Brad Pitt, the Hollywood heartthrob celebrated for his impressive career and mesmerizing performances, has found himself at the center of controversy. Director Ed Zwick, who collaborated with Pitt on the 1994 hit “Legends of the Fall,” has made startling revelations about the actor’s alleged volatile behavior during the making of the film. This unexpected peek behind the curtain promises a closer look at the complexities of creating a cinematic masterpiece and the sometimes tumultuous relationships on set.
The memoir “Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood,” set to release on February 13, unveils an intriguing chapter detailing Ed Zwick’s experiences working with Brad Pitt. As anticipation builds, the director’s candid reflections have ignited a conversation about the challenges and dynamics that shape the movie-making process.
The collaboration between Pitt and Zwick on “Legends of the Fall” is remembered as a successful venture, earning Pitt a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Drama. However, the memoir suggests that behind the scenes, the journey was far from smooth.
A Behind-the-Scenes Struggle: Pay Cuts and Budget Concerns
In the early stages of the film, concerns about its “commercial prospects” prompted Tristar chairman Mike Medavoy to demand a $2 million budget cut. In an unexpected move, both Pitt and Zwick agreed to take pay cuts with a unique stipulation – should the movie perform well at the box office, they would be compensated double. This bold decision reflects their dedication to seeing the project through despite financial challenges.
Threats to Quit and On-Set Clashes
Zwick recounts a crucial moment when Pitt allegedly considered quitting just days before shooting commenced. A tense table read left Pitt uncomfortable, leading to his agent’s call to the studio expressing his desire to leave the project. Although the threat was never mentioned again, it served as an early indicator of the emotional turmoil brewing within Pitt.
“Days before shooting, we held a table read. Given the script’s dependence on narration and visuals, it didn’t play very well in the sterile conference room. I could see Brad’s growing discomfort as it went on. Hours afterward, his agent called the studio to say Brad wanted to quit. It was never mentioned again, but it was the first augury of the deeper springs of emotion roiling inside Brad. He seems easygoing at first, but he can be volatile when riled, as I was to be reminded more than once as shooting began and we took each other’s measure.”
As filming progressed, Zwick describes Pitt’s persistent anxiety about the movie. Tensions flared on set, with Pitt reportedly becoming edgy before scenes requiring deep emotion. The director pushed Pitt to reveal more of himself on screen, while Pitt resisted, leading to clashes in their creative visions.
“Some actors have problems with authority, but just as many directors are threatened when intelligent actors ask challenging questions that reveal their lack of preparation. Both are right and both are wrong.
Brad would get edgy whenever he was about to shoot a scene that required him to display deep emotion. It was here that his ideas about Tristan differed from mine.”
“Brad had grown up with men who held their emotions in check; I believed the point of the novel was that a man’s life was the sum of his griefs,” he explained, adding that there were concerns that Brad was coming across “more blank than internal.”
A Director-Actor Dynamic: The Struggle for Vulnerability
Zwick delves into the complexities of directing a strong actor like Pitt, emphasizing the delicate balance between authoritative direction and collaborative creativity. Pitt’s discomfort with scenes requiring emotional depth became a recurring challenge, raising questions about the portrayal of his character, Tristan.
As the director and actor grappled with their differences, their clashes spilled into public view. Zwick admits to provoking Pitt during a table read, triggering an altercation in front of the crew.
“So, I kept pushing and Brad pushed back. One afternoon I started giving him direction out loud in front of the crew — a stupid, shaming provocation — and Brad came back at me, also out loud, telling me to back off. The considered move would have been to tell the crew to take five and for the two of us to talk it out. But I was feeling bloody-minded, and not about to relent.
I was angry at Brad for not trusting me to influence his performance. Also for the reluctance he’d shown after the first table read. Who knows, I might even have been acting out my own inability to be vulnerable. But Brad wasn’t about to give in without a fight. In his defense, I was pushing him to do something he felt was either wrong for the character, or more ‘emo’ than he wanted to appear on-screen.”
Ed added:
“I don’t know who yelled first, who swore, or who threw the first chair. Me, maybe? But when we looked up, the crew had disappeared. And this wasn’t the last time it happened. Eventually the crew grew accustomed to our dustups and would walk away and let us have it out. ‘We hate it when the parents fight,’ said one,.”
Despite the intensity, Zwick maintains that these conflicts were “never personal” and that he and Pitt always made amends. “He was never anything less than fully committed to doing his best. I, on the other hand, am a movie director masquerading as a rational human being,” he wrote, ultimately deciding that the film “reflected the depth of our passion.”
Sources close to Pitt dispute Zwick’s recollection, describing the actor as “forthright and straightforward” rather than volatile. They challenge Zwick’s motivation for sharing these accounts, suggesting a desire for attention. Allegations of Zwick’s own disruptive behavior on set have surfaced, calling into question the validity of his claims.
