Brad Pitt is a beloved and highly decorated American actor and producer. Many moviegoers might even argue that he’s one of the best actors of his generation. Pitt has earned Academy Award nominations for starring in films like Moneyball and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, with an Oscar win for Supporting Actor in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
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But how did he transcend his heartthrob type-casting of the early 90s? While it’s impossible to nail down precisely, there is one film that did a lot to prove his talents beyond romance: Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys. The post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller was released in late December 1995, roughly three decades ago. It put Pitt on the map as a serious actor, and his portrayal of psychotic mental patient Jeffrey Goines even earned him his very first Oscar nomination.
Dark Sci-Fi Thriller 12 Monkeys Was a Major Turning Point in Brad Pitt’s Career
Before 1995, Pitt was primarily known for playing a dreamboat. His 1991 breakout role as the charismatic hitchhiker who sleeps with and scams Geena Davis’ Thelma in Thelma & Louise kicked off a trend of romantic castings that would continue for the next several years. In the rom-com Johnny Suede, he plays a wannabe rock star who falls in love with a bohemian woman. In Cool World, Pitt’s character sets his sights on a blonde bombshell played by Kim Basinger. Perhaps his most famous romantic part came as the soulful Tristan Ludlow in the western romance Legends of the Fall.
However, 1995 would mark a major turning point for Pitt, as it was that year that both 12 Monkeys and Se7en were released, officially proving him to be a versatile actor with serious chops. While his lead role as a rookie detective in David Fincher’s neo-noir may be the more famous performance today, it was 12 Monkeys that really challenged the public’s existing perceptions of Pitt.
Pitt’s manic, twitchy portrayal of Goines in 12 Monkeys was on the opposite end of the spectrum from most of his previous roles. Initially introduced as a possible antagonist, Goines is a mentally unstable animal rights activist with extreme anti-establishment beliefs, who rails against society (and his own wealthy virologist father) in rapid-fire diatribes. When Bruce Willis’ James Cole first encounters Goines in the asylum, Pitt’s erratic, unsettling performance adds an unpredictable sense of danger while also hinting at the film’s larger themes.
Pitt was so dedicated that the role took a physical toll on him. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Director Terry Gilliam recalled that, due to the performance’s intense demands, Pitt was nearly unable to move at the end of the first day of shooting. However, it wasn’t in vain, as the director also added, “Brad was stealing all the scenes. He was so drained. It was great to see it.” The incredible performance in 12 Monkeys opened up a whole new world of possibilities for the Fight Club actor. Without his show-stealing role in this 1995 sci-fi classic, we may never have gotten some of Pitt’s iconic performances in the decades to come.
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