Brad Pitt stars in the new movie “Legends of the Fall,” based on a book about three brothers who fall for the same woman. The actor had heard about the planned movie translation of “Legends of the Fall” two year before the cameras started rolling.
Solak asked Brad about the early days of production.
Brad Pitt replies: I knew the book beforehand. When Tony (co- star Anthony Hopkins) came along, we got the green light to do the movie. I was considering getting involved with “Natural Born Killers” at the time. I’m just really thankful I went this direction. It’s one of the best characters I’ve ever gotten to play. Movies get so black and white. My character, Tristan, is more about life. You’ve got the wildness and the torture that comes with it. At the same time, there’s love for individuals in his life.
His varied career has allowed Brad to experiment with many different kinds of characters. LadyNRed and GonzoLaser both wondered which of his portrayals is closest to the real Brad Pitt.
Brad Pitt replies: There’s a little bit of me in every role. I don’t know how an actor would get around that.
Brad particularly identified with the situations his character in “Legends of the Fall” encounters.
Brad Pitt replies: “Legends” says life is tough. That there’s no denying that and you’ve got to think how you’re going to go around it. That’s for everyone, I feel. It’s not that this guy became a legend. “Legends of the Fall” is about the family and the things that life throws at you, and how you respond to these things. What breaks you off as a family, and what brings you back together. These are legends because they are basic truths. You learn from people’s triumphs and failures. That’s the legend of it all.
In one scene in the new movie, “Legends of the Fall,” when Brad’s character is about to be shot, he says he will take the bullet, but “not in front of my children.” This protective attitude sums up much of what Brad feels for his real family, which JeffK82785 wanted to know more about.
Brad Pitt replies: That’s a feeling I always got from my dad. You can walk on me, you can say what you want. But don’t you dare do anything to screw up my kids because I will kill you. I will crush you. And I would see it in his eyes. I’m one of those few people who had a great family. We had our disagreements, but they weren’t bigger than the family. They’re living in the Ozarks. I get back there a lot.
Tracey Red, EsmePercy and Grasshop X wondered what it has been like for Brad working opposite some other famous performers. Brad spoke about his close ties to the cast of “Legends of the Fall.”
Brad Pitt replies: We just got tight as friends. We’d have bonfires on the weekend and sit around and have a beer. It was nice. Julia (Ormond, his co-star) was perfect because she’s a timeless, classic soul and she’s lived a lot of life and I think you see it. In the movie, we all fall in love with this woman. I’m not used to love scenes, but it wasn’t too tough for me. She’s a classic beautiful woman.
Brad was born in Oklahoma and raised in Springfield, Missouri. AUDIOMAGS asked about his first kiss.
Brad Pitt replies: Fourth grade. At this girl’s garage. I ran away. We met there. We had said we were going to go and do this after school. It sounds like we were going to fight or something. We met in the garage and it took about half an hour to get to it. I kissed her. She was a well-developed woman in fourth grade. And I ran off. We went to school together. We grew up together.
When JanMcG and Genolaj asked Brad what his favorite role has been, he responded by talking about what his hardest acting job has been so far.
Brad Pitt replies: In “Legends of the Fall,” you get so lost in it along the way, that it’s really hard to say what the hardest scene was. But my part in “Interview with the Vampire” was my hardest role.
After “Interview with the Vampire,” Brad has come more into the national spotlight. Tracey Red asked Brad what he though about celebrity.
Brad Pitt replies: It’s a bit silly. Plus, people build up images. My publicist tries to keep it down. I’ve been okay so far, though “Interview with the Vampire” has put a wrench in my workings. Oh well. I asked for it. It drives me crazy, a little bit, and I wish I didn’t have any part in it, but again, I asked for it.
There are already some tentative plans for a sequel to “Interview with the Vampire,” and Sitlist and JanMcG wondered if Brad would like to be included in that project.
Brad Pitt replies: I just go with what feels good next. It would be boring to do “Legends of the Fall II.” I wouldn’t mind doing “Interview II” because Louis is in five minutes of it. He walks in and all the vampires hate him because he blabbed on them. They rip on him and then he leaves. I like Neil Jordan very much. Right now, I’m doing “Seven” with Morgan Freeman, whom I think is up there with Tony Hopkins. David Fincher is directing this movie. Right after that, I’m doing a small part in a Terry Gilliam movie, which will be fun because he’s a whack-job.
Brad nearly graduated from the University of Missouri, but left the school two credits shy of his diploma. Brad has plenty of advice for young actors, which DIGGZ and Tracey Red were curious about.
Brad Pitt replies: I was an advertising major at a journalism school. Then I decided that’s not how I wanted to spend the rest of my life. I wasn’t doing well. In sports, you don’t know what the game’s like until you get on the field. You can read all the books you want. It’s the same thing with
acting. You can go to school all you want, but you won’t know anything until you get on a set and have some time on the “playing field.” Until then, you don’t know dookey.