their romance. Next up, Brad lands this gig that s more of
a cameo but ends up being the thing everyone remembers him for. Tony Scott choose him to
play this dude named Floyd in "True Romance", a film we gabbed about when we covered the
Tarantino biography. So here's a hoot - Quentin dreamt up Floyd based on all the dudes he
ever roomed with. Now, it s supposed to be a gag character,
but Pitt goes method and morphs Floyd into this whole new dude that Quentin absolutely
loves. Floyd goes off-script a ton, Brad handpicks his own outfit and even finds this Rasta cap
just lying on the street and decides that's Floyd s new fashion statement. And then there's that one scene - the one
where Floyd and the bad guys cross paths. Initially, editors add Soundgarden's "Outshined"
as a gag. However, it ends up being a hit with the test audience. So Scott has to empty
his wallet to keep the song in the movie. Now, Brad's career is skyrocketing, though
there are a few stumbling blocks from the past trying to trip him up. Like in '94, when
"The Favor" this super cheesy comedy that is all about erotic fantasies drops into the
cinemas. And there is mainly Brad s abs on the screen. But hold on, don t go thinking Brad went off
the deep end. He starred in the movie back in '88, but it got stuck in limbo for six
years 'cause the Orion studio went bankrupt. And while all that's happening, Brad s off
working on a biggest project in his life. So he's cast in "Interview with the Vampire",
right? And he's psyched 'cause he loves the book and wants to play Louis. But then the
script comes in, and it's all about Lestat - Tom Cruise s character. Yeah, I know why
play second fiddle to a guy who probably needs a step stool to give you a slap for this joke?
Anyway, during filming in New-Orlean, Brad, Cruise, young Kirsten Dunst were hanging upside
down like bats every day. Why? So the blood would rush to their faces and makeup artists
could paint on some convincing veins. But hey, all in a day's work, right? Who doesn't
love hanging upside down until their face looks like a ripe tomato! And the movie's
best special effect? Cruise on stilts! Now that's a real Hollywood magic! Next, our heroic crew packed up and shipped
off to the UK, where they're holed up in the same dusty old studio lots where all Bond
movies were shot. Brad's in a slump, locked in this studio cavern that hadn't seen a facelift
since 007 first sipped his Vesper Martini. Not a window in sight and a winter chill that'd
freeze out any sign of creativity. When he clocked out, he was lost in a city colder,
wetter, and darker than a movie itself. One day, David Geffen, Mr. Big Shot producer
himself, rolls up. Pitt, probably half-kidding, asks him how much it'd cost to leave the project
now? Geffen drops a cool "forty mil". That was the kind of number that would even give
Batman's wallet a heart attack. Suddenly, London didn't seem so bad; it's almost like
the place found a light switch. And who in their right mind would turn down the chance
to work with Antonio Banderas? The real kicker, though, was this super awkward
scene where Louis kisses Claudia. Kirsten Dunst, just a preteen at the time, was about
as excited as a Star Wars fan at a Star Trek convention. Brad felt the same level of cringe. At the end of it all, their blood, sweat,
and weird vampire kisses paid off. "Interview with the Vampire" didn't just succeed, it
topped the list of the highest-grossing vampire movies. It would've stayed on top too, if
some sparkly vampires hadn't sent a bunch of moody teens into a bloodsucker-loving frenzy.
"Interview" snagged a hefty bag of awards for tech, cinematography, and music. Plus,
the biggest win was getting Anne Rice, the book's author, to eat her words. She was bad-mouthing
the casting choices before filming even kicked off, but post-premiere, she was fawning over
the trio like a true fan-girl. Despite all the glory, Pitt's misery marathon
continued. His next stop was "Legends of the Fall", dealing with the Canadian hills' mud
that was vying with London for the "World's Most Depressing Place" award. Although in
the frame the landscapes looked like a fairy tale, most of the time, it was raining on
set. Pitt s supposed to be stoked, right? He s working with Sir Anthony Hopkins, and
he s got a shot at the Golden Globe for Best Performance. Now, for any sane actor, this
would be like winning the lottery. But nope, Pitt s not feeling it. He s as downbeat as
a film noir detective. His characters, Tristan and Lestat, are meant to be all deep and introspective,
but Pitt thinks his portrayal was just boring. But it s not just the mood that s getting
him down. It's like someone's got a voodoo doll of Pitt and they're giving it a hard
time. In this brawl scene with a cop, Pitt gets clocked right in the face. The very next
day, they ve got this tennis match to shoot, which in the film comes before the fight scene.
So, they had to add lines to explain why Brad suddenly looks like as if Mike Tyson had finally
gotten his revenge. Brad continued his streak of on-set accidents
with his next film. During an action-packed chase scene in Se7en," his hand had an intimate
encounter with a car windshield. The result? Sliced nerve and the bone almost making a
cameo. Post-surgery, the hand was mostly out of action. So, the director, possibly inspired
by "Legends of the Fall" shoot, does a rewrite, incorporating Brad's bandaged hand into the
storyline. Problem? Scenes were shot all out of order, so Brad's playing hide and seek
with his hand in one scene, and parading it around like a purple boxing glove in another.
He's just praying audiences are more focused on his face than his fingers. But let's take
a few steps back. David Fincher, still nursing battle scars
from the "Alien 3" shoot, where he'd been kicked off set three times, was not allowed
to shoot episodes he considered key, and in the end, was denied the right to the final
cut of the film. If it hadn't been for the support of Sigourney Weaver and one of the
producers, this miserable experience would have been his last in Hollywood. But lo and
behold, Fincher gets a second round in the ring with full creative control and a script
that's got a serial killer playing "sin bingo" and two detectives hot on his trail. Pitt was in, the moment he read the script.
But wait, there's a catch - spoiler alert - cover your ears if you're still a "Se7en"
virgin. Pitt's on board only if his character gets to go full Dirty Harry on John Doe and
the content of the mystery box must not be revealed. This isn't just a verbal pinky promise;
he scribbles it right in his contract. Good call, Brad, because after the test screenings,
the studio execs were having second thoughts, pushing for Mills to don a hero's cape and
the contents of the box to make a surprise guest appearance. If you were hoping for something
less grim in the box, sorry to burst your bubble. The sculptors made a Gwyneth Paltrow
head replica in case director will be into not-so-subtle reveal. Fast forward a decade
and a half, and this creepy keepsake finds its way into another film - talk about re-gifting! So, let's gab about the cast. Our dynamic
duo, Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, they ain't your typical good cop-bad cop act. No siree,
not like the yin and yang in Lethal Weapon. Nope, they flip the script right from the
get-go. Our guys act like they're in an old-school theater piece, spouting off two pages of the
script in one go, no cuts. Their worldviews? Hidden in the nitty-gritty. Look at their
threads. Somerset, our seasoned cynic, sports a dark wardrobe. Freeman said his hat cranked
up the noir vibes like a switch. Plus, it stands out next to Mills' garish ties.
Talking about Mills, man, Pitt wanted to hammer home how green his character was. So, he scoured
thrift stores for the loudest, most tasteless ties. This basketball hoop prints, baggy shirts,
and a "just got out of bed" vibe tells that Mills doesn t give a damn about what others
think. He's all out there, just like his taste in books and booze. Remember that glass he
uses for Somerset's wine? It s most hilarious, yet subtle moment of the scene. Even as these
guys grow closer, that contrast? It ain't going anywhere, just like the swelling in
Pitt s hand wouldn t. By the way, Brad and Morgan convinced the
studio to get Kevin Spacey on board for "Seven," despite his fee could finance some standalone
flick. But, hey, it paid off. "Seven" topped at the American box office for four whole
weeks and snagged the title of the fifth highest-grossing film of the year. Brad, meanwhile, was banking
on Mills washing off his playboy image, but even after diving into the sinister, gut-churning
world of "Seven," he got the title of Sexiest Man of 95. Let's backpedal a bit to the start of "Seven,"
particularly the chase after John Doe. Pitt couldn t stand the tired old tropes where
the good guy has a psychic radar to track the bad guy. So, with Fincher, he plotted
every single reaction of Mills. Our guy is lost, scared and always on the lookout for
where Doe disappeared. Cinematography? That's pure Fincher magic. The camera's practically
hitching a ride with the characters, breathing along with them. And those close-ups, so detailed
they they perfectly captures forensic reports vibes. And let's spare a moment for our lady of the
hour, Gwyneth Paltrow. Pitt tagged her as the only sunshine in the grim world of "Seven."
Given how the weather had been punking him during his recent shoots, it's no wonder that
beam shot straight to his heart. Brad and Gwyneth claimed it was love at first sight.
And for the next two years, they were most wanted couple of Los-Angeles paparazzis. Also, in '95, the movie "Twelve Monkeys" was
released. Pitt appeared in it before his first wave of popularity. However, as the film was
being edited, his career began to skyrocket, so the eagle-eyed marketers sniffed out the
potential and decided, "Let's stick his face right next to Bruce 'Yippee-Ki-Yay' Willis
on all the promotional material! But wait a sec, I m getting ahead of myself
here. "Twelve Monkeys" is a real mind twister. Picture a future where most of humanity has
checked out, thanks to some gruesome virus Pitt s character supposedly unleashed. Willis's
character's acting like he has lost his marbles one minute, then pretending he's Doctor Who
at least. The puppet master here is Terry Gilliam, playing with our perception of reality
like he did since Monty Python. When Pitt first skimmed through the script,
he was gunning for the lead role, but Gilliam responded that he s too young. Instead, he
tossed Pitt the role of Jeffrey Goines, a character who would forever change perception
of his acting abilities. In his debut, Pitt drops the silent brooder act and goes full
throttle as a raving lunatic, his manic gibberish actually biting satire on society and its
faults. He s got this whacked-out look thanks to some funky lenses, a jitterbug set of movements,
and a speed-talk like he's got the fast-forward button stuck. This was 95, and just this scene
of Pitt and Willis was enough to make the audience feel like they d dropped into the
Twilight Zone. Before shooting, Pitt goes all in. He meets
with actual schizophrenics, did his homework on the illness, and even booked himself into
a hospital in character, spooking the staff so much they wanted to extend his stay! Against
the mellow-dude Willis, Brad was like a cheetah on a sugar rush. And the audience? They were
gobsmacked, shocked that the guy they'd been ogling shirtless for years had this kind of
acting chops. Pitt bagged a Golden Globe and nearly nabbed an Oscar but was edged out by
his recent co-star, Kevin "The Usual Suspects" Spacey. The next two years, Brad probably wants to
erase from his memory. First off, he's playing this young hotshot prosecutor in "Sleepers",
sharing the stage with big guns like Bacon, De Niro, and Hoffman. He managed the role
just fine, but after the successes of the past few years, it seemed like a step backward.
The only reason his agents sweet-talked him into this was because of the career-high paycheck
of ten million dollars. Moving on, he's in a wrestling match with
Playgirl magazine. They thought it's cool to run his birthday suit photos without permission.
He won the case, but of course, the images had already made their way onto the internet.
In the middle of this mess, he and Gwyneth Paltrow, decide to break-up. You'd think his
next flick, "The Devil's Own", might help to reboot, but nope, it felt more like a red
carpet to hell itself. Here's the setup: Brad's character is from
I.R.A., hiding out after a failed terrorist act. He s sent to US to lay low and then to
smuggle arms back home. To nail the role, Brad hits Northern Ireland to work on his
accent. Turns out, he might've bitten off more than he could chew, 'cause one night
at the pub, some locals decided he was mocking them and gave him a taste of that famous Irish
hospitality. Funny enough, after the movie hit the screens, people kinda dug his efforts,
even if the same couldn't be said for the movie itself. Let me paint you a picture: solid cast, fat
budget, yet even before the cameras started rolling, everyone had this creeping suspicion
that they had bought first-class tickets on the Hindenburg. What was meant to be a breezy
three-month shoot turned into this never-ending, half-a-year-long ordeal. They were changing
the script faster than you can read it and at one point, they even scrapped the whole
thing and started from scratch. Larry Gordon, the producer, sensing Pitt's discontent, gave
him the green light to leave. But rumor has it that, due to Harrison Ford's alleged top-notch
pot, Pitt chose to stick it out, even agreeing to reshoots just a month before the premiere.
Unfortunately, Brad's all-in move didn't pan out. The film tanked hard and so, Brad added
another souvenir to his Hollywood Hall of Shame. Although that's not the worst part, because
later that year, Empire Magazine was giving out medals for the worst accent and Brad stood
on the podium alongside Dick Van Dyke and Sean Connery. This was all thanks to his gig
on "Seven Years in Tibet , a biopic of Heinrich Harrer. Harrer's a guy who climbed mountains,
escaped POW camps, became BFFs with the Dalai Lama, and fought for Tibet. The amazing landscapes
were not shot in Asia, but in the Argentinian mountains, where Brad spent over seven months.
To add authenticity, director Jean-Jacques Annaud shipped real yaks halfway across the
globe and sent a crew to sneak shot b-roll in occupied Tibet. More than twenty minutes
of footage made it into the film. This information was only revealed a few years after the movie
s release. The cherry on the top was that Brad's got
banned from China for life. And that s not the end of the saga! Just before the premiere,
journalists dug up that Harrer had once been a part of the SS. Yep, our mountain-climbing,
Dalai Lama-loving hero wore a Nazi uniform to his wedding. But hey, no proof of war crimes,
and Dalai Lama says he's cool, so ? Fast forward to the promo tour, and people are asking Brad
his views on Tibet. His reply? ""Who cares what I think China should do about Tibet?
I'm a F actor... I'm a grown man who puts on make-up".". Who knew Brad was such a philosopher? Next, we got "Meet Joe Black", where Brad
reunites with Anthony Hopkins, and feels like he botched his role. I mean, who knew playing
Death on vacation could be so tough? It seemed too distant, too surface-level, like he was
floating through scenes rather than diving in deep. The critics weren't totally put off,
but the movie itself crawled at a snail's pace. The audience agreed, giving the movie
a pass. The major chunk of the movie's profit came from the stars not from Hopkins and Pitt,
but from the Star Wars trailer. "Meet Joe Black" had the honor of advertising Episode
I before the movie released. Fans bought tickets, fell in love with little Anakin and immediately
left the hall. But then, Cupid's arrow strikes when Brad's
agent plays matchmaker, landing him a dinner date with Jennifer Aniston. Tabloids went
nuts, everyone adored this couple. They tie the knot, Brad does a fun stint on "Friends"
and life seems peachy, until it wasn t, but we ll talk about it later. Meanwhile Brad bounces back in David Fincher's
arms. Fincher wins him over with beer and an epic speech about wanting to make films
still remembered twenty years from now. And just like that, Brad steps into the shoes
of Tyler Durden. Hold up, just a hot minute here! Before we
dive headfirst into this kooky rabbit hole, let's take a moment to remember the numero
uno rule of Fight Club: 'Thou shalt zip it about Fight Club!' If by some cosmic misfortune
you haven't yet basked in the glory of this silver-screen delight, stop everything and
right that wrong. We were all sworn to secrecy about the plot, but with the premiere a mind-boggling
quarter-century ago (feel your bones creaking?), prepare for spoiler overload. Plus, Rosie
O Donnell, bless her soul, blurted out the major secret on live TV during the film's
theatrical run. I can't possibly top that, so let's get started. Brad Pitt, our leading heartthrob, played
Santa by delivering the script to Helena Bonham Carter and sweet-talking her into giving it
a chance. The gal was hooked! The script was captivating, and her shenanigans with Pitt
were as entertaining as a circus act. Brad's funky improv, like boogieing in front of the
cops and Marla's nudges, were the icing on the cake. For the saucy love scene, they borrowed a
trick from Neo and Agent Smith fight. Donning the high-tech mo-cap suits, placing cameras
around the bed and recreating Kama Sutra moves. You get the picture. Then, they spent a week
in a recording studio perfecting their moaning. Fast forward to the scene with a buck-naked
Tyler in rubber gloves and Marla's dramatic fall. At the Venice premiere Fincher was sweating
bullets since Bonham Carter's dear old mum was in the crowd. But momma was all giggles
watching the scene, much to everyone's relief. Fun fact: those rubber gloves? Pitt s idea.
And man, did they save the scene from being axed. Because on paper, it looked more offensive
than funny. But thanks to the gloves, the test audience laughed hard, so the studio
bosses had to make peace with the level of harshness. The one thing they couldn't stomach
was one Marla's original line from the book. Producers begged for a substitution or at
least an alt take, just to keep the censors from heart-attack. Fincher agreed, but only
if the new line made it into the movie. The studio took the bait...and ended up realizing
that now it much worse. However, as much as the audience may be embarrassed
by their laughter at Tyler and Marla's scenes, the main event was the bromance between Pitt
and Edward Norton. Brad's very first day on set was the projection booth scene. What a
way to start his journey into Durden's psyche. But, hey, let's dive into his scenes in a
good ol' linear fashion. At first, Durden pops up for blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments
at the office, the hospital, and on a hotel TV. But the plane encounter and the bar chitchat?
And those off-the-cuff philosophical ramblings in the bar scene? All thanks to Brad's improv
skills during rehearsals. Fincher got a taste and decided to toss them into the script,
even if they smelled a lot like the monologues from "Twelve Monkeys. The first on-screen fight was as real as it
gets because Fincher told Norton to let Pitt have it. So what we got on film was a genuine,
off-the-cuff reaction, the kind that makes movie magic. The Durden house was built from scratch on
a site intended for redevelopment into a part of the port, a nice secluded spot for our
boys Brad and Edward to wreak some havoc. For instance, in that scene, they're actually
drunk and tossing balls at an food truck parked off-camera. Sounds more like a party than
a shooting day. Now, remember that famous soap scene? Tyler's
gabbing away about how to make nitroglycerin, but Fincher has to do a reshoot because the
censor guys weren't too thrilled about sharing bomb-making 101 with the world. And thank
God the soap isn't made from people - it's animal fat. Still gross, but less disturbing.
To up the authenticity, Pitt and Norton even went to soap-making class. You'd never guess
this when seeing them flex their muscles in the ring after learning boxing, wrestling,
and even going through some tough UFC training. They even analyze dozens of real fights. In
one of them, Brad sees a sneaky low blow and decides that s how Tyler's gonna win one. Then there's this bit where Lou, the bar owner,
comes into the Fight Club and hits Tyler. The sneaky part? Norton, the narrator, reacts
in sync. And get this, Fincher doesn't go for days of rehearsal to get that bit right.
Nah, he just uses a nifty little visual trick. During editing, he uses the split-screen,
cherry-picks a suitable Norton take, and, presto, perfect harmony. And when Brad sprays
his foe with blood, the poor sod playing Lou just has to swallow it, literally. It's mixed
with Brad s spit and sweat. After the torturous takes, they clean the guy up, change his clothes,
slap some more makeup on him and do it all over again. Fincher s fun only ends after
eighteen takes, leaving Lou probably wishing he d never chased that Hollywood dream. And
Tyler s insane laughter there? Pitt thinks it is a best part of his act in the movie. Now, the whole film is like a subtle comedy
treasure hunt. For instance, this fight is hilarious because of the previous scenes,
where a poor bloke gets his Bible smacked out of his hands and is sprayed with a hose
and his opponent is shoved so hard his shoe takes flight. Now that's a proper Fight Club
invitation. And one of my favorite BTS stories is about
this scene. A guy who checks the footage for any damage, points out that Norton was sitting
in the passenger seat, but gets pulled out of the driver's side. Fincher just smiles
and tells the kid to keep watching. And let's not forget Tyler's fashion parade.
His outfits could have their own runway show. It got so popular that world-famous designers
started copying Michael Kaplan's work. There were frilly shirts, leather jackets, and a
Bono impression. Fincher calls the last Tyler s outfit the "schizo rock star" look. Later,
Durden morphs into Bruce Lee, but that's all Pitt's improvisation. He goofed off like that
during rehearsals, and it stuck to the scene. Just like his world worst nunchaku act in
one of the previous episodes. So, they wrapped up shooting this madhouse
of a film back in December '98. Now, the plan was to go big with the premiere in spring
of the next year. But then, a tragedy struck the nation in April - the Columbine", one
of the bloodiest school shootings in the US history. The studio decided to push the pause
button on our psycho soap-makers wanting to blast the world. Suddenly, the whole black
comedy vibe, started to seem a bit... off. People took the movie's ideas and its philosophical
rantings seriously, and the creators were even accused of having fascist views. They
released Fight Club in October. but it seemed the world wasn't quite ready for it yet. For
a film that's now got a cult following, it's crazy to think it barely grossed a hundred
mil worldwide and was forgotten at the award ceremonies. But hey, they did keep the first
rule of Fight Club, right? You DO NOT talk about Fight Club. Fast forward a bit and the tide began to turn.
Norton remembers strangers winking at him, throwing out a "Great movie, sir". Durden
became the costume of choice for Halloween and DVD sales shot through the roof, proving
that Fincher knew what he was doing and Pitt truly pulled off a performance that stands
the test of time. The weirdest part? Brad wraps on one cult classic and immediately
hops on to another. Pitt had a major fanboy moment over "Lock,
Stock and Two Smoking Barrels , so when he heard that Guy Ritchie was stirring up another
masterpiece, he was all in, practically begging to be a part of it. Now, imagine being a rookie
director getting an offer from a Hollywood big shot - a bloody Oscar nominee no less.
You'd be daft to say no! (Even though, truth be told, they hadn't quite worked out a role
for him yet). But, when Ritchie sketched out the character of Micky a gypsy boxer Pitt
gets a bit spooked. For starters, he just wrapped on Fight Club, playing another fisticuffs-loving
character felt like d?j? vu. Plus, he was having a proper nightmare trying to nail Mickey's
Gypsy accent. It took his bodyguard moaning about not getting a single word out of the
Gypsies for him to finally have an eureka moment. So, next day, he rolls up on set,
delivering lines that could only be decoded by those who had memorized the bloody script.
And the audience couldn t keep up with Micky's quick wit without subtitles. And the cherry
on top? Pitt's accent coach, who's to blame for the most gobsmacked dialogues in Pitt's
career, was right there with him in the opening credits. Ritchie was upset that in Pitt's first scene
the audience didn t catch the joke; Maybe a piece of toilet paper would've added some
clarity (and sorted the hygiene too). Now, the first punch that smacks into Mickey
s jaw - it's straight outta "Indiana Jones". By the way, Pitt's going all in, doing his
own stunts, even if his stunt double had a go at them later. But Brad s falls were so
good so that in the final cut, the stunt double got no screen time. Brad's talent truly shines during a field
negotiation scene. His reactions, his nervous laughter, his tussle with a dog - that's comedy
gold. Especially when you contrast it with Mickey's next scene. And it's interesting
how mixing shots of Pitt with a bit of flame has almost become a clich?. When it came to
the gypsy funeral scene, Pitt let himself go and actually got drunk. Come the finale,
he's covering the ring in sweat and fake blood like a pro - probably the only actor who got
to shoot a boxing match scene underwater. Unlike Fight Club , Snatch" smashed it at
the box office and had critics appreciate Brad again. His comedic talent stayed on the
roll under the guidance of young directors. This time, it was Gore Verbinski, a guy about
to set the film industry ablaze with a charming captain tale. In '01 though, Verbinski was
swapping out pirate-infested Caribbean waters for the dust-filled Mexican deserts. He brought
to life the tale of poor Jerry, a down-on-his-luck schmuck forced to work for some baddies, and
his lady, who ended up in the hands of a cold-blooded killer who also happened to be a hopeless
romantic. The thing that hits you right between the eyes is the heavyweight cast too damn
big for a simple crime comedy. Pitt and Julia Roberts could pack the theaters with their
names alone, but throw Simmons, Hackman, and Gandolfini into the mix and anyone would think
it's an Oscar bait. Sadly, the audience couldn't shake off this expectation and "The Mexican"
landed a lukewarm response, both at the box office and in reviews. That same year, Brad passed the leading role
in "The Bourne Identity" going all-in for another spy thriller with a not so subtle
title - Spy Game . A cinematic reunion tour put Brad back with Tony Scott and Robert Redford.
In Scott's film, viewers saw Brad's comedy game was as tight as his abs, and in Redford's,
they were awestruck by his dramatic abilities - the guy's got range, what can I say? Next up, Brad's world tour Germany, Hungary,
Morocco, UK. He's a spy, a sniper, a captive, and participates in the most epic dialogue
scene. Redford had a mini heart attack when he heard they were filming a simple dialogue
from a helicopter - it was like using a flamethrower to light a candle. But after seeing the end
result, he apologized to Scott, like a true gentleman. The big shots at the studio also
were against the chopper scene, so Scott paid for it from his pocket. Then, there's this
wild moment where they literally blow up a house. Excessive? Maybe. But Tony Scott got
the Princess of Morocco's blessing - who says royals ain't cool? Originally, Morocco wasn't even on the menu. Scott had his eyes
set on shooting Beirut and Vietnam in Tel-Aviv and Haifa. Just as the sets were up, the Israel-Palestine
war broke out. Local contractors, literally, went to war on opposite sides of the barricades,
and a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the newly constructed sets. With Brad scheduled
to join the "Ocean's Eleven" crew, there was no time to waste. Like a miracle, they found
similar locations in Morocco, recreated the lost sets, and kept the cameras rolling. Casablanca
played Beirut's doppelganger, while a nearby desert stepped in for Vietnam. Camels made
unexpected cameos and plant life stopped at the edge of the frame. But lets talk about bad timing? 'Spy Game'
hits the big screen a mere month and a half after 9/11. I mean, the U.S. is already dealing
with tragedy, they didn't need a movie filled with gut-wrenching themes, no matter how how
masterfully it was made. But Brad didn't have time for disappointment. With only a week
after wrapping up with Redford, he was off to join the "Ocean's Eleven" gang. Imagine this, you're looking at a remake of
a groovy sixties crime comedy that's already had more lives than a cat, first being a radio
play then becoming a TV show. Well, their mission? To pull of the greatest Las Vegas
heist ever, targeting the vaults of The Bellagio, the Mirage, and the MGM Grand. The redo idea
had been floating around since the '80s, but it only got rolling into the 21st century.
Producer Jerry Weintraub, our movie maestro, pulls some strings and voila! The owner of
Bellagio rolls out the red carpet to the casino, which no film crew ever had right to film.
We're talking full access - the gaming halls, vaults, even the security rooms. They even
managed to shut down the main entrance, forcing the rich and famous to slum it through the
parking lot - oh, the horror! In walks our golden boy, Steven Soderbergh,
fresh from his Oscar party and currently Hollywood's most-wanted behind the lens. And with George
Clooney wanting to play the leading man, our director got a star-studded ensemble that
was off the charts. (Don Cheadle Joke) Now, to join the club, every cast member took
a pay cut. But Pitt, he has a plan. He's making up for the missing zeroes on his paycheck
by stuffing his face with burgers and fries in every scene he can. You see, the guy is
so busy he skips lunch, so he thought, why not have Rusty do the same? It's like Pitt's
very own "method eating." But, even geniuses regret their brainwaves. In one scene, Rusty
and Linus are spying on the casino owner, and Pitt had to chomp down a royal shrimp
for forty takes. And there is one fun BTS fact. In the last act, Pitt shows up wearing
this godawful wig - the very same wig Mike Myers used for "Austin Powers" rehearsals. At the movie s first act, Rusty tells Danny
what seems to be nonsense. But this isn't any drunk babble. Our man Soderbergh wrote
this into the script and, lo and behold, it's detailing every single one of the gang's cheeky
moves. "Boesky" refers to that Wall Street big shot, Ivan Boesky, nabbed for insider
trading - a nod to Saul trying to sneak into the security room. "Jim Brown", the well-known
football brawler, symbolizes the showdown where Linus steals the vault passwords. Miss
Daisy is the code word for the escape vehicle - a no-brainer there. And "two Jethros"? That's
a reference to the Beverly Hillbillies, describing troublemaking Malloy brothers. And the toughest
nut to crack, "Ella Fitzgerald" - is about the security system breach - a callback to
that vintage commercial where the diva breaks glass with her voice. Here's a juicy bit for you guys who dig boxing.
Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko never fought in real life. They were just cameo
kings in the flick. Lennox only faced off with Vitali a couple years later. Back to
the movie, Soderbergh spun a real cinematic magic. The dude's working on another level
with this intra-frame editing, either stashing a truckload of action in a single shot or
linking shots together with some smooth camera moves instead of typical film cuts. We're
used to long shots, but ones that cram in this many locations, characters, and events?
That's some next-level planning and storyboard wizardry, especially considering they shot
this masterpiece in just ten weeks. Well, not a masterpiece, but funny enough to pack
the cinemas around the world and kicked off a bunch of sequels. Talk about hitting the
jackpot! Brad had his plate full back in 2001. He was
Mr. Gringo in "The Mexican", sneakin' around in "Spy Games , heisting from mini-bars in
Ocean Eleven " and even starring on an episode of Friends , which I mentioned earlier. And
it gets better. Brad and his missus, Jen Aniston, along with their buddy Brad Grey founded Plan
B production. They started it as a side gig for projects they dug, but who knew they'd
be Oscar magnets and Hollywood powerhouses? And talk about being in good company, their
amigo Grey ascends to the throne as the head honcho of Paramount Pictures in a couple of
years. You know what they say, it's not what you know, it's who you know. And evidently,
Brad and Jen know some pretty high rollers. Now 2002, here's where it gets fun. Brad decides
to go full monkey on his favorite show, Jackass . Then he pops up in George Clooney's directorial
debut, "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind". Him and Damon play these two schmucks on a
blind date TV show. The punchline? The girl picks some Joe Schmo over them. But let s
not be rude here, that pal is J. Todd Anderson, great storyboard artist who loved the joke
himself. Fast forward to 2003, Brad's got his vocal
cords working overtime. First, he's narrating the history of the good ol' USA in a documentary
series. Then he pops up in "King of the Hill" with an accent so thick, you'd think he's
auditioning for "Snatch" again. But the voice-over journey didn't stop there. He jumped aboard
the animated flick "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas but, that ship hit an iceberg - a
massive flop that made DreamWorks Animation sink. After one more fiasco after "Road to
El Dorado", they was forced to sell the company and the new owners stick to computer animation
to this day. But don't shed a tear for our boy Brad. He had another blockbuster year
up his sleeve! Okay, picture this: it's 2002, and David Benioff
- you know, the Game of Thrones guy, but this is before he's conquered TV. He pitches Warner
Bros his version of the Troy story. They bite, 'cause they've got this director Wolfgang
Petersen at the helm, a dude who knows how to make money at the box office. Everything's
groovy, right? They've got a mega-budget, top-tier actors, some pretty locations in
Morocco and then - bam! - reality checks in. Because of the upcoming Iraq War, Al-Qaeda
threats are making all North Africa not so suited for guys from Hollywood. So they head
to Mexico, switching couscous for tacos. Now, it's a wrap, almost, with just the Achilles
vs. Hector showdown left. But, Brad, he's playing Achilles, trips up - and get this
- tears his Achilles tendon. Ouch, right? And if that wasn't enough, two days later,
Hurricane Marty goes all 'Gone with the Wind' on the set. Takes 'em three months to rebuild. Despite all this, Brad Pitt's gone full-on
demi-god, sporting a physique that d make even Zeus jealous, all before he's hit the
big 4-0. But Eric Bana, our Hector, ain't all that impressed with Pitt's sword and spear
twirling. They make a deal: each accidental smack during the duel will cost the smacker
some serious cash - fifty bucks for a tap, a hundred for a whack. End of the day, Brad's
down $750, while Eric s wallet's untouched. Despite all the drama, "Troy" rakes in half
a billion, becomes the first big win for Pitt's fresh-out-the-oven Plan B studio, and fattens
Pitt's account by $17 million. But both Warner and our lead hero aren't feeling the love.
Warner wanted more cash and Pitt admits he ain't crazy about his own performance or how
his character turned out. He's a complex-character kind of guy, but he knows every gig can't
be a Fincher flick. But, looking on the bright side, that same year he reprises a role that,
while not Oscar-worthy, was a real challenge for his stomach. Alright, so check this out: There's a sequel
coming - one that nobody ordered, but still didn't make anyone wanna hurl. So, our guy,
producer Jerry Weintraub, gets his hands on a script for a whole different movie. He nudges
Soderbergh, who sees bits in it that scream "Ocean's Eleven Part 2". Now, Steven, not
wanting to just repeat the old recipe, sends the star gang on a Euro-trip, cranking up
the absurdity level to eleven. In the early script, Tess is more a knockoff
of a Romanov princess than a Julia Roberts clone - so that's why this Faberg? egg is
suddenly a thing. And then, holy smokes, you got Brad - prancing around in an endless carnival
of outfits and hairdos that, no joke, only he could rock without being laughed outta
town. And, c'mon, who could forget the steamy scenes
with Catherine Zeta-Jones? They sparked so much chemistry, it could power a small city.
That level of heat was only toppled by a movie that Jennifer Aniston probably wants to set
on fire. After "The Bourne Identity" smashed it at
the box office, director Doug Liman looked set to be stuck in the action-flick pigeonhole.
Then, along came "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," an action-comedy that started life as a riff on a TV series
that didn't exactly set the world on fire. Originally, it was a toss-up between Johnny
Depp and Nicole Kidman or Will Smith and Catherine Zeta-Jones for the lead roles. But, the project
hit the jackpot when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie came on board. After the jaw-dropping success of "The Bourne
Identity", director Doug Liman started to develop a new project", but immediately caught
in the jaws of eternal casting purgatory. Action comedy "Mr. & Mrs. Smith", based on
a not-so-popular series, had Johnny Depp and Nicole Kidman in its crosshairs. Later, Will
Smith and Catherine Zeta-Jones were scouted too, but the greenlight finally flickered
when Brad and Angelina Jolie hopped aboard. First day on the job for Brad and Angie? A
therapy sesh with a family shrink. They had never met before, so they nailed that frosty
vibe couples usually do in the therapy room. Next up on the shooting docket was a night
scene in Bogota. If you look closely at our tiny documentary here, you'd notice that I
never mentioned how Brad boogied in front of the camera. On set, he was shy, like a
kid at a high school prom. The only thing that helped him shake the jitters? The bottle
in his hand. And no, it wasn't a prop. Now, Liman had no grand plans for a comedy.
The guy was more into bullets. But Brad and Angie? They sprinkled in just the right amount
of giggles to their high-octane love story. About the home tension, it wasn't just acting.
The whole house was built from scratch, all designed for a shootout. Places that would
get blown up or take a bullet were pre-loaded with explosives. So, Brad and Angie were chatting
surrounded by walls that could go kaboom at any moment. An hour into the flick, they do
demolish the house, but not before they danced once more. This episode was a result of lengthy
rehearsals and risky directorial decisions. Mr. Smith flashing a grin at the camera? Signature
move. But the only reason they got away with this fourth-wall break? Some tight editing
that made it all seem cool. Then, the most famous domestic violence scene in Hollywood
comedy history. And of course, a half-hour finale with chases and shootouts. And while you might think the result was fan
love and the most lucrative project in both Jolie and Pitt's careers, the real bombshell
dropped later. Out of respect for Jennifer Aniston, Brad, and Angelina, let's not dive
into the rumors swirling around their personal lives and stick to the facts. In 2005, Aniston
and Pitt called it quits, and a few months later, the public got wind of his romance
with Jolie. Alright folks, we've covered all this Brangelina
story in her bio already, so let's focus more on the moviemaking stuff. Back in '06, Brad
was getting his hands dirty behind the scenes. You remember "The Departed", right? Well,
Brad was pulling strings from the shadows, charming investors and brokering deals at
casting calls . He was all set to be the star in this remake of the Hong Kong masterpiece,
but in an unexpected twist of self-deprecation, he felt he was hitting a bit of an, ahem,
"maturity" wall for the role. So, in what could only be described as a Hollywood relay
race, he passed the baton to Leo DiCaprio. And guess what? This move snagged Plan B its
first Oscar, and made Brad a bona fide Hollywood power producer. Now, for Brad's next venture, he tackled Alejandro
Gonz?lez I??rritu's moving drama, "Babel." Out of respect for the man in the director's
chair, both Brad and Cate Blanchett jumped on board. The movie weaves together four seemingly
unrelated stories into a tale about how guns make life suck. Brad's role? Straight-up Shakespearean
tragedy. His talent even got some proper attention for the first time in ten years, but at the
Golden Globe Awards, he got robbed by Eddie Murphy. So what's Pitt do next? Flexes his
acting muscles and dives into Danny Ocean's third heist adventure. But let's shoot the breeze about that. After
playing dress-up, checking out Oprah, and sharing screen-time with the Godfather himself,
Al Pacino, Brad's probably losing sleep over Rusty's new diet: all drink, no grub. And
the product placement? He's the poster boy for Stella Artois. You gotta wonder what Heineken
thought about all this, given they once forked over a mil for Brad to spend a day shooting
their beer commercial. "Ocean's Thirteen" tied up the trilogy in
a neat little bow and made a killing at the box office. And Pitt? He's off again, gunning
for the top spot of dramatic Everest. Alright, so back in 2004, Plan B and Warner
Bros. got their hands on the rights to "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward
Robert Ford." Brad Pitt, being all about the character deep-dive, wanted to go full outlaw,
playing Jesse James, the head honcho of one of the Wild West's most infamous gangs. I
mean, who doesn't want to play an American Robin Hood, right? But, get this, the film itself was more two-faced
than Harvey Dent. On one side, Pitt's sure this Jesse role was the best he's ever done,
and legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins even said the night train robbery scene was
his Mona Lisa. Not to mention, it got some major love from top-tier critics, who called
it one of the best of the decade. On the flip side, it made a measly three million at the
American box office - a tenth of what it cost to make. My theory? Warner Bros was hoping
for a popcorn action-flick, not the sweeping three-hour period drama they ended up with. Fast forward to the following year, and Brad
finds himself in this bank ad directed by Wes Anderson. Next, he jumps into the absurd
kingdom that is a Coen brothers' film. Here's the thing, when Ethan and Joel cook up a character
with you in mind, you don't say no, even if said character is more Goofy than a Mickey.
The Coens gave us a whole new Brad, turning Tyler Durden and Achilles into fitness guru
Chad Feldheimer. Not that they were out to make Pitt look bad - hell, they even called
George Clooney s films with them - a "trilogy of stupidity . Making Brad look like fool
isn't as easy as pie, it turns out. Brad could even make the goofiest get-ups look sharp,
forcing costume designer Mary Zophres to create a custom outfit, while Clooney, for comparison,
just needed to grow a beard and hike up his jeans. The Coen's parade of fools and awkward
coincidences paid off, pulling in box office bucks, nabbing a Golden Globe nom, and catapulting
Pitt further into the roster of top-tier director collaborations. His next pitstop? Act three
of the Brad-meets-Fincher bromance, where we're served up the trippy "Curious Case of
Benjamin Button. This isn't your usual Hollywood gig - it's
based on a story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but the scriptwriters went freestyle and kept
just the main theme. Imagine a guy who ages in reverse. That's about it. The idea s been kicking around since the 80's,
getting tossed between Hollywood big dogs like Frank Oz, Steven Spielberg, and Ron Howard.
But only Fincher managed to film the mystery. Brad enduring five-hour daily makeup sessions,
all because he digs Fincher's vibe. They turned Pitt into an old toddler - seriously, think
about that for a second. Even better, this transformation won makeup artist Greg Cannom
an Oscar. That's a high five for torturing a group of Hollywood A-listers. The first part of the film gives us a full
view of why the visual effects team won an Oscar, too. With the help of three body doubles,
they turned Brad into the oldest baby you've ever seen. But even with all the Oscar-winning
makeup and effects, the acting is what really steals the show. The Academy agreed, throwing
Pitt another nomination. And remember that group of Hollywood A-listers,
which was tortured in makeup chair? It s a golden mine of acting. Jason Flemyng, Tilda
Swinton, Jared Harris, and the charming Taraji Henson and Cate Blanchett. Blanchett, by the
way, draws the short straw in the makeup stakes, aging for half a day to play a large part
of the film as an 80-year-old. It's gotta be easier to act exhausted when you're buried
under a ton of blankets being blasted by enough light to make the sun jealous. But hey, all
the sweat and suffering was worth it in the end. Fincher managed to create a nearly art-house
drama with the price tag of a summer blockbuster. And the fact that "Benjamin Button" even broke
even at the box office was a win for us film nerds, proving studios aren't totally afraid
of taking a gamble. As for the message of the movie, everyone
finds their own truth in this story. For me, the main metaphor is the final flood during
Hurricane Katrina. Life will throw curveballs at you, but what matters is how you handle
them and what you do next. You might be struck by lightning seven times and still live to
be 100. Oh, and did I mention this was only the second
film shot in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina? And that Brad donated five million dollars
to the victims? Well, now I did. Seems like rubbing elbows with all those hotshot
directors went straight to Pitt's head. The guy needed Quentin Tarantino, the ultra-violence
maestro himself, to sweet talk him into slipping into the boots of Lieutenant Aldo Raine. Although
it took only one night and five bottles of wine to seal the deal. (Spoiler alert: Pitt
was game from the start; the man just wanted to pop a cork or five in France. Can't blame
the guy!) Now, you're probably asking, why the initial
hesitation, Brad? One name: Harvey Weinstein. Our boy Brad still remembered the '90s, when
that creep Harvey was sniffing around Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad's lady-love at the time. Pitt
threatened to give Harvey a knuckle sandwich and avoided the Weinsteins like the plague
ever since. Now let's jump back to the cinema stuff, 'cause
we're talking about a Tarantino flick here, folks. We ve spilt enough ink about Quentin,
but let s spill a little more, shall we? The script suggests that Aldo's scar came from
a failed lynching attempt. Thats a prequel, which I want to see! At the premiere, Aldo
introduces himself as Enzo Gorlomi, a nod to the OG director of "Inglourious Basterds"
before he played the name-switch game to Castellari. Also, fun fact: Tarantino once quipped that
Aldo Raine and Floyd from "True Romance" could be from the same family tree. Talk about a
family resemblance! And as I said, if you wanna drown in a trivia sea, just check our
3-hour Tarantino documentary. In 2010, Brad gets another call from DreamWorks.
Their last joint venture nearly left the company in the dust, but they bounced back with their
3D animations. Alongside Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, and Jonah Hill, Brad rocked Metro
City as Metro Man, squaring off with Megamind. They made Pitt a mashup of Superman and Elvis
Presley, which had him singing on the big screen for the first time since Johnny Suede.
And let me tell ya, the star-studded cast of "Megamind" didn't just make a pretty penny
at the box office, it got critics tipping their hats for its superhero mockery and compelling
storyline. Meanwhile, Pitt was also flexing his producer
muscles, dipping his toes in projects like "The Time Traveler's Wife," "Kick-Ass," "Eat,
Pray, Love," and a couple where he was the leading man. Funny thing is, both movies were
competing for the Best Picture trophy. He kinda fell into Terrence Malick's "Tree of
Life," but "Moneyball" was the dream gig. And folks, keep your soda handy, we're going
to unpack this piece by piece. Terrence Malick, man, is like the Bob Ross
of filmmakers. He's got the same tools as everybody else - paints, brushes, camera,
actors - but Malick is creating these happy little accidents that are totally different.
It's like he's painting with the colors of the wind or something, just pure magic. Now,
like with any badass artist, your everyday Joe might look at it and go "pretty, but what's
it mean?" Who really gets Malick's stuff? Other directors whose minds he's blown and
actors who'd kill to be mere brushstrokes on his masterpiece. So, when Brad Pitt's production company, Plan
B, got the opportunity to back Malick's latest venture, Brad was all over it. He was pulling
strings, sweet-talking studios, and rallying the troops that Malick wanted on board. The
role he landed, however, came through the tragic death of Heath Ledger. On set, Brad turned into a 1950s drill sergeant
prepping his kids for the war that is life. "The Tree of Life" is essentially Malick's
trip down memory lane. Dude rents a whole neighborhood, flipping it back a few decades.
He's got kids acting on pure instinct, no script. So what happens when he spots a butterfly
mid-shoot? Well, the guy halts production and makes the camera operator and Jessica
Chastain chase the fluttery critter around for a solid half-hour until he gets the shot
he wanted. The result? He ended up with more than 400 hours of footage for a film that
clocks in at a 140 minutes. That s a shot-to-final-cut ratio of nearly 200 to 1! Now, compare that
to the industry average of 20, maybe 30 to 1. But hey, when you're going for that natural
vibe, when you've ditched the script and have the legendary Emmanuel Lubezki behind the
lens, you shouldn't expect any less. More than Lubezki's camera work, though, was
the mesmerizing sequence showing the birth of the universe. It's hard to believe, but
they created this effect without any CGI. Instead, they used actual chemical processes,
courtesy of special effects pioneer Douglas Trumbull. It's like a cosmic, cinematic Monet
right there. Only when life stirs onscreen does computer wizardry come into play. "Tree of Life" had Cannes standing ovation
moment, Academy Awards noms and almost made bank at the box office. As for the audience
reaction? Let's just say some theaters had to post "no refunds" signs. Can't say folks
weren't warned about the ride! Moving on to the second flick that snagged
an Oscar nod under Pitt's watchful eye: "Moneyball." This ain't your grandpa's sports movie - it's
more like a journey back in time through the annals of baseball, honing in on an exceptional
season of the Oakland A s. These folks are out there inventing some crazy algorithm,
turning statistics into a secret weapon, right? Operating on a tight budget, they pulled a
'Beautiful Mind' and let the numbers do the heavy lifting, picking up the underrated hot
shots, the dudes everyone else was overlooking. Michael Lewis was so stoked about this game-changing
strategy he wrote a book about it in 03 and Columbia Pictures immediately snatched up
the film rights. This project was a roundabout of directors.
Closest to call action was Steven Soderbergh, who'd stumbled upon this little gem right
around the same time as our main man, Pitt. He came real close to taking the reins, but
got into a dispute with the studio. They weren't buying his idea of creating a satirical mockumentary.
So, he bailed. Bennett Miller, maestro behind the Capote" movie, was next in line. The man
ropes in Aaron Sorkin to polish the script, snags the formidable Philip Seymour Hoffman,
and sees a diamond in the rough in Jonah Hill, giving him a major role. This gig earns Hill
an Oscar nod, his first ever, for his portrayal of Peter Brand. Meanwhile, Brad's owning the
spotlight at the Oscars in two categories - both as the man pulling the strings and
first time as a leading actor. But what's the secret sauce in this sports
drama? Well, there are a few things. First off, it's got that classic underdog story
it's like the Rocky of baseball, minus the boxing gloves and the mumbling. That underdog
vibe has been a hit ever since the days when Chaplin ruled the world of comedy, and it's
still standing strong. Then there's the ensemble - a bunch of faces you wouldn't expect in
a sports flick, and Pitt and Hill popping off as this odd-couple comedy act. Throw in
some cameo work from legit baseball legends, and you're cooking with gas. Visually, the film's a home run too - wide
shots dial up the isolation of the main character, contrasting with the intense close-ups of
the sports scenes. Sure, hardcore baseball fans might find a few foul balls in the story's
credibility, but come on, it's not a PBS documentary. The real indication of success? The film scoring
big outside the US, where folks are as familiar with baseball as Americans are with the metric
system. And let's not forget, in 2011, Brad picks
up a call from George "Mad Max" Miller. But instead of suiting up as a post-apocalyptic
warrior, Brad finds himself voicing a freedom-chasing shrimp in "Happy Feet 2 . Then in 2012, he's front and center in the
TV play 8, throwing down for same-sex marriage rights. Under the sage direction of Rob Reiner,
they enact the whole courtroom showdown that the suits in Cali didn't want live on TV.
Meanwhile, Pitt and Jolie are stirring the pot, saying they won't be saying "I do" until
everyone in the US has the right to. Next stop, 2013: Pitt's sharing screen time
with James Gandolfini again, who seems to have a lock on playing hired guns whenever
Brad's around. The thing is, Gandolfini s seen all sides of Pitt s career: his first
successful funnyman attempt, the first superstar days, and now, the big shot producer era.
They pair up for the dark thriller "Killing Them Softly," a loose adaptation of "Cogan's
Trade," directed by Andrew Dominik, who also happened to shot the Jesse James movie. The
film s got style, transforming grimy suburbs into high art and violence into some sort
of ballet. But for all its aesthetic triumphs, it tanks at the box office. Pitt s got his
own money in this one, so he took a personal hit. But don't feel too bad for Brad, cause later
that same year, he steps into the Dolby Digital spotlight as a producer for "12 Years a Slave,"
a film that slapped us all in the face with its intensity and won Best Picture. However,
not all was sunshine and rainbows for Brad. Critics raised eyebrows over his picking himself
to play the lone white knight in the story. But Pitt hit back, saying he didn t handpick
the role for himself, and that his appearance was a key part of getting the project funded.
Now, if the biggest problem with your movie is Brad Pitt s face, you know you ve done
something right. But something right isn t the words to describe
his next film. Now when a big shot like Ridley Scott says he's gonna bring a novel by the
literary heavyweight Cormac McCarthy to life, you'd think we're in for a treat, right? Well,
pull up a seat kids, because "The Counselor" is a masterclass in muffing the play. Adorned
with A-listers, sporting Armani threads and pretty postcard-worthy views, the movie turned
out as memorable as watching ad channel at 3 a.m.. Except for, you know, a few mind-boggling
scenes and a really graphic intro to the art of "bolito" strangulation. Now, that s a party
trick you wouldn't want to try at home, folks! But Pitt s main project of 2013 was a blockbuster
by the name of "World War Z". It's the end of the world, zombie-style, ripped from the
pages of Max Brooks novel. Oh, and get this - Pitt and DiCaprio were arm wrestling over
who got to bring this bad boy to the screen way back in 2007. Pitt comes out swinging,
snagging the rights for a cool million. But the battle wasn't over, they went toe-to-toe
again for the rights to "Wolf of Wall Street," and in this rematch, it was Leo s victory. Our boy Pitt had this vision, right? Straight-up,
novel to the screen - a journalist, bouncing around post-zombie earth, chatting it up with
the lucky stiffs who survived. But Paramount, in their infinite wisdom, decided to shake
things up. t's like they bought the book just for the title and the undead idea. They took
a time machine to the start of the epidemic, tossed in some epic zombie WWE, and, poof!
The slow-moving dead folks were now a super-speedy mega-horde. Pitt, wearing his producer hat, had his fingers
in every pre-production pie. He hand-picked the captain of the ship, Marc Forster, who
made his name on "Finding Neverland" and "Quantum of Solace". Then he brought cinematography
guru Robert Richardson. Then, they kicked off this grand European tour, right? Now,
keep up with me here - Philly isn't really Philly, it's Glasgow, Scotland! Can you believe
that? They convinced local government to close down the city center for a fortnight and roped
in seven hundred extras, who went mayhem all over the street. The next stop on their world
tour was Malta, but no, it wasn't playing itself. They dressed it up as a Jerusalem
fortress. This part right here, it's where the tech wizards got to strut their stuff,
cooking up a horde of zombies so terrifying, they'd send the Walking Dead guys running
for the hills. They had these undead monstrosities bulldozing through everything that so much
as breathed. And for the finale, they had Hungary do its best Russia impression. During the Russia gig, the plan was for Pitt
to rally a pitchfork-wielding army against the zombie horde on a frosty Red Square. But
someone eventually realized that this was turning into an 80s B-movie, so they threw
some extra cash at it and shot a whole new ending. All this dilly-dallying led to Richardson
washing his hands off the project, hitching his wagon to Django Unchained instead, and
demanding his name be removed from the credits. He wasn't too pleased with the studio's push
for 3D and a PG-13 rating. That move, by the way, left most of the gory scenes on the cutting
room floor, but you can't blame them for being cautious when the budget ballooned to a whopping
200 million. And hey, it raked in over half a billion, was the golden goose of Pitt's
career, and even the OG author, Max Brooks, gave it a thumbs up. He was just stoked to
see a fresh tale, even if it was as related to his novel as a 'Moby Dick' is to 'Finding
Nemo . Okay, so here is Brad Pitt, almost a half-century
old, already perched on top of the world's most famous faces. It's like he woke up one
morning and thought, "Fame? Awards? Who needs 'em! Time to go for the most brutal road trip
of my life." So, in 2013's blossom, Pitt enlists for a stint in David Ayer's latest, a hard-hitting
WW2 epic, "Fury." The story orbits around the tank crew; Pitt's the staff sergeant,
Shia LaBeouf's the gunner, Josh Berthnal's the loader, Michael Pe?a's the mechanic-driver,
and Logan Lerman's the shooter-radio operator. And it's no mistake to mention the real names,
because Ayer didn't want characters, he wanted a legit, rough-and-ready combat unit. First stop on the reality train? Conversation
with battle-scarred WW2 vets, who shared with crew their wartime experiences. Next, a
four-month-long boot camp, where our boys learn the ins and outs of tank driving and
get a taste of the soldier's life. And then, Ayer's stroke of genius: Fistfights. Nothing
says "team bonding" like a good old dust-up. The fights worked like a charm, beating the
pants off regular rehearsals. Before the cameras got rolling, Ayer packed 'em off to a mock
field camp, a week in the woods living the high life if by high life you mean pre-dawn
wake-up calls, no hot food, and 5-star accommodations under the rain-soaked sky. Once the shooting kicked off, their exhaustion
wasn t just an act they actually needed to reduce it for camera! Ayer's love for realism
didn't stop there. Over 300 extras? Check. All real military men or vets? Double-check.
Picture-perfect costumes straight from a museum exhibit? You bet. A fully constructed military
camp, slathered with enough mud to make the camera crew think they were shooting a documentary
about mud wrestling? Ayer's got it covered. They even recreated a tank battle from archival
footage, but director did admit to some creative liberty on an ambush scene. The real head-scratcher for many was the heroic
finale, a feat that seemed too incredible to be true. But here's the twist it was actually
based on a true WW2 event, only with one tiny difference. The real-life hero, Lieutenant
Audie Murphy, defended the road solo, lived to tell the tale, scored a Medal of Honor,
and then conquered Hollywood, and even starred in a movie version of his own war story. Talk
about life imitating art imitating life! And how can we forget about tanks, tanks,
and more tanks? If there was an Oscar for 'Best Supporting Mechanical Role', "Fury"
would've bagged it, hands down! A piece of trivia for ya: "Fury" is the second-ever movie
that managed to use a real "Tiger" tank for its production. And no ordinary Tiger, but
the last working beast on the entire globe! Yet, the real steel show-stealer was the Sherman
- not one, but five of those bad boys, roughing it out in field conditions for a quarter of
a year. Some were just set dressings for the internal scenes, but one became a literal
mobile home for our brave heroes. The ensemble didn't just play their parts,
they lived them. Michael Pe?a even got behind the wheel, sidelining the stunt drivers. And
of course, where's the drama without a little fight? Shia LaBeouf almost went a few rounds
with Scott Eastwood when he wouldn't stop spitting on the tank. Brad, playing peacemaker,
managed to prevent a UFC event on set. Who knew Eastwood was just following the script?
Ayer, probably. Another gem? That scene in the village where Brad Pitt shows off his
mad German skills. Turns out, he was interested in his German heritage and loved Germany so
much, he learned the language well before the shoots. All the sweat and the dirt didn't go unnoticed
though. "Fury" rolled in a ton of green at the box office and parked itself on pretty
much every 'Best WWII Movie' list out there. A well-deserved happy ending for our tank-loving
crew! 2014 was Brad's chill pill year. His work
calendar? Popping up in the world's priciest commercial and swapping vows with Angie. Their
honeymoon? Not sunning on some beach but getting back to business filming together for the
first time since playing in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". Their romantic-drama "By the Sea" was Angie's
directorial gig. Sadly, it wasn't remembered for its picturesque shots, but more like the
shadow of doom over Brangelina's paradise. Fast forward a year, and we've got the biggest
celebrity split making headlines, leaving Brad, Angie, and their six kiddos in a world
of hurt. But before Brad's personal life became the
tabloids' favorite pie, he was busy cooking another Oscar-hungry dish..
After "Moneyball" hit a home run, his production house Plan B, alongside Paramount, was scouring
for another Michael Lewis novel to adapt. They found their golden goose in "The Big
Short," a raw expose of the 2008 financial crisis that not only predicted the collapse
but made a few smart guys rich. Enter Adam McKay, the goofball genius behind "Anchorman"
and "Step Brothers," who turned this tale of financial doom and gloom into a side-splitting
blockbuster. The man was like a mad scientist, juggling a severe social drama and humorous
farce, while Brad worked his magic behind the scenes. But when he stepped in front of the camera,
it was no laughing matter. He wasn't just playing another eccentric banker, he was the
moral compass of the story. And despite its wild mix of drama, humor, and zany celebrity
cameos, the film stuck to its guns, delivering a painfully real depiction of events. Seeing
it rake in Oscar nods and a fat payday at the box office was just the icing on the cake.
That's our Brad! Also, in 2015, Pitt embarked to another movie
based on a true story. Plan B went shopping and came back with 'The Operators,' a journalistic
exploration by Michael Hastings of General Stanley McChrystal's action-packed stint in
Afghanistan. So they crafted the larger-than-life character of "War Machine" as a riff on the
General with Brad playing the role. This was an unusual gig for Brad with funny
voice, gait and parade of weird faces. His portrayal was so exaggerated, you could have
thought you were watching a SNL sketch, only if the punchline wasn't so heartbreakingly
true. This wasn't just a war movie with laughs, it was a political satire that even managed
to get a few chuckles out of the stone-faced folks at the White House. The audience, though? Not quite on board with
the comedy train. Hard to blame them, director David Michod failed to mix "The Office," and
"The Hurt Locker," in something that we could drink. "War Machine" finding a home on Netflix
was like the perfect evacuation plan for cinema houses, saving them from the ghost town vibe.
It seemed to please only the highbrow crowd of New York Times political column readers. Then, Brad took on two more gigs with cult
directors. First up, he stepped into Morgan Freeman's shoes, providing the voice-over
for Terrence Malick's IMAX spectacle, "Voyage of Time". Not long after, he shook hands with Robert
Zemeckis to dive into the thrilling waters of "Allied". This film was the brainchild
of screenwriter Steven Knight, who pitched the idea to Pitt during his "World War Z"
zombie-slaying days. Apparently, Knight had been nurturing this baby for years. He'd heard
a tale about an American soldier whose French wife turned out to be a German spy. It was
a tantalizing plot, but without concrete historical evidence. Still, it was such a juicy story,
he was desperate to put it on the silver screen. And Brad, all pumped up, pushed Knight to
ink the idea down. The script catches Zemeckis eye, and he ropes in Marion Cotillard onboard.
And just like that, "Allied" gets the green light. So, they start to shoot this Mr. And Mrs.
Smith with more espionage and less Jolie in front of the blue screen. It s kinda Zemeckis
favorite playground. Robert, always been this graphics whiz kid, right? Always up for a
challenge to move the industry forward. But in this case, in my humble opinion, it was
like shooting Lawrence of Arabia on a sandbox. Maybe it was the lack of natural light on
Pitt's sharp suits and Cotillard's dazzling dresses, but the atmosphere felt a tad off.
Anyways, Brad put his French lessons with Cotillard to use, and gave us another great
performance in the tragic love story. Once filming wrapped, Brad took a well-deserved
break to focus on his family and the ongoing divorce saga. Cut to 2018, and Pitt steps in the superhero
universe for a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment in "Deadpool 2 . His agreement to the cameo
was fueled by his friendship with David Leitch, a former stunt double who'd worked with Pitt
since the good old "Fight Club" days and had stuck with him till Mr. & Mrs. Smith . Then, just when you thought Hollywood couldn't
get any weirder, Pitt turns up as a weatherman in "The Jim Jefferies Show". But this ain't
your everyday, sunshine-and-rainbows weather guy. This weatherman's hiding a hurricane
of existential despair behind his sunny forecast. What's the punchline of this dark humor? It
seems like only Brad could make existential crisis look this good on cable TV. Fast-forward to the next year, and lo and
behold, Tarantino spits out another cinematic gold nugget. And it's not just any nugget,
it's one of his top nine masterpieces. I won't beat a dead horse here, as I already gabbed
for a full hour about "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" in the third part of Quentin's
tell-all. So, after marching through theaters worldwide
and being as classy as he is during award season, QT takes a detour and steps into the
world of high literature. And what does he gift us? A decoder ring for the pop culture
of the late sixties, a bunch of movie reviews like a hipster at an art-house cinema, a new
lens on history, and some easter egg answers from the flick. So, if you're struggling to
find out how Cliff bumped into Brandy, what happened to his missus, or how many Japanese
he introduced to the knife during Vietnam War, then get your nose into that novel, pronto. As for our boy Brad, he finally snags his
first Oscar for being the biggest badass in the acting playground. His silent but deadly
stuntman routine gets a gold star from the movie bigwigs, and Brad, being the classy
guy he is, gives a shout-out to the unsung heroes, the stuntmen. For real, the Academy
was about as late with a Best Stunt Coordination nom as a stoner is for... well, anything.
Ninety-five years late, dudes! While we were all busy admiring Brad's Booth
brilliance in the Tarantino spectacle, there was a less shiny, but equally valuable gem
hiding in the shadows. "Ad Astra" it was. Brad and James Gray were kinda like those
high school pals who wanted to start a band for years, but life got in the way. First,
they aimed for "The Gray Man", but the studio execs just shrugged it off. The project later
came to life with the Russo Brothers and Ryan Gosling. Brad and Gray, on the other hand,
were onto "The Lost City of Z". This time, the green light blinked, but Brad had to bail
because of his jam-packed schedule. The dude still stuck around as an executive producer
though. So, 2019 rolls in, and the cosmos finally
gave a thumbs up to our dynamic duo. They presented "Ad Astra", an interstellar voyage
which was like a cosmic cocktail of "Apocalypse Now" and "Space Odyssey . Gray was so into
Kubrick's space epic that he swapped CGI for miniatures and hand-drawn planet images. Oh,
by the way, the camera magician pulling the strings behind "Ad Astra visuals was none
other than Hoyte Van Hoytema. This ain't his first cosmic rodeo, as a few years back, he'd
taken us on another interstellar joyride. Brad, though, was the real star shining bright
in the film's galaxy. His deep space dive wasn't just through the cosmic abyss, but
also into the uncharted territories of his consciousness. 'Cause let's face it, the only
thing deeper and scarier than the dark, limitless universe is the human mind. And that's what
James Gray wants you to think about. Now, let's talk about the grand finale, where our
man Brad sheds a lone tear. And here's the kicker, that wasn't in the script, it was
just pure, unadulterated Brad Pitt feeling the moment. Post shooting, Brad being a stickler
for details suggested using CGI to make the tear behave like it would in zero gravity.
But Gray shot back: I m keeping it. The acting s too good, buddy, . Now, that's what I call
a creative choices! In this cosmic opera, Brad was flanked by
stellar support acts like Ruth Negga, Donald Sutherland, and Tommy Lee Jones. Despite this
star power, "Ad Astra" didn't have the gravitational pull at the box office. Slow, meditative plotlines
with theme that can come up on stoned Neil DeGrease Tyson podcast, don't usually get
people queuing up for popcorn. So, next COVID happened, you remember, the
one that tied up the world's plans in a neat little bow of chaos? The silver screen took
a siesta, and during the forced vacation, Pitt only participated in a little online
screenplay reading of cult-teen classic "Fast years. But even COVID couldn't keep him from
jumping back into the mix with his buddy and stuntman-turned-director, David Leitch. The cast? Top-notch. Aaron Taylor-Johnson
and Brian Tyree Henry nailed the roles of two of the quirkiest psycho killers to ever
grace a film. I mean, who knew you could have your heartstrings tugged by bloodthirsty lunatics?
Michael Shannon turned into the 'White Death', all enigmatic and stuff, while Joey King was
showered with praises, right there in the movie itself! Here's the kicker though, "Bullet Train" rode
straight into a hate-storm due to a 'creative decision' to switch up the races of the characters
from Kataro Isaka's original novel. Critics threw a fit: "Hollywood won't cast Asians
'cause they aren't big stars, but they aren't stars 'cause Hollywood won't cast them!" Round
and round it goes. The makers came back swinging, though. "The book doesn't know borders! The
actions don't rely on ethnicity!" they argued. But that's a heavyweight debate for smarter
cookies than me, let's just get back to the movie itself. Brad totally nailed this role. The Ladybug
looked like Jeffrey Lebowski had suddenly become the next Bond. He cooked up the plotline
about his character's therapy sessions and had the crew in hysterics with his dime-a-dozen
wisdom and only skin-deep grasp of concepts. Most of his zingers? Ad-libbed. But Pitt's
creative input wasn't confined to witty banter. He was the brains behind getting a smart toilet
in the bathroom scene. Originally, Lady Gaga was slated to be his
sidekick, but she had to bail for House of Gucci . So Sandra Bullock stepped in, marking
her first on-screen collab with Brad. And while wrapping up the finale, Sandy asked
Brad to join her in her next cinematic endeavor. As a result, Pitt gifted the best twenty minutes
of comedy gold to "Lost City". His scenes there? Pure gold! Like the quirky cameo Channing
Tatum pulled off in "Bullet Train". Speaking of cameos, let's just say the Deadpool debt
was settled. Brad once again shared the screen with Logan
Lerman, although this time Logan was less "Fury" and more "Weekend at Bernie's". And
that wasn't uncommon for half the cast. And let's give it up for the costume department.
In the beginning, our characters are bundled up like Eskimos, but as we get to know them,
they shed their coats and cloaks like snakes, revealing a whole new persona. Pitt's final
reveal? A Master Baiter t-shirt. That s not only just some cheeky wordplay, but a nod
to Shawnee, his hometown. Whenever someone tossed off a piece of clothing,
it was always part of the story, usually the part with face-punching and ass-whooping.
The fight sequences had the vintage vibe of Jackie Chan's kung fu classics, where not
just the peeps, but also their environment and whatever junk they could grab, got in
on the action. But hey, what else would you expect from a director who made his career
out of stunt coordination? "Bullet Train" had us in stitches and on the
edge of our seats for a good two hours and raked in a cool 200 million at the box office.
And Pitt? He just rolled right onto the set of the La La Land prequel... I mean, Babylon". Back in '09, Chazelle was like a newbie chef
with a dream recipe but not the dough to cook it - a biopic about the glitz and grit of
Tinseltown. But, hey, he had to earn his chef's hat first. Fast forward through a decade of
audience applause, a full trophy cabinet, and a quick dance with an Oscar. Finally,
he got his chance to revisit "Babylon" only after he gave Ryan Gosling a ticket to the
moon. Then we have Brad Pitt, sitting on the set
of "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood , where he was offered a ticket to "A Few More Times
in Hollywood . Naturally, he was all-in! Stepping into the shoes of the eccentric boozer, Jack
Conrad, Pitt swung for the fences and, boy, did he connect! Conrad, a silent film star
and top-biller, saw his career plummet with the arrival of talkies . Despite Jack sounding
like he'd swallowed a cat, Pitt had the lion's share of epic lines. Picture this: In what
could arguably be dubbed the film's showstopper, his character takes a joyride through a bunch
of future movie quotes. Talk about a time-traveling script! And in the grand tradition of Tinseltown,
beneath the rip-roaring humor, there's a tale of heartache that could make a stone weep. Jack Conrad's rollercoaster ride was a mirror
image of John Gilbert's real-life tragedy. Back in the roaring '20s, Gilbert was the
cat's pajamas at Metro Goldwyn Mayer, pulling in the biggest bucks in town. But, as 'talkies'
came to town, his stardom started sinking like a stone in a pond. Louis B. Mayer, playing
the role of the devil himself, forced our man Gilbert to kick his contract to the curb.
Poor Gilbert was tossed some roles in cinematic snoozefests while sound engineers were given
the nasty job of trimming the bass out of his voice - talk about a low blow! Now, remember
that scene where the audience is laughing their butts off at one of Pitt's love scenes?
That, my friends, is another gem from the treasure trove of Gilbert's life. And just
to sprinkle some more trivia your way, Gilbert's life has been serving inspiration on a platter
before, with the creators of "Singing in the Rain" using it as their muse. Indeed, Chazelle knows his way around a Hollywood
tale. His adoration for the Tinseltown lore weaves enchanting scenes for the viewers,
but "Babylon" felt like it was playing second fiddle. We've been bombarded with too many
similar flicks over the past few years, and this movie's unique charm seemed to be its
over-the-top infatuation with scandalous, coarse, and unappealing scenes. We caught
the drift - Hollywood, the so-called dream factory, is more of a nightmare factory once
you peek behind the curtain, and in the city of supposed angels, it's the devils calling
the shots. Unfortunately, audiences didn't exactly roll
out the red carpet for this reveal. "Babylon" bled more cash than a Vegas high-roller on
a losing streak. A flurry of nods from the Academy couldn't salvage the situation. But
don't you worry about Brad - he's like a surfer who always finds the wave, and this time,
he rode the wave to his eighth Golden Globe nomination. No flop can trip him up, it seems.
Plan B is still pumping out hits like a jukebox stuck on replay, and Brad's success in the
production game is shaping him into a heavyweight of Hollywood. This year, he hits the big 6-0,
but the man seems to be stuck in a time warp, refusing to show any signs of ageing. So,
it looks like we're in for at least another decade of being captivated by the phenomenon
that is Brad Pitt!
