By Erika Hanson | Published
At this point in Brad Pitt’s Hollywood career, it’s easy to list some of his most famous roles, and many of those lists must surely include one of his early greats: Interview with the Vampire. Although we always cherish the actor’s performance in the brooding role of Louis de Pointe du Lac, the actor was miserable while filming the film and even tried to buy his way out of the role.
Anyone who attended Interview with the Vampire knows that the film has a way of taking you to a dark place – literally and figuratively. Brad Pitt’s Louis spends most of the film brooding over his losses in life and death, but apparently the actor didn’t need much theatrics to appear so unhappy. He spent the entire production in a dark place.
Six months in the dark
Brad Pitt revealed his difficulties filming Interview with the Vampire in a 2011 interview with Entertainment Weekly. When the reporter pointed out how miserable Pitt looked in the film, the actor responded, “I am miserable. Six months in the dark. Given that actors tend to dig deep and take on the persona of the character they’re playing (just look at Heath Ledger in Batman), it’s easy to see why playing such a depressing character would affect the mood.
Describing the sets, Brad Pitt noted that he spent his months living in the dark during filming. Interview with the Vampire. Much of it was filmed in London during the winter in what the actor called a mausoleum. Pitt arrived at work every morning in the dark, worked in the dark, and didn’t come down until the sun had already set.
It wasn’t just the ambiance and setting that made Brad Pitt hate his time working on Interview with the Vampire. The process of becoming Louis – the long hours spent doing makeup and the painful touches – also took a toll on the rising star. Additionally, the actor was unhappy playing what he considered a mundane role.
The Tom Cruise Show
Brad Pitt admitted that he had never seen a script before filming. Referring to Louis as the “bi*** role”, he recalled how Tom Cruise was the “pulse of the movie”, adding that Louis had no business doing anything.
It’s worth noting, however, that Pitt mentioned that he didn’t want to diminish Tom Cruise’s brilliant performance. He noted that the actor had a lot to deal with, given his casting rejections for the role of Lestat.
The price to pay for leaving
Brad Pitt reached a breaking point and met with the film’s producer, David Geffen, to ask how much he would have to pay to walk away. But when the World War Z The star learned it was going to cost him $40 million, he knew he had to see it through.
Looking at Brad Pitt’s career, it’s easy to understand why he has such bitter memories of filming. Interview with the Vampire. The actor was still early in his career and would likely have been more accustomed to the transformation process had he taken on the role even a decade later. Ultimately, we’re just glad Brad Pitt didn’t have $40 million to leave the film, because his portrayal of Louis is one we can’t easily forget.