Adam Driver has been a huge fan of filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Jim Jarmusch, and David Fincher throughout his teenage life. He claimed their stories challenged him and made him see the other side of life. In fact, these veteran directors influenced his passion for acting.
Before the Star Wars actor found fame in Hollywood, he had vague dreams of becoming a professional actor. He faced a lot of rejections during auditions, too, but that did not stop him from proving himself to the world.
Brad Pitt’s Movie Inspired Adam Driver To Create His Own Fight Club
In his interview with The Guardian, actor Adam Driver recalled his fondness for Brad Pitt and Edward Norton’s Fight Club. The 1999 film saw its lead stars form an underground club with strict rules and beat other men. Driver stated:
“The first time I saw it I felt kind of sick. It made me feel very strange. But then I watched it again almost immediately.”
Despite his distaste for the gruesome scenes, the actor liked the movie to the point that he created his own version. Before he made it big in Hollywood, Driver engaged in a fight club of some sort in his hometown in Mishawaka, Indiana. He told Rolling Stone:
“They had a big grassy field behind f—kin’ Celebrations Unlimited, an event space that people rent out to get married or whatever, and we would go out there in the middle of the night and beat the s—t out of our neighbors.”
Driver had a difficult time in school, too. He did not fit in any cliques, and he was more interested in “lurking around railroad tracks and lighting things on fire.” Because of this hobby, the local fight club was born.
In another interview with WWD, the Marriage Story star revealed the rules of his own fight club. He shared:
“I think we probably came up with some rules. No hitting in the balls, a good rule. There was a guy that rode by on a bike one time. He said, ‘What are you guys doing?’ So I fought him.”
His fascination for Pitt’s Fight Club movie encouraged Driver to do things that he should not be doing, such as climbing radio towers and setting things on fire. From a wild, angry teenage guy, Driver has transformed into one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood.
RELATED: Adam Driver Almost Said No to Kylo Ren of Star Wars Due to a Judd Apatow Series
The Marine Corps Made Adam Driver Tougher Than Ever
In line with David Fincher’s Fight Club film’s exploration of masculinity and consumerism, Adam Driver’s early life before he became an actor affected his decision to join the military. Somehow, he exudes the confidence of the characters in the film. In the same interview with WWD, he said:
“When you get out of the Marine Corps, you feel like you can do anything… I thought, worse comes to worst, I know how to live. I’ll live in Central Park or something. I’ll survive. You feel like all civilian problems are meaningless and small, which is a complete illusion, but you have this confidence. You’ve been torn down so much — physically, emotionally, verbally — you feel like you’re indestructible.”
There’s no denying that Fight Club has inspired Adam Driver in many ways that ultimately led him to where he is now. Thankfully, he found the military as well as acting a better way to channel his emotions.
