Fickle business

BRAD PITT calls it as he sees it. But he's undeniably proud of his latest film...

He's on a high after winning accolades for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button a film that's made everyone sit up and notice the actor in Brad Pitt, he's not just a pretty face anymore. Here's the actor talking about his experience of working on the film and about his future projects....

Did you have any apprehensions about playing an old character? It must have been weird to know how you'd look when you're old?
Well, I've done the younger version, so it wasn't as interesting as what the future might hold. We worked extensively, test after test; months before even entering the set, and looked at what would work the best. I found that process very interesting.
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Are you afraid of getting old?
No not really actually, when I was in full make-up, we had the kids come to the sets, and I tried to prepare them for the moment. Their Mommy tried to explain to them that that's Daddy. But it didn't faze them. They didn't even comment on it.
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Was there anything about this role that scared you?
It was rather challenging as some parts are more gregarious, some are about internal- ising the moments. With this film, the process was more about watching the other actors and responding to what they give across the page.
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Disappointed that you didn't win any awards for your performance? How important are awards to you?
To me, the biggest battle is making a film you're proud of, a film that means something as years go by. That's the win for me, and that's what I feel we've done. The film itself is the thing. Awards are really nice.u00a0 It's a fickle business. If your number comes up, it's fantastic.u00a0 Of course, the Oscars are the highest honour, and we're more than happy to be there. If not, we still walk away with a great film. I think that's the healthiest way to play it.
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What was that one thing about Benjamin Button that made you go for this role?
It is a unique story.u00a0 Apart from Benjamin Button ageing backwards, it dismantles the idea of happily-ever-after eternal love, however the song goes. This idea that there's a time and a place.u00a0 I had great faith in Finch (David Fincher) and was just really happy to take him on.
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What are you looking forward to next?
There are a couple of films in the pipeline there is The Tree of Life directed by Terrence Malick and Inglourious Basterds directed by Quentin Tarantino.