The Today Show – March 27, 1997

Katie Couric: Having an A list actor in a film doesn’t guarentee a hit but starpower can make a difference between a flop and a movie an audience wants to see. Harrison Ford has starpower. So does Brad Pitt. Teaming them together could mean box office gold. Their new movie is a drama called The Devil’s Own and Brad Pitt is here to tell us all about it. Hi Brad, welcome back!

Brad: Hi Katie, how are you?

K: Nice to see you. You are so skinny!

B: Sorry!

K: No, it’s nothing to apologize for but how much do you weigh now?

B: I’ve no idea.

K: No idea? About?

B: A buck ten, I’m kidding, I dunno. I’ve no idea.

K: Really? Well we should explain why you look so thin. Because you just came back from..

B: From the Third World yea (laughs) I just came back from.. I was in Argentina for almost half a year. Beautiful country but the food didn’t sit so well with me.

K: What were you working on in Argentina?

B: We’re working on a film that is called Seven Years in Tibet. Directed by Jean Jacques Annaud and with David Thewlis.

K: Let’s talk about The Devil’s Own, which is gonna be the movie people are talking about right now. I understand that you wanted to do this movie even before a director had signed on, even before Harrison Ford was involved. What was it about the script that made you so interested?

B: It’s nothing I could articulate, it’s more just a gut reaction. I read it close to 6, 7 years ago I think. And had always wanted Harrison and once we finally did, he accepted and we were on the move.

K: What was it about Harrison Ford that made you want to be in a movie with him?

B: I’ve always loved Harrison because he.. he’s a man of integrity and up on the screen he seems to operate from this ground of common sense which is something that was instilled in me and I appreciate it and truthfully he makes it look every day and that’s the toughest thing as an actor so.. yea.

(Movie clip)

K: You play a character named Rory Devaney whose real name is Frankie McGuire.

B: Right.

K: Who is from Northern Ireland from that area of great strive, long time problem. What was it about him that intrigued you?

B: Well I look up to people that have a code and stick with their code and make no excuses for it so that was one aspect of it. Two, I’ve always wondered ‘how would I be in a war situation? If I had to go to war, I was drafted and how would I come out?’ If I had no other way and I just wanted to look into that.

K: You say that he has a code but many people will say he has a code of violence.

B: Yea.

K: Do you think he is a hero?

B: No, I wouldn’t say that but I wouldn’t call him the bad guy either. What I love most about the film was that you couldn’t catagorize it, you couldn’t throw it in the good column or the bad column. Sometimes people do bad things and it’s the wrestling with those decisions and those convictions, that was interesting to me.

K: You know, there has been some rumors about what life was like shooting this movie.

B: Yea, sure.

K: And one of them was that you and Harrison Ford kinda (punches fists against each other).

B: Yea, sure.

K: Did not quite see eye to eye, that you had a bit of (punches fists against each other).

B: Yea there was all that and more I think in the press report.

K: True?

B: No, not true.

K: Oh come on Brad! I mean.. none of it?

B: Nah, no.

K: That just was sorta created out of thin air?

B: Well I gotta say, first of all we were operating from.. we were pretty much putting this together as we got along and.. no someone ran with this and.. with this story about inflating egos or something I think it was coined. That bothered me a little bit I have to say cause we put together something real and strong and we didn’t want to put some kinda sillyness out. And on top of, we had a responsibility for speaking for these people who – and families – who have been shattered from their troubles. You know it is important not to trivialize it or for it to become trice so you know, we were all doing our best and we were having a good time over all and it just got in the way, this stuff.

K: The movie was somewhat of a work in progress. I know you guys were tweaking the script as you went along.

B: Daily.

K: Did that make life difficult?

B: Sure. It’s.. I found that.. *laughs* I think it would have been cheaper. They nailed it down.

K: But you are pleased with the movie?

B: Yes, I am very pleased.

K: Real quickly before we go: how is Gwyneth?

B: She’s fantastic!

K: You guys are such a cute couple.

B: Thanks.

K: It almost makes me gag to say it cause it’s like you know, enough already.

B: She elevates me..

K: She what?

B: She elevates me a little bit.

K: Is that right?

B: Yea.

K: And when are you getting married?

B: Umm.. not sure yet.

K: But some time.

B: Yea, absolutely.

K: Well best of luck Brad. It was good to see you and eat something will ya!

B: Okay (laughs) alright, I’m working on it.

K: The movie is The Devil’s Own, thanks Brad.

B: Yea..