In his prolific acting career, the globally admired Hollywood actor Brad Pitt has starred in several acclaimed films like Ocean’s Eleven, Fight Club, World War Z, 12 Monkeys, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, to name a few. On the other hand, the Oscar-winning actor could have been part of other highly-rated movies as well.
One such film was Frank Darabont’s cult prison drama The Shawshank Redemption, which was released in 1994 and is considered by many fans to be one of the greatest films ever made. But what exactly happened? Why did Brad Pitt not star in the film? Was he offered a lead role? And who finally played that part? Read on to find out.
Why Brad Pitt Turned Down The Shawshank Redemption?
According to a USA Today report, The Shawshank Redemption director revealed that Brad Pitt could not do the film because he decided to star in Tom Cruise’s gothic horror film Interview with the Vampire instead. When he was initially considered for Shawshank, he wasn’t that big a star. But after the release of Ridley Scott’s crime drama Thelma & Louise, Brad Pitt suddenly gained immense popularity and quickly became a superstar.
Was Brad Pitt Offered A Lead Role In The Shawshank Redemption?
No, Brad Pitt wasn’t offered the lead role played by Tim Robbins. He was reportedly offered the role of a young convict named Tommy. It was a relatively small but important role, and the character appeared late in the film. Eventually, the role was played by Canadian actor Gil Bellows, whose performance earned praise from movie lovers and fans.
Was Turning Down The Shawshank Redemption A Good Decision?
Brad Pitt eventually starred alongside Tom Cruise in the Oscar-nominated film Interview with the Vampire, which became a big box office hit and garnered positive reviews from critics. Brad Pitt had a prominent role in the film, and its success helped shape his career in an exciting new direction. It would have been interesting to see Brad Pitt in The Shawshank Redemption, too, but, as they say, every role and every film has its destiny. Eventually, both The Shawshank Redemption and Interview with the Vampire found their audiences, making it a win-win for everyone involved.
The Shawshank Redemption
Release Year – 1994
Director – Frank Darabont
IMDb Rating: 9.3/10
Streaming On – Amazon Prime Video (Rent)
Plot: The film follows the story of Andy (Tim Robbins), a banker who is wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his wife and her lover. It focuses on how Andy tries to adjust to the brutal prison life and befriends a fellow inmate, Ellis (Morgan Freeman).
Interview With The Vampire
Release Year – 1994
Director – Neil Jordan
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Streaming On – Amazon Prime Video (Rent)
Plot: The film follows the story of Louis de Pointe du Lac (Brad Pitt), a 200-year-old vampire who tells a sceptical reporter (Christian Slater) how he was turned into a vampire in 18th-century New Orleans by the cunning and ruthless Lestat (Tom Cruise).
