Brad Pitt Agreed To Work For Pennies In Oscar Winning 1991 Movie That Flat Out Rejected Robert Downey Jr: “Isn’t he too short? Next to Geena Davis?”

Brad Pitt Agreed To Work For Pennies In Oscar Winning 1991 Movie That Flat Out Rejected Robert Downey Jr: "Isn't he too short? Next to Geena Davis?"
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When we talk about Hollywood heartthrobs, the men, and women that take everyone’s breath away with their looks and mannerisms, the name Brad Pitt tends to come up in the conversations all the time. Being one of the most successful actors in the Hollywood industry, the star commands respect and reverence from both his fellow artists as well as the public.

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Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt

Along with being one of the most attractive stars in the business, Pitt also boasts a very illustrious career in the industry. From being part of critically acclaimed classics to commercially successful films and franchises, the star has done it all. But during one time in his career, he had to take any acting gig that he could, even when it meant doing it for dirt cheap.

Brad Pitt Performed In Thelma And Louise For An Insignificant Sum Of Money!

Brad Pitt as JD in a still from Thelma and Louise
Brad Pitt as J.D. in a still from Thelma and Louise

The story of an underdog rising above everything and becoming the star of his tale is something that everyone loves, and most of the time, stars from the Hollywood industry have such stories to tell. One of them belongs to none other than Brad Pitt, who is a self-made superstar in the business. Therefore, to get to the top and earn millions of dollars, he had to start from the bottom, which meant getting paid very little for his talents.

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You may also like: Despite Gargantuan $350M Profit, 2013 Thriller Paid Brad Pitt $11M While His Stunt Double Made Minimum Wage $100: “I did it for the experience”

During the production of Ridley Scott’s 1991 adventure drama Thelma and Louise, many actors were in consideration for playing the character of J.D., which included names like George Clooney, Mark Ruffalo, and William Baldwin. Baldwin was selected at the end but had to back out as he was to play a role in Backdraft. But due to that, Robert Downey Jr. got an opportunity to propose himself for the role as he had shown interest in it, while also asking to be paid whatever was left from the budget. But the casting director had concerns, which he shared with the director, saying:

“Isn’t he too short? Next to Geena?”

Therefore, due to his height difference, the future Iron Man star was rejected. Then, out of nowhere, a rookie star by the name of Brad Pitt was selected to play the role of the cowboy, which he did well. This character proved to be a boon for the Babylon star as it would later become the breakthrough role of his career, although, he earned just as much as what Downey Jr. would’ve been paid.

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You may also like: “I was right on the edge of not acting”: Hollywood Legend Broke Character and Slapped Iron Man Star Robert Downey Jr to Teach Him a Lesson

What Was Thelma And Lousie About?

Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in a still from Thelma and Louise
Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in a still from Thelma and Louise

If Pitt wanted to make an impact on the audience and the industry, then he couldn’t have chosen a better film than Ridley Scott’s 1991 buddy adventure Thelma and Louise. Widely regarded as one of the most influential on-the-road films after being nominated for 6 Oscars, the story follows the tale of two female friends who are on the road for a weekend getaway when suddenly, they find themselves becoming fugitives and now have to tread the road ahead to find their freedom.

You may also like: “The film destroys every symbol”: Brad Pitt Claimed His Oscar Winning 2010 Movie is Better Than Tom Cruise’s $201 Million WW2 Film

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Thelma and Louise, streaming on Prime Video.

Source: Vulture

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Written by Deepak Bisht

Articles Published: 1394

Deepak Bisht is a writer at FandomWire who has vast expertise in films of many genres, a hardcore anime nerd along with two years of writing experience. After completing his Bachelor's in Business Administration, he became part of the company in hopes of providing accurate, informative, and exciting articles to the world.

Apart from his contributions to FandomWire, the rest of his time is spent either reading quality works of literature, listening to vintage music, or playing any video games he can get his hands on.