During the Writers Guild strike last year, several film projects got mixed up, cancelled, or put on hold. One of the films affected was State of Play, which was going to be the full-length feature film based on the British mini-series. The original starred an actor (a weird balding Englishman) named Mark Strong, who Celebitchy Platinum Member Geronimo is friggin’ obsessed with.
Initially, Brad Pitt and Edward Norton had signed on to play the two lead roles. During the writers’ strike, both actors complained loudly about the script. With the strike going on indefinitely, both actors pulled out and were replaced in short order by Ben Affleck (in the Edward Norton congressman role) and Russell Crowe (in the Brad Pitt journalist role). State of Play’s director Kevin MacDonald couldn’t be happier with the change, especially in regards to Brad, who was supposed to play the “schlump”.
MacDonald says that the journalist character Brad Pitt was supposed to play wouldn’t have been a good fit. MacDonald says, “The relationship between the journalist and the politician was meant to be between somebody who feels inferior, who’s a bit of a schlump, who kind of can’t get a girlfriend, and somebody he’s looking up to and admires – his polished politician friend…That is not the dynamic of a Brad Pitt. He’s not looking up to anyone thinking ‘Oh, I wish I could have your girlfriend’.” PR Inside has more:
Director Kevin MacDonald is glad Brad Pitt pulled out of upcoming movie State of Play – because the Hollywood star is too good-looking to play the role.
Pitt was originally due to star in the big-screen thriller as a put-upon journalist – but the actor quit during pre-production, citing concerns with the script.
Russell Crowe was drafted in as a late replacement to star opposite Ben Affleck’s congressman – and Macdonald is adamant the actor’s rough features are more suited to the role.
He says, “In a way, I was lucky it didn’t work out with Brad. The relationship between the journalist and the politician was meant to be between somebody who feels inferior, who’s a bit of a schlump, who kind of can’t get a girlfriend, and somebody he’s looking up to and admires – his polished politician friend.
“That is not the dynamic of a Brad Pitt. He’s not looking up to anyone thinking ‘Oh, I wish I could have your girlfriend’.”
[From PR Inside]
So Russell Crowe gets to play the schlump. Interesting. I have to agree with Kevin MacDonald: Brad Pitt is a lot of things, but he’s not a schlump. I’m one of those rare people who thinks Brad is an underrated actor, but even I will admit there are certain characters out of his range.
Russell Crowe, however, is great when he plays a character that isn’t pretty – his role in The Insider is a revelation, especially considering he acted in that film at the peak of his hotness. Even though I know I’m really dissecting Kevin MacDonald’s comments to the bone, it sort of sounds like a criticism of Russell’s wife, right? Like, “Oh Brad Pitt wouldn’t know anything about not getting a beautiful woman, but Russell Crowe totally would.”
Here’s Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the French premiere of ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ in Paris on January 29th. Images thanks to WENN.com.
Oh look, Angelina and Brad looking dullishly grey together. Surprisssssinggg!
Geronimo you like Mark Strong? I find him incredibly dapper and a great actor.
Why describe Mark strong as “weird?” State of Play mainly starred Bill Nighy and James McAvoy imo, was one of his first breakout roles. It was a real ensemble piece, can’t imagine it working with a bunch of Hollywood egos involved.
Kaiser – don’t make me come in there
and get you. 🙂
Morgs – you are obviously a very discerning person, like me, with impeccable taste…. 😉
I’m slightly dubious about this remake because the tv series was SO brilliant -spectac. cast and writing. It’s very edgy and I don’t associate Pitt with edginess so think that’s for the best. Crowe can do edgy. I’m kind of intrigued to see what Kevin McDonald has done with it tho’. And the cast is good.
Judging by the trailer, Pitt and Norton dodged a bullt with this one, lol. When will Hollywood learn that somethings don’t need to be remade? Just leave stuff alone and write your own material!
not fond of that moustache. or the hair. what’s happening to him? he was such a beautiful man in the 90s.
He is starting to look like a proper English gentleman. All he needs is a monocle and a glass of sherry.
It’s a little unrealistic to expect people not to age (even in Hollywood). Think Pitt would like to shed the pretty boy image anyway and be taken more seriously as an actor.
Mrs. Darcy, I was just joking Geronimo, she’s obsessed with him.
G – I don’t even know why I’m mocking your crush… I still have a crush on John Malkovich, the original weird bald man.
He’s still beautiful to me, but the moustache drives me crazy. I hate kissing men with those prickly damn things!
Mark Strong wasn’t in the BBC version of “State of Play.” You are thinking of David Morrissey who played the Ben Affleck role. The role Brad was to have played “Cal” was played by John Simm who was in “Life on Mars” and is in Winterbottom’s “Seven Days” which has been filming fro FOUR YEARS.
Mark Strong was good in “Stardust” and “Body of Lies”.
well,he may have aged,but still…he is attractive and has a confidence that borders on [or is]sexy—he wouldn’t be likely to wish he would have someone’s girlfriend. They could do a charlize theron Monster thing,perhaps-but when you have other actors out there who would fill the role w/o the makeup,why bother?
Nice face lift, pitt. He is so plastic it’s not even funny. he really did need to do something about his under eye wrinkles though so I guess I can’t blame him.
Kap, I doubt that when i see how much botox he uses. If he wanted to be taken seriously he would age naturally. Plus I hear he’s doing another a rom-com. He is not a good actor so I would rather see him in Rom-coms to be honest. Don’t let him ruin anymore serious movies.
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Just watch Troy and Button to see how cheesy he is in serious roles.
MSat: How’s that for some texture to make your toes curl? 😉
He may be handsome, but here he looks like a very low budget Clark Gable.
Love the bit about the monocle & sherry, though a gent he’ll never be.
Brad W shoot shows that he is not worried about surgery or botox. I find it funny that people are yelling two different things. 1) he is plastic.. 2)getting older and has wrinkles.. It can’t be both. Brad looks wonderful to me. Still extremely attractive even after over 20 years. As far as State of Play..the movie does not look good. Ben A. looks like a mannequin. Russel is not in shape and he looks too old to be best buds with Ben’s character. I saw the trailer. I just did not get excited about the plot. I was so looking forward to seeing Brad and Ed on the big screen again. But they my yet find another movie down the road. They had great chemistry just like he and George. I also love how they have remained friends. Brad is his own man. I don’t feel the need to compare him to anyone. There is and will only be one BRAD PITT.
Brad looks REALLY good when he grows a full goatee – it’s the PORNSTACHE that’s terrible. Shave it!!
Bollocks to the film – why the hell did I miss the original series!!! That is one hell of a cast! 😯
Mairead – not just Simm, Morrisey and McAvoy but also Bill Nighy in probably one of the best roles he’s ever done. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
I think most characters are out of Brad’s range. Beat me up now, people. He just isn’t an actor on par with like William Macy or Phillip Semore Hoffman (sp). He doesn’t do much beyond “cool” or “charming.” IMHO
I agree – Brad Pitt is an underrated actor, probably b/c of his looks. He was tragically comedic in Burn After Reading. His performances were strong in 12 Monkeys, Se7en, The Mexican, Snatch, Interview with a Vampire – the list goes on. Can you imagine the new batch of pretty boys trying any of those roles – let alone being able deliver depth not just dimples?
I think what makes his acting nuanced is his intelligence. I can’t imagine Rob Pattison being able to skip and chew gum at the same time.
Ooooh the Mark Strong ‘Appreciation’ (ahem) is strong on this thread! Yay!
He is just being polite. All he is saying is that Brad Pitt does not have the acting range for certain roles but in a round about way. A good actor should be able to play anything whether it is him or not. Isn’t that what acting is about. Russell Crow is no schlump either but he has better acting range.
I don’t know, this is just like when Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt pulled out of doing The Fountain. I’m glad it didn’t happen because Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz seemed more accessible to me, while Brad and Cate went on to be great in Benjamin Button.
So it all worked out.
Sometimes films are better for it.
Maybe Norton and Pitt will co-star in a cooler movie now, who knows?
ps – There’s an actor’s ability and then there’s the type of role that the audience will ACCEPT the actor in. Everyone walks the fine line of that. It’s all about whether you can convince an audience that you’re ‘that person’. Doesn’t sound like Pitt could pull it off in theory but then I didn’t think he could pull off Benjamin Button and he did.
Comes down to the actor’s performance, how they’re directed, how that performance is filmed, and pointedly *whether the audience accepts it*. I’ve seen a lot of good performances tanked by the fact that the majority of the audience felt the actor in a particular role was unconvincing and thereby couldn’t – or rather wouldn’t – get into the story. What an audience accepts depends on their perception and attitudes, and often pop culture consciousness. Which is why most actors find a niche and stick to it, or at least find themselves pigeonholed in certain roles: audiences refuse to see them any other way.
What I love about David Lynch movies is some of the perceived ‘random’ casting that totally works. He really gets great performances out of people in roles where you initially think: NO WAY. Now *that* guy’s underrated.
Sigh. Lost opportunity for Russell pics. He’s working out on his farm, playing with medieval weapons.
I hope the results are good. When he’s hot, it’s on a much DEEPER level than Brad, who’s not remotely intense.