Brad Pitt is always eating in his movies and the answer to why may surprise you. One of the biggest names in Hollywood, there is a lot that Pitt is known for throughout his career. He was pushed as the new heartthrob during the early 90s and then transitioned into a charismatic action/blockbuster lead into the mid-2000s. Over the last decade, Pitt has settled into being a dramatic actor with roles in The Tree of Life, Moneyball, Fury, and (most recently) Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, as well as producing the likes of 12 Years a Slave and Selma through production company Plan B.
Throughout all stages of his career, though, Pitt has maintained a calm, cool, and collected persona. And, even though he's an Oscar-nominated actor and now a prolific and Oscar-winning producer now, there is one aspect of Pitt's roles that has fascinated audiences for years. This may not have been noticed by everyone, but Brad Pitt is consistently eating during his movies.
Audiences have latched on to this near-signature aspect of a Brad Pitt performance, but why is this the case? Indeed, even though eating is something every person has to do to stay alive, its actually not that common to show people actually eating during movies. That is why Pitt's repeated snacking has received so much attention. Screen Rant's latest video tackled Pitt's food eating habits and the general role that food plays in film, providing an answer to the Pitt question.
Since eating is something everyone does, it's long been assumed that Pitt's consumption habits on screen is an incredibly easy way to subconsciously make audiences relate to him more. Hardly anyone is going to immediately look at Brad Pitt and feel like they are alike, but the second he starts munching down on some fries, a twinkie, or whatever he can get his hands on, audiences are able to connect with him more.
However, that's is not the reason why Pitt eats in most of his roles. The real reason is that Pitt is naturally a "grazer", as he told JOE.ie earlier this year, and he likes to keep busy. In some instances though, like the Ocean's movies, Pitt has managed to work his eating habits into the character.
Oddly enough, Pitt's movies are on average more successful when he eats in them: all movies where he eats over 200 calories worth of food in have been positively reviewed and financially successful. Reddit user LundgrensFrontKick showed statistical evidence of this earlier in the year. Is all of this just a coincidence and Pitt just so happened to eat more in successful films? Probably, but perhaps the subconscious effect goes deeper than even Pitt realizes.