After This Audition, Brad Pitt Was Advised to Take Acting Classes — Ouch!

There’s no doubt that Brad Pitt is one of the most versatile actors of this generation. Apart from his good looks, the star has more chops to offer and his fans have seen how he can ace performances in several genres.

However, just like most stars, Brad didn’t start his career smoothly – in fact, he faced a few roadblocks as well. His story in making it big in Hollywood is one that should inspire people wanting to enter this very competitive and diverse arena.

Moving to Los Angeles

Brad used to be a journalism student at the University of Missouri and was actually nearing completion of his degree when he decided to pursue acting. It suddenly dawned on him that he wanted to try his luck in this craft so he did leave the place in search of fame.

Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock — Brad didn’t finish school to pursue his passion for acting

It is worth noting that he turned his back to a journalism degree – and, in fact, he was just one term paper short of graduating. Determined, Brad loaded up the car and went to Los Angeles, sought acting gigs and had other assignments as well.

Partnering up with an Acting Coach

Eventually, the ‘World War Z’ star wanted to hone his skills and looked for an acting coach. It did take some time before he finally connected with the late Ray London, who also helped Sharon Stone, Geena Davis, and Hank Azaria.

The expert greatly mentored Brad to be in the right direction. The award-winning actor explained that he learned valuable lessons from Ray, who was a tough-talker that embarrassed and called people out when needed.

Auditioning

Brad soon found himself an opportunity to audition for a film titled ‘The Accused,’ which starred an already famous actress at the time, Jodie Foster. He admitted he was so excited about getting the role – after all, the stellar lineup of cast spoke a lot about the caliber of the film.

Frederic Legrand – COMEO / Shutterstock — ‘The Accused’ starred Jodie Foster

After his audition, Brad called the team to follow up on his performance and application but instead of getting a ‘yes or no’ answer, he received a piece of advice. The person he talked with paused for a few seconds before asking him if he would consider acting classes – to make matters, worse, he WAS already in acting classes!

Big Break

MGM — Brad played a hitchhiker in ‘Thelma & Louise’

Finally, Brad’s big break came when he was cast in 1991’s ‘Thelma & Louise’ and although he had a small role, his performance paired with his pretty face ultimately piqued the curiosity of bosses. The next acting gigs he landed eventually made his skills shine even more, and the rest, as they say, is history.