Transformation Of Brad Pitt As Achilles (Photo Credit – Netflix)
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Wolfgang Petersen’s directorial, Troy, is one of the most popular historical dramas, starring Brad Pitt as the Greek hero Achilles. The actor bulked up significantly for the role, delivering what many considered a new standard for Hollywood’s golden physique. The epic saga of swords and scandals was filmed over the course of a year and proved to be the most physically demanding role of Pitt’s career.
The director, Wolfgang Petersen, had only one demand: Brad Pitt had to embody the look of a warrior—with long blonde hair and a sculpted physique. And the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor did just that, transforming into a buffed and burnished Greek hero who commanded the Bronze Age battlefields, complete with bulging biceps and a leather skirt. Wondering how he achieved the physique of Achilles? Keep reading.
The 2004 epic historical action film Troy is loosely based on Homer’s poem The Iliad, which explores themes of war, love, honor, and revenge. Written by David Benioff, the film starred Orlando Bloom, Eric Bana, and Diane Kruger alongside Brad Pitt. While the entire cast delivered commendable performances, it was Pitt who rose to the challenge of portraying Achilles, winning millions of hearts with his chiseled frame and powerful screen presence.
While talking about his transformation as Achilles, Brad Pitt shared in an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, (Via CBS News) “This guy’s supposed to be the greatest warrior of all time; I had to get my (b*tt) in shape.” He further continued, “I changed my life completely. I quit smoking, and let me tell you, I was a professional smoker, and I still miss it. But I wanted to see how far I could go with my body. By the time the movie was over, I’d been on this diet and workout plan for a year.”
Pitt was in his 40s while shooting the last final few months of Troy. However, he maintained his strict diet and launched into a six-month intense workout regime. He learned sword fighting then and got into that transformation mode, where he changed his body to a muscular combat machine. He had even quit smoking (although he has been back to it again). Once, he said (via New York Post), “I did what it takes, and it’s amazing, the body, how much it acclimates.” He emphasized, “There’s been a lot of emphasis on the physicality of the thing, but I just want to point out it’s what [actors] do,” and added, “We change our hair, we change our clothes – whatever it takes to adapt the character, and this one required a great physicality.”
Troy was made with an approximately $185 million budget, earning $497.8 million at the box office globally. This huge success was likely because of Brad Pitt, his golden muscular body, and intense action sequences. Have you watched Troy?
