During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Jovan Adepo admitted that he connected with co-stars Brad Pitt and Flea over their shared love of motorcycling, going so far as to plan a motorcycling trip with them.
“The three of us, we bonded over motorcycles. We love riding Harley Davidson,” Adepo explained. “We had a trip kind of planned. Like I asked Brad, I was like, ‘we should ride,’ and he was like, ‘hell yeah, get Flea to organize it.” Adepo went on to say that the plans ultimately fell through due to the hectic schedules of the three stars, though Jimmy Kimmel himself joked that the plans were doomed from the moment they said, “get Flea to organize it.”
AACTA Nominations
Brad is nominated for Best Supporting Actor! Read more for the other Babylon and Plan B nominations.
Babylon @Los Angeles
• x017 December 15 – Babylon – Los Angeles, CA.
PS. Be sure to check out a fun red carpet interview by Entertainment Tonight, right here.
Total Film
Both a love letter to film and a raucous, unflinching look at the hard-living culture of the Hollywood of the time, Damien Chazelle’s Babylon features a sprawling ensemble cast and an epic run time as it follows a number of characters through a crucial period of change: 1930s Los Angeles. And Chazelle certainly doesn’t hold back when it comes to portraying the wild abandon of the parties of the era.
Largely fictionalized – albeit with real-life references and inspirations – Babylon stars Margot Robbie as rising star Nellie LaRoy and Brad Pitt as silent era icon Jack Conrad (loosely inspired by John Gilbert and Douglas Fairbanks). Speaking to Total Film(opens in new tab) in the new issue of the magazine, featuring Oppenheimer on the cover Pitt discusses the scale of the movie: “There’s such an energy to this thing. I’m amazed by how much [Chazelle] was able to slot in – and not jam in, but slot in gracefully. This opening party scene is staggering, of epic proportions.”
Despite the ambition and scope of the party scene, Chazelle didn’t follow the rules with his approach. “The approach of it all was not doing the coverage – you know, like a single on this actor, a single on that actor,” explains Pitt. “The constant takes can actually wear down and confuse the energy of the scene. He’s doing everything in camera, old style, explosions, 700 extras, actors coming in the scene, actors coming out – in one camera shot, in one camera move, and the camera’s gliding around. It’s one of those things where you’re waiting for the magic to happen, where everything falls into place. That kind of thing is really exciting. You get close, and then something doesn’t quite work out. And you keep going until you get it. I think that energy shows in the scene.”
Babylon Production Design Featurette
For Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon,” the extravagant new epic set in silent-era Hollywood, a staggering 120 locations were used. They included a dusty, undeveloped Wilshire Blvd.; mansions and castles with all-night parties inside; gorgeous theaters, film stages, and studio back lots; and a war-movie battlefield. Many of these can be glimpsed in the exclusive video featurette (above), which highlights the massive ambition and scope of production designer Florencia Martin (“Licorice Pizza,” “Blonde”).
She recalls the experience, as echoed by “Babylon” star Diego Cala, as being akin to building a sandbox for the film’s actors – including Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt – to play in.
• x015 Production Design (screencaps).
PS. The video can also be found at BP Media.
In-Depth Scoop with Marc Platt, Producer of The New Film, ‘Babylon’
Marc Platt, producer of the new film, ‘Babylon’ talks about how Brad Pitt was the perfect fit for the role of Jack Conrad in the film.
Plan B’s New Owner, Mediawan’s Pierre-Antoine Capton, on the Future of Brad Pitt’s Oscar-Winning Company
Brad Pitt’s Plan B may have a new owner in Mediawan. But Pierre-Antoine Capton, the head of the conglomerate behind “Call My Agent!,” says he plans to take a hands-off approach to overseeing the Oscar-winning company he just bought.
“Plan B will continue to operate independently with the same leadership,” Capton told Variety shortly after the deal closed.
That doesn’t mean Capton isn’t looking to change some things. He says Plan B’s new chapter will include more TV and collaborations with Europe. Capton, a well-connected TV producer who launched Mediawan in 2015 with telco billionaire Xavier Niel and financier Matthieu Pigasse, began talks with Plan B a year ago and engineered the deal which is expected to formally close in January. Under the pact, Plan B was paid half in shares of Mediawan and half in cash. The deal values Plan B at about $300 million.
Golden Globes Nominees
Best picture, musical or comedy: “Babylon”
Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt, “Babylon”
Best actress, musical or comedy: Margot Robbie, “Babylon”
Best actor, musical or comedy: Diego Calva, “Babylon”
Original score: Justin Hurwitz, “Babylon”
Check out the entire list right here. So excited for Brad and this movie! Some of Plan B’s productions are also nominated!
Brad Pitt celebrates Brian Tyree Henry for EW’s 2022 Entertainers of the Year
The actor writes a tribute to his Bullet Train costar, who is not only “funny as f—,” but is getting Oscar buzz for his performance in Causeway.
In 2016, Brian Tyree Henry got everyone’s attention when he first appeared as the hilarious, perpetually exhausted Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles on Atlanta. Since then, he’s continued to build out an impressive résumé, and this year alone, he rounded out his run on the critically acclaimed FX comedy, stole the show as one-half of a heavily accented, quick-witted brotherhood in Bullet Train — Aaron Taylor-Johnson was the other half — and delivered a devastatingly subtle performance as a man in desperate need of a friend in Causeway, for which he’s (rightfully) receiving Oscar buzz.
To honor Henry as one of EW’s 2022 Entertainers of the Year, Babylon star Brad Pitt — who worked alongside Henry in Bullet Train — pays tribute to his costar.
I was a fan before I ever worked with Brian. I saw him in Atlanta, and I thought, “This guy is hard,” in a good way. He’s the real deal, he’s hard. And then he got cast in If Beale Street Could Talk, for basically what is one extended scene, and I was so moved. I thought, “This guy runs deep.” For me, as an actor, it’s rare that you see someone and get surprised. He’s in this one scene, and he talks about his stint in prison, and it just floored me. The degree of subtlety and difficulty, it’s so finessed. You believe it. You feel this immense pain that the character’s carrying. It’s extraordinary. And then you meet Brian in person, and he’s funny as f—. He’s the kindest, sweetest soul. He’s just infectious to be around.
Pitt Praises Damien Chazelle for ‘Babylon’ Opulence: ‘That’s Not CG’
Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon” is clearly the Oscar winning director’s most ambitious film to date. His sprawling tale of Old Hollywood debauchery boasts a three-hour run time, a seemingly endless list of characters, and an A-list cast featuring the likes of Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie.
The project was a massive cinematic undertaking, but Chazelle’s cast thinks that he rose to the occasion. In a new interview with ScreenRant, Brad Pitt had nothing but praise for Chazelle and his visual skills as a filmmaker.
“First of all, it’s Damien Chazelle,” Pitt said when asked why he was interested in making the movie. “When he came on with ‘Whiplash,’ it was something new and fresh, and it had a kinetic energy that I hadn’t seen before. And, you know, he’s three for three. Now he’s four for four in my mind.”
Pitt went on to explain that the film’s over-the-top opulence was only possible due to Chazelle’s attention to detail and passion for Hollywood history.
“But this one was different in the sense that there’s always something new I’m finding with new directors, and everyone has their own language and style,” he said. “And what Damien gets so much… I mean, you look at this photo (a ‘Babylon’ poster) – that’s real. That’s not CG. This is all going on at once, and somehow he’s able to capture it all. And this thing moves at a pace that is, again, something I haven’t been a part of. It’s just like keeping up, really.”
