We chatted to Brad Pitt and his Bullet Train co-stars about the crazy stunts in their huge new blockbuster.
Over the course of his career, Brad Pitt has thrown himself into his movies.
Detrimentally in some cases, as with Se7en, when he famously slipped mid-shoot and his entire arm went through the windshield of a car.
Across many other movies, including Snatch, Fight Club, Troy, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, World War Z and Ad Astra, he’s been a part of some absolutely incredible stunt-work.
He even played a stunt man in Quentin Tarantino’s epic Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and Brad’s own previous stunt man was none other than David Leitch.
We mention him, because Leitch went on to become a director in his own right, going behind the camera for the stunt-heavy likes of John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Hobbs & Shaw and Deadpool 2 (in which Pitt had a very small cameo).
His latest project is Bullet Train, which is headed by none other than Brad Pitt. So you know the stunts are going to be good. And, without spoiling anything, we can tell you this – they really are.
In the run-up to the release of the movie, JOE sat down with Pitt in London, as well as his co-stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry, to discuss the movie in full. You can check out that interview right here:
Over the course of the chat, which ranged from everything including The Great British Bake-Off to potential Bullet Train sequels (Bullet Tuk-Tuk, anyone?), we mentioned that while watching Bullet Train, it was staggering that there was still no Oscar consideration for stunt work and stunt choreography.
This was something that Pitt clearly has a strong passion for, as he agreed immediately:
“I agree, I’ve been pushing for this for a bit! […] It is such an integral part of this film and many other films. And what these guys do, they’re completely underrated, and they don’t get the shout out that they should.”
Brian Tyree Henry then tells the story of a particular sequence of stunts that take place during Bullet Train, starting with:
“There is a scene where Brad and I are fighting on a quiet car [on the train], and Brad – the consummate professional that he is – decided to go ‘I think it would be good if I just hit Brian in the nuts over and over again’. It was not a part of the original choreography. I had him in a headlock…”
Brad interrupts: “It was just rapid fire!”
Brian continues: “Yeah, rapid fire nut shots, and who am I to deny Brad?”
Brad responds: “I think it is one of the best nut shots ever got down on film!”
Brian: “Which is why there needs to be an Oscar category for…”
Brad interrupts perfectly: “For nut shots.”
Brian ends, laughing: “For stunt choreography!”
Check out the full interview above, while Bullet Train arrives in cinemas on Wednesday, 3 August.
Clip via Sony Pictures Ireland
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