How 'Once Upon a Time...' sparked tension between Pitt, Tarantino
What's the story
Hollywood legends Quentin Tarantino and Brad Pitt have worked together on multiple projects, most notably the 2019 film Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. However, there was reportedly a moment of tension between the two during filming. The incident was revealed by co-star Bruce Dern in an interview with People while promoting his new documentary Dernsie at the Cannes Film Festival.
Incident details
The scene that led to the altercation
Dern recalled a scene where Pitt's character, Cliff Booth, wakes up his character George Spahn. In this scene, Dern improvised a line that surprised Pitt and led him to cut the camera. This action reportedly angered Tarantino. "The look on Quentin's face, I mean, he was insanely grave, and he said, 'Brad, what did you just do?'" Dern recounted.
Director's reprimand
Tarantino's warning to Pitt
Tarantino reportedly warned Pitt, "Never again in your life will you ever cut a camera or you'll be dead in this business. That's my domain. Don't stop behavior." In response, Pitt told Tarantino that the line Dern said wasn't in the script. Despite this incident, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood was a critical and commercial success, earning 10 Academy Award nominations.
Scene adjustment
Dern improvised a different line for the final edit
For the final edit of the scene, Dern improvised a different line: "I don't know who you are, but you touched me today. You came to visit me. Now I gotta go back to sleep." He explained that this line was inspired by Pitt and their co-star Leonardo DiCaprio's admiration for him. Despite the on-set tension, Pitt and Tarantino continue to have a strong working relationship.
Career highlights
Pitt won an Oscar for 'Once Upon a Time...'
Pitt's role as a Hollywood stuntman in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2020. During his acceptance speech, he praised Tarantino for being "original" and "one of a kind." The duo is set to reunite for The Adventures of Cliff Booth, a sequel to Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. Directed by David Fincher, the film will be released in November.