Prestige issue 297, July-August-Sept. 2019
Brad Pitt, starring in «Once upon a Time in Hollywood», talks about his shyness, the buzz about his person, working with Leonardo DiCaprio and he reveals what he would tell the younger version of himself…
«There is always an answer to every problem»
Brad, you play a pretty cool cat in your new movie «Once Upon A Time in Hollywood». Are you that cool in real life?
I wish. Not at all. As a matter of fact, I am probably a lot more shy than cool. But I work in a business where you are exposed to very public life, so that doesn’t make it that much easier.
It’s no secret that you are one of the most hunted superstars in the world. How do you manage to live a fairly normal life with all that hoopla about your persona?
You go to work, you take care of your business, like everybody else. With time you find ways to avoid too much curiosity. It’s not always easy but I manage.
In this movie, you are working next to Leonardo DiCaprio. What’s it like to be Leo’s sidekick?
Leo is a total pro. He brings a lot of passion for this project which I really appreciate. It’s fun to be working with people that like their jobs. It just makes everything so much easier. Leo is that kind of guy. And you throw Quentin Tarantino into the mix, you’ve got yourself a pretty good set up.
Do you still like working in the film industry?
Absolutely. As I said I love working with professionals like Leo, Quentin, and Margot (Robbie). It was a delight. Sometimes I can’t believe I am getting paid to do this.
Speaking of Tarantino, he is known to be very detail-oriented. Would you agree?
For sure. Quentin is a walking Hollywood encyclopedia. The guy knows more about movies than anybody else in this business. Just listening to him alone is worth the admission. He’s something else. And he reminds me why I became an actor.
Really, why is that?
Most people think of Hollywood as a pretty selfish business. Everybody is in it just for the fame, for him or herself. And sure, there is a lot of that in this industry. But Quentin, for example, absolutely loves movies. And so do most actors I know. They love telling stories. That’s why we all got into this in the first place. We want to tell stories. And we want to find meaning…
Meaning?
Yes, we all want to know what it means to tell these stories, what’s behind them, how do they connect us. That’s what I find fascinating about my industry. To be able to do that and entertain people at the same time is probably the greatest gift I can wish for as an actor.
Do you have to pinch yourself at times looking back at your illustrious career?
I won the lottery, no question about it. There are so many talented people out there in show business, it is amazing. I’d rather not pinch myself, I just want to keep dreaming…
You are playing the stunt double of Leo in «Once Upon». Is it true that a lot of movie stars are very close to their stunt doubles?
Well, Cliff is a bit more than just a stunt double. He is his bodyguard and his best friend, a shoulder to cry on. We’ve all worked with guys like that. Once you spend so much time on a set away from home, you bond. I have developed good friendships with stuntmen over the years.
What would you tell your younger self today?
I would tell him the same thing I keep telling myself today, everything is going to be okay. There is always an answer to every problem.
This movie gives hope that things are not as bad as they appear. Do you agree?
Yes, that’s true. I like the message that if we watch out for each other no matter what, it’s all going to turn out to be alright. It’s a good message in today’s world.
Conducted by SUZY MALOY/THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE
