The only actor who left Brad Pitt starstruck: “It’s going to be on my greatest hits reel”
No Hollywood star, no matter how huge, is beyond the ability to be starstruck, especially when the capital-G-Greats were still around. Yet, it’s still difficult to image a leading man like Brad Pitt being starstruck, especially given his usual cool-guy demeanour. Of course, for someone like Pitt, who has surely met some of the most famous people of all time, it would have to be someone larger than life.
But Pitt got his starstruck moment during the filming of Troy in 2004, when he was cast alongside a true acting great, Peter O’Toole. A modern adaptation of Homer’s Illiad and Homer, Troy saw Pitt star as the hero Achilles, while O’Toole played Priam, King of Troy.
While they only shot together for half a day, Pitt was unsurprisingly overawed by the interaction. “The scene with Peter O’Toole was for me a milestone in someway. I would say highlight, but that wouldn’t do it justice. It’s going to be on my greatest hits reel of my experience,” he explained in an interview.
While O’Toole famously slagged the film off at a film festival and was called “just a drunk” by his co-star, Diane Kruger, Pitt did nothing but sing his praises, “I can’t begin to describe what a lovely, lovely, hilarious man he is. Very eloquent.” And despite his apparent antics on set or renowned inebriation, the man does come off as nothing but eloquent in his scenes with Pitt. Even if that’s partially down to the horrendous posh-American-British accent, Pitt deploys in the film. Then again, he’s never been one for accents.
Watching the two on-screen could be an educational video on good versus bad acting, with O’Toole’s effortlessly moving performance and screen presence contrasting Pitt’s often confused portrayal. It’s almost as though he’s gloating, saying, ‘Look, this is how the real actors do it.’ Although, to give Pitt credit, O’Toole was best known for his roles in historical epics, whereas the former is best suited to play the contemporary cheeky chappy or loveable rogue.
Of course, it wasn’t just a civilised on-set meeting that the unlikely pair bonded over. According to Pitt, he saw first-hand the renowned antics of the icon and couldn’t even keep up, “I went to meet him at four in the afternoon just to hang out for a couple of hours. I had to leave at 4am because I was too tired and he was still going.” So not only did Pitt get to meet the great Peter O’Toole, but he was drunk under the tale by a man 30 years his senior.
It’s interesting to wonder what O’Toole thought of his young, charming co-star who couldn’t match his drinking or his acting. While he’s quoted as saying he has ‘unqualified admiration’ for Pitt, it’s easy to imagine his disdain given his apparently pompous persona on set. Either way, it’s sad the two weren’t able to act together under better circumstances, but a film that would have complimented both their talents is hard to imagine.
