The coincidence that landed Brad Pitt a Quentin Tarantino role
When Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was released in 2019, it signified the supposed penultimate feature movie in the career of Quentin Tarantino. It was also one of his best films to date and boasted stellar performances across the board, particularly Leonardo DiCaprio’s alcoholic and insecure actor, Rick Dalton. The biggest highlight, however, was probably Cliff Booth, played sensationally by Brad Pitt. However, a specific moment ensured we saw him on our screens.
According to Tarantino himself, when speaking on the Pure Cinema Podcast, he was keen on reuniting with Pitt for a second cinematic endeavour following their successful partnership ten years prior in Inglourious Basterds. In classic Tarantino style, on top of the myriad of influences for the character, he had a specific movie reference in mind for the enigmatic stunt double Cliff Booth, who would play a significant supporting role in the director’s ode to Hollywood.
He wished to introduce Pitt to a film that he believed served as an ideal reference point for Booth’s portrayal: Billy Jack, released in 1971, and it featured Tom Laughlin in the titular role. “I go, ‘Brad, I have a 35mm print of ‘Billy Jack,’ threaded up on the projector, waiting for you to get here,'” Tarantino explained. But, as would soon find out, he needn’t have bothered.
Billy Jack chronicles the journey of a Vietnam veteran turned martial artist who embarks on a quest for justice while protecting the vulnerable. Tarantino was particularly drawn to elements of iconic actor Tom Laughlin’s portrayal of Billy Jack that resonated with Cliff Booth’s complex persona. Notably, Laughlin’s character often preludes his confrontations with poignant, “folksy stories” before unleashing his martial prowess, a distinctive device that Tarantino found deeply inspiring.
To illustrate his vision for the character, Tarantino went to great lengths, preparing the aforementioned 35mm print of the film, which was threaded onto a projector, eagerly awaiting Brad Pitt’s arrival. The intention was clear: to use the movie as a visual reference, articulating the essence of Cliff Booth through the lens of another iconic cinematic figure.
However, as Pitt arrived for their meeting, he brought along a copy of the very same film on DVD, leaving both Tarantino and Pitt pleasantly surprised. It was a fortunate sign, an alignment of creative sensibilities and a shared understanding of the character that would shape their collaboration – clearly, before any initial talks had even taken place, both Pitt and Tarantino were on the same page regarding Booth.
From that moment onward, with their creative wavelengths harmoniously tuned, their partnership embarked on a journey that would contribute to the creation of one of the most memorable characters in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Tarantino’s filmography in general.
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