When the American director released Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, he made it very clear that Brad Pitt was different as a star, even compared to DiCaprio.
Quentin Tarantino is not only one of the greatest and most famous filmmakers in the world but also a person with interesting opinions. Recently, we revisited his words about Pedro Almodóvar, and not long before, we saw George Clooney quite upset with another of his comments. Every time Quentin Tarantino releases a film, the box office numbers go up, but every time he speaks, it stirs things up. A magnificent director and an even better loudmouth, Quentin shares his opinions on everything and everyone. It’s always interesting to hear him speak, especially about cinema. After all, Tarantino is the textbook example of an extreme cinephile director. He not only talks about film but believes that cinema itself should be based on its own history.
But perhaps the most interesting moments are when his words about cinema intersect with his opinions on people, especially his actors. Until he releases what he has promised countless times will be his last film as a director (though we hope he’s bluffing), Tarantino’s most recent film remains the masterpiece Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. In it, the leading man was a brilliant Leonardo DiCaprio, but the film was full of scene-stealers. Margot Robbie shone brightly in her few minutes, and Margaret Qualley, now popular for The Substance, dazzled in her interactions with the one who ultimately became the true face of the movie. That person, of course, is Brad Pitt.
This year, we’ve seen Brad Pitt and George Clooney together frequently due to the promotion of Wolfs, and while Clooney may not have received glowing words from Tarantino, the opposite is true for Pitt. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood made it clear that Pitt and DiCaprio are stars whose appeal functions differently. DiCaprio is a method actor, one of transformation, intense emotions, and expressive gestures. Pitt, on the other hand, simply exists, and that’s more than enough. He earned a well-deserved Oscar for his effortlessly cool portrayal of a stuntman, and the truth is, Tarantino had little to add in that regard.
Regarding the famous scene where the then fifty-something Pitt takes off his shirt, Tarantino stated on the 3 Girls, 1 Keith podcast that Pitt decided to disobey his instructions. While Tarantino suggested several steps to make the moment more sensual, Pitt insisted he would remove both his shirt and undershirt in one go. Tarantino then admitted, “Well, this guy knows exactly what he’s doing, shut up and let the master do his work.”
This is just a small example of why Pitt appears effortless even though few can imitate him. But the best statements about Pitt’s star power, so rare in modern Hollywood, came from Tarantino in an interview with GQ during the release of Inglourious Basterds: “He is one of the last great movie stars. He harks back to the old style of classic movie stars. He’s a different kind of man. And frankly, I don’t think you can precisely describe why that is, it would be like trying to explain the glow of a star.”
Tarantino then noted that Pitt might have an “instinctive” understanding of what a scene is about. In other words, a true animal of the cinema.
