Brad Pitt is one of Hollywood's biggest stars and over the past 30+ years he has carved out a brilliant career for himself, showcasing talent on every occasion. He has 3 acting Oscar nominations and is front runner to take home Best Supporting Actor at the 2020 awards. With a fantastic filmography behind him, it is not hard to find a showcase of his immense skill.
What is a lesser-known skill of the superstar is his ability as a producer. Alongside his filmography as an on-screen performer, what he has done in a plethora of great films behind the scenes is just as admirable. So, here are 5 movies that prove Brad Pitt is a better producer than actor, and 5 movies that prove the vice-versa - Note: all films he has done both on are disqualified from the list e.g. 12 Years A Slave.
PRODUCER - OKJA (2017)
Okja is directed by the brilliant Bong Joon-Ho and follows the story of young Mija who sets out to rescue her friend Okja. Okja is a massive animal who Mija cares for in the mountains of South Korea before he is taken to New York by a multinational conglomerate.
Okja is a Netflix original movie, one of the best in fact, and arguably the best movie executively produced by Pitt and his company Plan B Entertainment. Producing a Netflix movie may be risky enough but one as good as Okja clearly shows the skill of Pitt and Plan B Entertainment.
ACTOR - SE7EN (1995)
David Fincher's crime thriller Se7en is another great entry to both his, and Pitt's filmography. It follows two detectives as they hunt a serial killer who forms his kills based on the seven deadly sins. It is brilliantly written and directed with grittiness and suspense throughout and a great performance from Pitt.
Pitt plays hothead Detective David Mills as he desperately tracks the killer with his partner played by Morgan Freeman. Pitt is cocky, emotional, and has an appeal to all viewers with his performance. The famous desert scene is some of the best acting of the first half of Pitt's career and showcased his talent early on.
PRODUCER - SELMA (2014)
Directed by Ava DuVernay, Selma is a historical drama detailing Martin Luther King jr. and his followers' walk to Selma, Alabama as they fight for equal voting rights in a peaceful protest with violent resistance.
If any film takes the title of best film executively produced by Brad Pitt from Okja it is Selma. The direction and writing are amazing with a stupendous leading performance from David Oyelowo to top it off. It is a film that shows the real quality of what Pitt's production company aims for.
ACTOR - 12 MONKEYS (1995)
12 Monkeys is a sci-fi flick directed by Terry Gilliam which sees James Cole (Bruce Willis) travel back in time to the '90s to get information on a plague that is on the verge of wiping out humanity. Along the way, he meets Jeffrey Goines (Pitt), a fanatic who just may be key to what Cole wants.
Pitt scored his first Oscar nomination for this film that has received a lot of love and acclaim over the years. The story and twists mess with your mind, in the best way, and the performances are great. Not least of all Pitt's whose fanaticism and mannerisms create a weird and high-quality performance in a film that is likewise.
PRODUCER - KICK-ASS (2010)
Kick-Ass is an unconventional take on the comic book/superhero genre, directed by Matthew Vaughn. It chronicles Dave Lizewski's journey as he attempts to go from regular dude to superhero, without the powers, of course, encountering like-minded people and enemies along the way.
Kick-Ass is wildly violent, not for the faint-hearted and ultimately unique. In saying that though it was a risk by Pitt and his production company that paid off as the film tripled its $30,000,000 budget. N0t the greatest film of all time, but certainly one that highlights Pitt's skill as a producer within his company.
ACTOR - THELMA & LOUISE (1991)
Pitt's breakthrough role came in 1991 with Thelma & Louise. The movie highlights two best friends who attempted to flee to Mexico after one accidentally kills a man during a road trip the two had embarked on.
It is Pitt's first proper film role and one that may not be huge but is pretty great. He oozes charm and personifies charisma and when watching the film you can tell Pitt is a proper movie star, a Hollywood guy whos looks alone would get him far, never mind the immense talent.
PRODUCER - THE DEPARTED (2006)
An all-star cast lineup under the wonderful direction of Martin Scorsese for the crime drama The Departed. It is the tale of two moles, one a cop infiltrating the Frank Costello criminal organization, and the other a criminal who has infiltrated the police and reports to his syndicate bosses.
The film won Best Picture, but Pitt nor his production company took the award. Nevertheless, producing a Best Picture winner that grossed nearly $300,000,000 at the worldwide box office is as good and indicator on the talent possessed as a collective producing unit as any and shows that even in his companies early days, hits were still produced.
ACTOR - FIGHT CLUB (1999)
Fight Club is another directed by David Fincher and is one of the defining movies of the 90s and a generation of people. It follows an insomniac who meets a charismatic soap salesman by the name of Tyler Durden, and the two create the fight club.
Pitt's performance as Tyler Durden may well go down as the most iconic of his career. While not his best, it will definitely be one of the most remembered. Pitt's charm fits perfectly into the role and the movie as a whole just works with Pitt in the role.
PRODUCER - MOONLIGHT (2016)
Directed by Barry Jenkins, Moonlight follows 3 stages of an individual's life as he grows from boy to teen to man. Along the way he has to suffer loss, deal with a plentitude of emotions and wrestle a lifelong battle with his own sexuality.
Moonlight is the film that won Pitt his first, and to date only, Oscar of his 6 total nominations. It is a beautiful film, both in its craftsmanship and in its messages. It was fully deserving of its Best Picture award at the 2017 Oscars and is a testament to the eye and talent of Pitt to produce a film of this nature and quality.
ACTOR - ONCE UPON A TIME... IN HOLLYWOOD (2019)
Brad Pitt is likely to add to that one Oscar this year due to his turn in Quentin Tarantino's 9th film Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. The film follows aging actor Rick and his deadbeat, best friend stuntman Cliff as they navigate a changing Hollywood all the while the Manson family have moved nearby.
Pitt is another level in this film, stealing the show throughout which is near impossible to do when you are sharing the screen with Leonardo Di Caprio, who is also fantastic. Yet, Pitt does it and shines through as Cliff in what may well be his best, if not then certainly one of his best performances of all time.