Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino, and the Origin of ‘Inglourious Basterds’

Key Points:

• Brad Pitt vividly recalls reading the Inglourious Basterds script for the first time, noting how engrossed he was that he continued reading while taking a bathroom break, signaling his strong connection to the material.
• Quentin Tarantino and Brad Pitt had a longstanding mutual respect and shared cinematic influences, but Pitt's involvement in the film was only confirmed after Tarantino secured a deal that included a budget to cast a major star for the role of Aldo Raine.
• Pitt appreciated Tarantino's unique storytelling style, especially the novel-like structure of the script, the multilingual dialogue approach, and the bold rewriting of history, including the film’s controversial ending involving the assassination of Hitler.
• The collaboration between Tarantino and Pitt was marked by a relaxed and creative atmosphere, including late-night conversations and shared experiences that further solidified their working relationship.
• Pitt immediately connected with the character of Aldo Raine, hearing the character’s voice from the first read, which contributed to Tarantino’s conviction that Pitt was the perfect choice for the lead role, ultimately increasing the film’s budget to $70 million.