Brad Pitt Once Felt the Days of Stars Commanding High Salaries Were Over
Brad Pitt accumulated a massive net worth over the course of his career as a leading man. But he felt, as cinema changed, those types of salaries would be hard to come by for actors.
Brad Pitt didn’t think multi-million dollar deals for actors were a thing anymore
Pitt was once known for commanding huge salaries for his films. In the past, he earned tens of millions of dollars for movies like Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Ocean’s 11. Even in his older years, his pricetag hasn’t expired. Not too long ago, The Things reported that he netted $20 million for the action thriller Bullet Train. His lucrative career added up to a net worth of $400 million for Pitt.
But in a 2012 interview with BBC, he felt those multi-million dollar salaries weren’t as common as they used to be.
“Yeah, that thing died,” Pitt said. “That arithmetic doesn’t really work right now… that deal’s not flying these days.”
A lot of that had to do with the state of the economy at the time. Similarly to today, studios were beginning to put more money in proven, more reliable IPs. But Pitt saw this as an interesting opportunity for smaller, more independent films to thrive.
“A lot of the studios have been challenged because of the economic downturn as well so they’ve been betting on bigger, more tent pole kinds of things,” he added. “At the same time that opens up a vacuum for really interesting new filmmakers to come in.”
In light of this change in the film industry, Pitt felt actors should choose roles for their quality. And not for the potential payday.
“You take the roles for the roles, and you’ve just got to balance economics like everyone does,” he said.
Brad Pitt feels acting is a young man’s game
As he gets older, Pitt sees his career in front of the camera gradually winding down. He confided that he’s not getting as much offers as he did in his younger years. But it’s a reality that he’s made peace with, as he’s well aware that’s the cyclical nature of the film industry.
“I’m behind the camera on the producing side and I enjoy that a lot,” Pitt told GQ not too long ago. “But I keep doing less and less. I really believe that overall it’s a younger man’s game – not that there aren’t substantial parts for older characters – I just feel, the game itself, it’ll move on naturally. There will be a natural selection to it all.”
Pitt’s career as a producer perhaps even matched his accolades as an actor. Through his Plan B production company, Pitt helped produce features like Money Ball and and World War Z. His work won him two Best Picture Oscars for 12 Years a Slave and Moonlight.
Brad Pitt is interested in seeing how streaming will further affect the film industry
There are some who are a bit concerned with how streaming has affected the world of cinema. But Pitt seems to have a more positive outlook about the future. The Fight Club star seems to welcome the opportunities streaming services can offer, and feels it can co-exist with traditional cinema.
“I really appreciate the streaming services because we’re seeing more and more quality projects being made. We’re seeing more writers and directors and actors getting a shot. It just tells you how many talented people are out there,” Pitt said. “I like to think there’s room for both. But I could be a dinosaur and not even know it, man. And the comet could be on the way.”
