Brad Pitt is among the last breed of the quintessential movie stars who got their breakthrough in the 90s. The actor has a glorious reputation in the industry due to his incredible work over the years. Actors who have come after him have been influenced by his works and consider it a great honor if they ever get a chance to work with him.
Pitt starred alongside Shia LaBeouf and Michael Peña in the 2014 WWII film Fury. The two were huge fans of the actor and were ecstatic about working with him. Peña and LaBeouf experienced a huge fan moment when Pitt walked onto the sets for the first time. The duo were so geeked out by seeing one of their on-screen heroes that they thought they were screwed.
Michael Peña and Shia LaBeouf Were Swept Away By ‘Movie Star’ Brad Pitt On Fury
Brad Pitt is one of the 90s superstars who has managed to age well into the current times and still commands a significant amount of star power and respect in the industry. However, his fame in the 90s was unprecedented; every man and woman was swooning at the actor’s charming good looks and magnetic persona.
Working with someone of the caliber as Pitt was a great honor for those who came after him and actors Michael Peña and Shia LaBeouf got to do just that in 2014’s Fury. The duo along with Jon Bernthal and Logan Lerman starred as a part of an American tank crew fighting Nazis during WWII. The two actors had a rather ‘cinematic’ first meeting with Pitt on set for the first time where they had a ‘no way this is happening’ moment.
Peña recalled the day with a gleeful smile, narrating how they all looked in awe as Pitt came on the set of Fury with long hair. He and LaBeouf are so starstruck by that point that when Pitt introduces himself to them, LaBeouf told Peña they are doomed. They thought it would be tough to work alongside their hero whom they have admired for so many years. Peña said (via Instagram),
I did this movie Fury, it was me Shia LaBeouf, Jon Bernthal, Logan Lerman and we’re gonna look the part blah blah…In comes Brad Pitt, and we do one of these right? (stares in awe) and he’s got long hair.
And I remember thinking, I was like, ‘Is he walking in slow motion, what’s going on with this guy?’. And then like ‘What’s Up Fellas?’. And Shia LaBeouf is like ‘We’re f*cked G’. Meeting him was like, it’s like a real-life movie star, yeah, it’s insane.
Celebrities do get starstruck by other celebrities and this anecdote proves that. Pitt is a superstar unlike no other and it is funny to see that stars like Peña and LaBeouf have fan moments like any normal people out there when they see their on-screen idols. The duo certainly had a dream-come-true-moment with Pitt in the film.
Brad Pitt Was Attracted By The Heroic Yet Complex Role of Wardaddy in Fury
Brad Pitt led David Ayer’s WWII action-drama film Fury alongside Shia LaBeouf, Michael Peña, Jon Bernthal, and Logan Lerman. He is the leader of the Fury, an American tank along with his comrades played by the other actors as they try to survive during the European theater of WWII. The character is a fearless leader who wants the war to end but has a dark side as well.
In an interview with OregonLive, Ayer stated that Pitt was attracted to the concept of a grizzled and hardened leader who was responsible for keeping his younger comrades alive. At the same time, the character has a complex side that sometimes puts his team at risk to accomplish what he wants, and the duality of that was exciting for the actor. The director said,
He was after immersion and truth. I think Brad was attracted to the leadership role, playing this wise, grizzled guy, this survivor. And he’s not just a survivor — he’s got to keep these other people alive, yet ask them to do things that risk their lives. I think he was attracted to the paradox of that.
Pitt’s subdued yet layered performance was one of the highlights of Fury. The film received positive reviews and it remains one of Pitt’s most underrated films. It was also a hit at the box office grossing $211 million against a $68 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).
Fans can watch/rent Fury on Apple TV+.
