Brad Pitt Reveals the Film He Considers a True Favorite

Brad Pitt has spent years building a career that moves easily between huge crowd-pleasers and quiet, serious films. He has worked with some of the most respected directors in the business and never stayed in one lane for too long. That mix is part of why his career still feels fresh decades later.

Even with all of his own success, Pitt has always spoken openly about the movies that inspired him first. He has said many times that watching films shaped the way he thinks about acting and storytelling. That love for cinema came up again during a visit to the JM Video store in Paris, where he talked about one movie that truly stuck with him.

Pitt pointed to Werner Herzog’s 1982 film Fitzcarraldo and called it one of his all-time favorites. The choice surprised some fans, but it made sense given Pitt’s interest in bold directors and risky projects.

The movie tells the story of a man obsessed with building an opera house in the middle of the Amazon jungle. To make that dream happen, the character attempts to drag a real steamship over a mountain. Herzog famously chose to do this for real, not with effects, which turned the production into a legend of its own.

Much of that chaos was captured in the behind-the-scenes documentary Burden of Dreams. Pitt has shown clear interest in that side of the story as well, especially the tension and madness that surrounded the shoot. The struggle behind the camera became just as powerful as what ended up on screen.

Pitt also focused on the change in the film’s lead actor. Jason Robards originally played the role, but illness forced him to leave the project. Klaus Kinski stepped in and delivered a very different performance, one filled with anger and wild energy.

He was fascinated by how Kinski’s intensity changed the entire tone of the character. That unstable feeling, mixed with the harsh jungle setting, is what made the film unforgettable for him. For Pitt, the danger and unpredictability were the point.

Today, Pitt is still choosing projects that challenge him. Earlier this year, a teaser for The Adventures of Cliff Booth aired during the Super Bowl broadcast, drawing instant attention. The film continues the story of his character from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, with David Fincher directing from a script written by Quentin Tarantino.

In the new movie, Cliff Booth is no longer just a stuntman. He now works as a fixer in Hollywood, dealing with problems others want erased. The cast includes Elizabeth Debicki, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Carla Gugino, with Timothy Olyphant returning as James Stacy.

Pitt also recently earned praise for his role in the racing drama F1, where he played an older driver returning to mentor a rising star. The film stood out for its realism and was partly shot during real race weekends. It became one of the biggest hits of late 2025.

Away from acting, Pitt remains active as a producer through Plan B Entertainment. The company continues to support smaller films, including Train Dreams, which picked up awards buzz this year.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments.