By Total Film
1. Throwing Curveballs
There’s a moment during David-vs-Goliath biopic
Moneyball
when Brad Pitt’s beleagured baseball general manager explains to his
colleagues why he’s thinking big despite the odds against him. “Adapt or
die!” he rally-calls – a sentiment this 48-year-old tabloid fodder
appears to have based his career on.
That snake-hipped hottie in 1991’s
Thelma And Louise had no intention of going back to
Levi’s commercials and
Dallas walk-ons, didn’t want to rest on his heartthrob laurels and fade into obscurity.
Pitt knew he needed to change, to thr
2. Canny Choices
So rather than repeat his star-making turn he chose projects obliquely;
True Romance, Se7en, Twelve Monkeys, Fight Club, Babel, The
Assassination Of Jesse James, Inglourious Basterds, The Tree Of Life…
Movies that cannily teamed him with directors at the cutting edge of
their art (Fincher, Malick, the Coens, Soderbergh, Tarantino), roles
that screwed with audience perceptions and sharpened his skill set.
A conscious self-preservation plan – as he famously said of working with Redford on A River Runs Through It: “When you play with someone better than you, your game gets better.” Pitt is now a man at the top of his game.
3. Famous Face
He’s
one of the world’s most famous faces thanks in part to his real-life
dramatics. Married to America’s sweetheart Jennifer Aniston before
divorcing and hooking up with Angelina Jolie after smooching on screen
in Mr & Mrs Smith, Pitt’s six-strong brood of adopted and natural children are papped every where they go and Daddy is still regularly voted People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive.
He’s rich, connected, influential, a committed philanthropist (he and
Jolie regularly donate millions to charity and he spearheads the Make It Right housing project in New Orleans) and an actor able to pick and chose his projects (as he told The Telegraph,
“I’m much more experienced now, so I can find films that are
interesting quicker and cut out the films that don’t really matter…”).
4. A For Action
He’s
as A-list as they get. Which is why, in a hotel conference room in
Cancun, he is carrying off a pale V-neck sweater like a god, rocking the
unflattering centre-parted, long-haired barnet of current project World War Z and causing unusually high traffic of hotel staff to appear carrying un-asked-for trays of water, napkins, snacks.
His star wattage is unmistakable, tangible, but Pitt remains a gent. He
goes out of his way to be courteous to everyone, ponders every question
with considerable thought as though it’s the first time he’s ever heard
it, and is endearingly uncomfortable with flattery.
When TF relays the compliments showered on him by his Moneyball
co-star Jonah Hill, he wriggles in his seat and mumbles affectionately,
“Aw, Jonah’s a dick.” Pitt’s mantra remains the same as when he started
out, to judge him on actions not words: “In Missouri, where I come
from, we don’t talk about what we do – we just do it…”
7. Lessons Learned
Do you often learn lessons from the material? The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, for example, examines our mortality.
"When we began the film, David [Fincher] had already dealt with the death of his father and Eric [Roth, writer]
with the death of his mother, and about a month into shooting, Angie’s
mother passed away, so… I tell you, the thing I walked away from that
film with was, you know, time is short.
"I don’t know if I have a day or 10 days or 10 years or 40 years. Am I
halfway, or close to the end? I don’t know, so I’ve got to make sure I
don’t waste those moments in any kind of bitterness or laziness or so
forth, and that I surround myself with what’s most important to me and
with those people who are most important to me."
It sounds so simple but it’s not always the way, is it?
"You know, I had a friend who worked at a hospice and he said something
really interesting. He said that people in their last moments don’t
discuss their successes, their awards, their trophies, what book they
wrote or what they accomplished; they only talk about their loves and
regrets. I think that’s very telling."
10. The American Dream?
Some critics took issue with the film for being overtly Christian…
"We had a lot of theological debates throughout the project. Terry’s a
very interesting man to talk to. I would say he’s more of a spiritualist
than a compartmentalised version of Christianity. He has a more
universal viewpoint, in my opinion."
You played a stern, forbidding character. Where did that anger come from?
"In the film, the American Dream as we grew up to understand it is not
working. The father’s on the tail end of that. There is a lot of anger
because of it and he passes that on to his sons inadvertently.
"I do think there are elements of the story that are personal to Terry,
elements of the story that are personal to me. But I don’t think it is
an exact template of either one of us."
11. Finding Inspiration
You were raised a Christian, right?
"I grew up being told that God’s going to take care of everything. It
doesn’t always work out that way and when it doesn’t, you’re then told
it’s God’s will. I’ve got my issues, man – you don’t want to get me
started!
"But, many people find in religion something to be very inspiring. I’ve
personally found it very stifling as an individual – more focusing on
what you can’t do than experiencing and discovering."
Working with Malick was just the latest step in a charmed
career. You’ve worked with David Fincher, the Coen brothers, Terry
Gilliam, Ridley Scott, Quentin Tarantino…
"I’m fortunate to surround myself with people that I trust. You know,
Hollywood has this reputation for being cutthroat but I have met the
most interesting, intelligent, lovely people."
12. Gun Play
The Tree Of Life shows boys’ fascination with guns, and you played a celebrated cowboy in The Assassination Of Jesse James. Did you play war or cowboys and indians as a child?
"I liked being outside, in the elements. I am not big on guns. I really
don’t care much about them. I guess it was a rite of passage for a
father to give a gun to his son, and I got my BB gun when I was in
kindergarten.
"I got a shotgun when I was in first grade. I shot a .22 by second
grade. My father always stressed the respect for the thing that’s in
your hands and it was actually good training because I got through guns
early and I haven’t really cared about them since."
So what exactly was the appeal of playing Jesse James for you?
"I think it has something to do with being above the law, being able to
make your own rules, not being stifled. We live in a society of laws and
we have to operate within them, and there is in the back [
of our heads] a tendency to strike out."
If Jesse James wasn’t an idol for you growing up, who was?
"When I was little I liked Elton John. And I liked Evil Knievel. I was a
huge Evil Knievel fan! And Muhammad Ali. Ali I got to meet a few years
ago and it was still an honour for me."
13. Quick On The Draw
For someone who doesn’t like guns, you’ve handled a lot of them in films! For The Assassination Of Jesse James, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, you worked with gun-legend Phil Reed...
"He’s an extraordinary man. This guy trained us to quick draw and shoot
from the hip. He’s one of the legends in that world, a world champion of
quick draw – you literally can’t see the movement and he can get off
two shots!"
Did he get you to a place where you felt comfortable with guns?
"It’s just another appendage. I was surprised by how doable [
shooting from the hip]
was. You can do something that connects with the geometry of the brain.
You can shoot from the hip and hit things! But I was afraid of shooting
myself in the foot…"
14. A Sense Of Security
You obviously live in a world where security is key. Have you had many run-ins with real-life nutters?
"I’ve had break-ins in the house before. A few years ago, a girl broke
in the house. Hatred doesn’t happen very often, but I have run into it.
You feel it, at times."
You mean you sense the madness coming off someone?
"You develop a radar over the years. It’s very rare, but I’ve run into a
couple of unbalanced people and you feel it when you’re approached by
them and you know to get out."
15. The Work/Life Balance
How do you balance the work with the family?
"I don’t want to go into too much detail but it’s just as you assume…
we’re a normal family, a mother and father, and the kids get unruly! The
kids are fantastic and say the funniest things I’ve ever heard!
"But the most important thing for us is to make sure we carve out time
for them, that we get group time and one-on-one time because it’s our
responsibility to show them around and help shape them. So I guess the
only thing I can say is that it’s fatherhood first, family first, and
then I slip in the work."
You’ve been a nomadic clan over the years. How does that work out?
"It works for us. The family becomes the core. The places they get to
see they may not understand at this early age but it’s seeping into
their consciousness. We’re in an international schooling program, so
wherever you go, it’s the same curriculum.
"The only problem is the assault, the paparazzi. Quite frankly, I have a
problem with it. I think there should be laws against it. It’s out of
hand and crosses all lines of decency. These kids didn’t ask for this
and it’s really discombobulating for them, and a bit frightening. Video
cameras right in their faces, yelling their names…
"They don’t know why these people are yelling their names and they have
this idea that any time they step outside, there are people following
them around with cameras. I mean, it’s a strange view of the world. It
bothers me."
16. High Flier
Another string to you bow is being a licensed pilot, so you can actually fly your family around!
"The idea was we could throw the kids in the back of a Suburban and go
somewhere – have some freedom. Then there’s a real sense of
accomplishment. Flying is an amazing marriage of human ability with
nature and machine and any one of those things can go wrong at any
moment so there’s a real call for focus and attention up there.
"I’m telling you, it can go wrong seriously fast. But I highly recommend
it. Just to be 40 and still able, I guess, to achieve things that are
personal to you, a personal goal… It’s rewarding."
You’ve now been in movies for 25 years. How have you changed as an actor?
"Well, we can’t be followed, which is a plus! I enjoy the craft of it
more than ever. I am much more experienced now so I have a process and
can get to what I find interesting quicker; I can cut out the cacophony
of things that sometimes come with a production or a character or a
film.
"Acting also now means more to me because my kids are going to see my films. I want to do them proud."
How do you choose your projects?
"Well, to me, first and foremost, it’s a directors’ medium. It’s all
about the storytelling, it’s the most important thing to me. I look for
directors with a strong point of view, then I feel free – it frees me to
go and try anything because I know I’m in proper hands that are not
going to abuse [
me]. I can try many things until I find that line, that vein, and start following it…"
17. Catching The Fever
There are so many directors we could ask you about, but let’s settle for Tarantino. how was it working for him on Inglourious Basterds?
"He’s hilarious and very serious, very committed to what he’s doing. I
was interested to learn he dropped out of school somewhere in high
school and I think films became his continuing education. He’s
self-educated through films. His knowledge is just extraordinary. He has
an incredible memory.
"He is also an example of how with some directors you know you are in
the best of hands so you can be as ludicrous as the impulse takes you."
When you were growing up, was there a particular film that inspired you to become an actor?
"Strangely enough, I liked
Saturday Night Fever! I loved it. But it wasn’t, you know, the bad suits and the dancing, although I can do the hustle [
laughs]. It was the idea of people… Well, I didn’t know people could live like that. This idea of a different culture.
"I’d seen only my corner of the world, which was Oklahoma and Missouri,
so it’s the idea that there are complete other ways to attack life out
there."
So John Travolta’s flares are responsible for your becoming an actor?
"A week before I was supposed to graduate from college, everyone had
applied and were receiving jobs. I hadn’t applied anywhere. I didn’t
have a clue, nor did I have any interest at that point of going
anywhere.
"Then it occurred to me I’d always thought, “I wish I’d grown up in New
York or LA because there’s the opportunity to go into films…” And it
just struck me one night that, well, I can just do it.
"So within a week I’d decided I was going to go to LA. I’d work for a
couple of weeks, pocket some cash, load up the car, and go to LA! And
that’s the way it went."
18. Conquering Hollywood
You’ve
seen a lot of the world beyond Oklahoma now. you must be a very
different person to the all-American boy who set off to Hollywood…
"I remember when we were filming Ocean’s Twelve in Amsterdam
and it was strange to me because, you know, we’re used to being American
and people wanted to come here for the opportunities. But the
perception of America had changed.
"I get a bike wherever I go and I was on this pedal bike, riding around.
I had left the guys and was going for a midnight ride around Amsterdam
and there were some guys coming out of a bar. They were trashed, having a
good time. I said, “Excuse me” and swerved out of the way, and they
started screaming: “You fucking American! We’ll fucking kill you!” I’d
never come face-to-face with that turn in our public perception."
You’ve also travelled a lot with your environmental work. does
being a celebrity help you achieve your goals or is it an obstacle to
getting people to take you seriously?
"That’s a good question. Of course it helps because there’s a spotlight
on us. It’s opened many doors and you can get access to meeting a lot of
great minds. Where it hurts is… Well, it doesn’t hurt. It’s just
important that when you take something on, you stick with it.
"Hollywood has a reputation of being flighty and self-serving, so it better be something you believe in enough to stick with."
OK, let’s end on a bright note. You were great in Johnny Suede and Burn After Reading. Can we expect to see you in more comedies?
"I do like a comedy. There’s some great comedy coming out in America –
I’m thinking of Zach Galifianakis, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride…
"But the point is just to keep messing it up. I figure I’ve only got so many more of these [films] I get to do, and I wanna make sure they have some… worth, to me."
