Over the weekend, the Guardian published their lengthy interview with Angelina Jolie, which she did to promote the book she co-wrote, Know Your Rights. In the interview, Angelina spoke at length quite emotionally about how difficult the past five years have been, and how much it hurt her when Brad Pitt chose to work with Harvey Weinstein on Inglorious Basterds and Killing Them Softly. Pitt chose the association with Weinstein knowing what Weinstein did to not only Angelina, but Gwyneth Paltrow too. “Sources close to Brad” told TMZ that Pitt never “teamed up” with Weinstein for Basterds, that Brad was just an actor for hire and he wanted to work with Quentin Tarantino.
Well, a lot of us called bullsh-t. And for good reason – Pitt has been actively trying to get people to forget about his Weinstein associations for years. The Daily Beast’s Marlow Stern tweeted out a link to his old 2017 story about the Pitt-Weinstein association and Stern noted: “I wrote about this right after the Weinstein allegations broke. Pitt’s rep tried to talk me out of writing it but admitted there was no excuse for his actions.” From the 2017 Daily Beast piece:
But Brad Pitt knew. By his own admission, Paltrow informed him that Weinstein had sexually harassed her all the way back in 1996. While Paltrow explained to the Times how she felt she had to “suppress the experience” of being attacked by Weinstein, and, after being threatened by the exec, went on to act in several other Weinstein-shepherded films (including an Oscar-winning turn in 1998’s Shakespeare in Love), by the late-Aughts Pitt had the power to affect change. He was, as Clooney told Esquire, “the biggest movie star in the world… he’s bigger than me, bigger than DiCaprio.” He ran a successful production company in Plan B Entertainment, responsible for hits like The Departed. And yet, he opted to star in Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 film Inglourious Basterds, which was distributed by The Weinstein Company.
A source close to Pitt confirms to The Daily Beast that Pitt knew of the Paltrow incident with Weinstein but that “Quentin went to him directly to bring him into the project, and Brad did it because of the relationship and the contact. Interaction with Harvey was very limited.” The source, however, went on to explain that since every Tarantino project has been distributed by Weinstein, Pitt understood that Inglourious would be as well. They could not confirm whether Pitt knew at the time of his then-girlfriend Jolie’s alleged incident with Weinstein, and representatives for Jolie and Pitt would not respond to multiple requests for comment on this story.
And, while Pitt’s interactions with Weinstein may have been limited, the exec’s involvement in the project was anything but. Weinstein, who’s earned the nickname “Harvey Scissorhands” for his tendency to demand film edits, usually shies away from meddling with Tarantino movies but was rumored to have demanded that its initial three-hour running time be cut down by at least a half-hour (its final running time: 153 minutes). Weinstein also launched aggressive Oscar campaigns for the film and Pitt, fresh off a Best Actor nod the previous year for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, doing interview after interview touting their credentials and flooding Academy voters with cheap, non-watermarked DVD screeners.
You see, there was a lot riding on Inglourious Basterds. The Weinstein Company was in dire financial straits, having recently hired a high-powered financial advisory firm to restructure after incurring heavy debt. The film’s ultimate success, earning eight Academy Award nominations and grossing over $321 million worldwide, helped keep the company afloat.
Following the release of Inglourious, Pitt agreed to star in and produce an adaptation of the book Cogan’s Trade, directed by Andrew Dominik and developed by Plan B. After a heated bidding war, the distribution rights to the film were sold to The Weinstein Company, who promised a $20 million ad spend. The film, ultimately titled Killing Them Softly, was released in 2012 by Pitt and Weinstein, earning a meager $15 million stateside.
Our source in Pitt’s camp said that they were “unable to provide any context” about exactly why Pitt chose to collaborate with Weinstein again on the crime drama (and in a much more involved capacity) despite his ex-fiancée telling him that she’d been accosted by the exec, and that he’d allegedly—perhaps unbeknownst to Pitt, perhaps not—attacked his then-partner Jolie.
So, again, Angelina Jolie now says that Brad knew what Weinstein did to her, that she had always warned people away from Weinstein, that she told Pitt and her first husband Jonny Lee Miller. And Brad still worked with Weinstein, sat back and let Weinstein throw money at his IB Oscar campaign, and then worked with Weinstein again on Killing Them Softly. And instead of correcting the record in 2017, when the Weinstein stories were coming out and Brad was being hailed as heroic, Angelina didn’t chime in. God, I’m so f–king mad.
Two more connections – Brad’s Plan B is producing She Said, based on Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey’s NYT expose. And Pitt has worked with PR guru Matthew Hiltzik for years now – Hiltzik was Weinstein’s long-time media fixer.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
When has Weinstein ever had limited involvement in his projects?
Like it’s a lie so obvious that we can’t even begin to think about analyzing the rest.
That was the whole appeal of a Weinstein production, that his fingerprints would be all over it. And now this dude wants us to believe he did the project primarily because he thought he’d have limited contact with Weinstein?
Sir…
To be clear, the work contact may or may not have been limited due to Pitt’s actual role in IB but the promotional aspect would have been there. I would imagine that’s the part Angelina really took issue with on both films.
As a couple, these two promoted the hell out of their films as a brand. Jolie would not have wanted to be on a red carpet with someone who assaulted her or have Harvey’s wife trying to get her to wear one of those ugly gowns.
This isn’t just about Brad’s contact but what Weinstein’s involvement would have asked of her.
Brad Pitt and Harvey Weinstein share the same fixer strategist Matthew Hiltzik, Pitt has had him working for him since 2004 on and off, so it wasn’t surprise seeing how Harvey and Brad statement came out minute’s sort at TMZ. Matthew Hiltzik shutdown any negative news about Brad’s Make It Right Foundation , all the class A Lawsuits have been aggressively hidden from media to report because of a deal between Brad’s PR.
Notices for their Pitt and Harvey’s mutual Rep trying to shut Angelina down , they left out Weinstein was an executive producer for Inglourious Basterds. That’s part of their “defense” – Harvey was a producer but Brad was not, he was just a hired actor, and so would have likely had minimal involvement with Harvey. But that’s a moot point because it’s clear angelina’s issue was not inglorious basterds, but killing them softly, which was brad’s film that he had complete control over – he could have worked with anyone, but he chose to collaborate with Harvey. That was her issue. She never even mentioned IB so all of this is just deflection on his part.
On top of being disgusting, Weinstien’s response is dumb because he assaulted her pre-Gia fame. So she wasn’t even THE Angelina Jolie yet. But just an up-and-comer with a famous dad.
Brad couldn’t be more disingenuous.
Both Angie and Gwennie have famous dads…didn’t stop wienstein. probably made them that much more attractive to the sick bast*ard
He did the same to Mira Sorvino, who also has a very famous actor father – and he actually succeeded in blacklisting her.
Gwen and Pitt are fame w*ores. There is a lot of smoke around Pitt. That we shucks golden boy mid west image was sold. He is a narcissistic azzhole.
Ronan Farrow, are you paying attention?
He is paying attention.
Aside from Brad, I wish Ronan — or anyone — would do an insight look into insidious PR and talent companies in Hollywood. The ones who control image, brand to bolster and sell their clients to studios and the public — and sell out young starlets to predators like Harvey or orchestrate misinformation to destroy the reputation of others (Angelina).
Then again, nothing will come of it as Hollywood tolerates abuse as long as $$$ keeps coming. I see Scott Rudin is still working. He should have been cancelled 10 years ago.
Sadly I agree with you remember CCA Agency were sending women to Harvey. Courtney love, Rae Dawn Chong and many more came out and talked about how they or sent to Harvey by their CCA agent. Both Angelina and Gwyneth Paltrow we’re sent by CCA to Harvey and after fired CCA as their management team.
Nothing came out of it back in 2017 they squashed any story, but CCA using their A list women and the Metoo event that I do believe Reese Witherspoon through as a cover-up and donated money.
@Coco, FYI, it’s CAA – Creative Artists Agency. Your point still stands.
@ iconoclast59
Thank you for the correction.
I said this few years ago. Brad worked with Weinstein despite 2 of his partners being assaulted by Weinstein and Brad’s knowledge of it.
Brad and his team are really struggling to deflect this one as it touches MeToo and Brad being exposed as someone who doesn’t care about women.
I believe this has opened the floodgate and people will investigate him more.
It’s so sad that his former wife and children have dealt with such an awful man. I can imagine how selfish, inconsiderate and abusive it must have been for them.
Over the past few years, I think it’s become pretty obvious that he only cares about himself, and getting what he wants. He’s probably always been that way, but now everyone can see it.
I hope journalists like Farrow investigate Brad Pitt more. Also I want to know more details of this alleged altercation with Harvey Weinstein, as I have my suspensions it didn’t happen as both Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt made it out to be, as they both carried on working for Harvey Weinstein, plus who witnessed this staged altercation? I want it to be investigated.
As I said above Ronan is paying attention. He made a comment a couple of months back on Social media. I guess people were asking about the Jolie/Pitt case and he made a comment about not knowing the details of the court case, but when one party does a big smear campaign on the other that raises is red flags to him. So I’m sure he really looking into thing know with the Harvey/Pitt team up PR statement.
I am no Gwyneth apologist, but if you read her initial disclosure to the NYT, it is clear that she felt she had no choice but to play nice with disgusting Harvey if she wanted to keep her career on track. I don’t doubt that Brad may have fed Gwyneth lies about confronting Harvey after Gwyn told him what he had done to her, but your post sounds like you think Gwyn is covering for Brad in some way. I don’t think that’s the case at all, and to suggest otherwise tarnishes Gwyn’s very brave and thoughtful choice to lend credence and give cover to others Harvey attacked who don’t have her name or prestige. Her choice to allow her name to be used and to go on the record helped break this story open in a way that would not have been possible without her participation, and I have nothing but admiration and gratitude for that.
Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey also credit Gwyneth for providing a lot of the information they used in their article to out Weinstein.
Brad never “teamed up” with Weinstein for “Inglourious Basterds” — he was simply part of a movie that Tarantino directed, which happened to get distributed by TWC
oh that’s such bullshit. it didn’t HAPPEN to get distributed by TWC. Weinstein was a partner to Tarantino on every damn movie he made for 25 years .There was no “if” TWC was going to distribute the movie, it definitely was, and Brad knew that. Brad needs to stop digging as it’s only bringing out more of his past and present corpses
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You know the irony in all of this is that Brad has turned against his old distribution buddy Harvey to produce a movie about his crimes. That’s gotta sting for Weinstein. You’d think there’d be some loyalty there, but nope. He threw Harvey under the bus faster than he threw out his own family from their shared home after the plane incident, not even allowing them to take their personal belongings. I guess there’s no stopping Plan B when it comes to accolades, money, and Oscars. Brad only cares about Brad. But go on Hollywood and tabloids, keep defending and praising the Golden Boy…
He did the same thing to Aniston (he suddenly wanted kids, she didn’t) after he ditched her. He will do what is necessary to maintain his public image.
There’s a story at Daily Beast that posted last January about Once Upon A time in Hollywood. While TWC did not distribute that film, the story details how Tarantino and Pitt knew about Harvey, but choose to work with him anyway on other projects because they were chasing the payday and awards. Nevermind the laundry list of women they knew personally who told them about the assaults they suffered. Wow.
And let’s not forget that Tarantino himself has a history of terrible behavior as well. Uma Thurman was pretty vocal about what he put her through.
Speaking of OUAIH, didn’t Tarantino admit in an interview he wrote that scene of Pitt’s character blasting his “nagging”” wife with a shotgun as a gift to Brad? And no one in the media thought to call them out on it. They all knew about Tarantino’s history with Weinstein and his own problematic history with some of the female actors in his movies. I mean everyone knew he was going through a contentious custody battle with Angelina. The implications of that were and are still so gross.
@Zut Alors: During one of Pitt’s awards speeches for OUATIH, he even joked about having a lot in common with his character:
‘“This role was a bit far-fetched. He’s a guy who gets high, takes off his shirt, doesn’t get along with his wife… “ This is the speech that Brad Pitt gave in front of the hall of the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.’
This is just one part of a whole. Despite his reputation, everyone continued working with Weinstein until he became absolutely toxic. I think the last film he was heavily involved with promoting was Lion in 2017.
Maybe Brad Pitt only starred in Inglourious Basterds, but he definitely had power on Killing them Softly and could have sought finance elsewhere
Yeah, the sting of Killing Them Softly wasn’t about being in a film produced or distributed by him. It’s that it’s Brad’s film and he chose Harvey (for potential awards I’m sure). Not just an actor for hire situation.
Brad Pitt makes me sick. The whole hypocritical Hollywood system that rewards men for being shady AF and vilifies women who speak up makes me sick. Anyway, Brad Pitt is bad.
Yeah, that system has help outside of Hollywood too. So many people have tried to make this situation about how she chose to be with him and how she got him. Part of it is the usual victim-blaming and virgin/wh*re crap. But I also think male validation is too much of a priority in any woman’s life if she’s so deeply butthurt over an affair between celebrities that happened almost 2 decades ago that her knee-jerk reaction to finding out the woman and/or her children were abused in some way is basically to say “you brought it on yourself.” There just doesn’t seem to be a male equivalent to that kind of obsession, and that’s something to look at. How many men are still full of hate for a male celebrity 10 or 15 years later because he cheated on or with some stranger?
Brad is problematic af. 3 of his own kids want to testify against him, he keeps smearing his ex in tabloids, created an abusive environment for his family, and now we find out he dgaf about women he supposedly loved being abused.
Aniston describing him as “missing a sensitivity chip” was accurate, but also an understatement.
He and Johnny Depp can start their own scumbag abuser’s club. ( Viper room anyone?)
He’s definitely following the Johnny Depp playbook but with a slightly less drunken hand. I think its just a matter of time until he starts to threaten AJ with a defamation lawsuit. I really hope that Ronan Farrow is doing a deep dive into how these abusers skate by criminal charges and continue to work in Hollywood.
This is gross no matter how you try to spin it.
Brad Pitt is a scumbag and more and more people are calling him out on Twitter. It’s only a matter of time till the mainstream media catches on or in Pitts case, the overwhelming evidence will be too obvious to be ignored. I’m praying Ronan Farrow digs deeper.
If anyone deserves to get his comeuppance finally, it’s Pitt. He gotten away with pretty much everything for years – Dating underage girls, his substance abuse issues, the PR smear campaigns against his exes, his alleged abuse of his children and ex-wife, the disgusting lack of ownership and shirking the responsibility for the disaster that was The Make it Foundation, the corrupt judge that he bought, and now this Harvey Weinstein mess. The man is an egotistical fraud in every sense of the word. He deserves to be canceled. Period.
Hiltzik has been with Brad as his PR for years. He might be the link between Brad and Weinstein. Hiltzik also threatened Ronan Farrow with his story about Weinstein.