Editing Brad Pitt (section)

=== Breakthrough (1994–1998) ===
[[file:SevenYearsInTibeta.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Pitt with [[Losang Thonden]] in Argentina on the set of ''[[Seven Years in Tibet (1997 film)|Seven Years in Tibet]]'' in 1997]]

In 1994, Pitt portrayed the [[vampire]] [[Louis de Pointe du Lac]] in the horror film ''[[Interview with the Vampire (film)|Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles]]'', based on [[Anne Rice]]'s 1976 [[Interview with the Vampire|novel of the same name]].<ref name="austin">{{cite news |url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/film/1994-11-11/138413/ |title=Interview With the Vampire review |first=Marc|last=Savlov |date=November 11, 1994 |work=[[The Austin Chronicle]] |access-date=October 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629192316/http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/film/1994-11-11/138413/ |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> He was part of an [[ensemble cast]] that included [[Tom Cruise]], [[Kirsten Dunst]], [[Christian Slater]], and [[Antonio Banderas]].<ref name="austin" /> Despite his winning two [[MTV Movie Awards]] at the [[1995 MTV Movie Awards|1995 ceremony]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/1995/ |title=1995 Movie Awards |website=[[MTV]] |access-date=October 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830211407/http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/1995/ |archive-date=August 30, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> his performance was poorly received. According to the ''[[Dallas Observer]]'', "Brad Pitt&nbsp;[...] is a large part of the problem [in the film]. When directors play up his cocky, hunkish, folksy side&nbsp;[...] he's a joy to watch. But there's nothing about him that suggests inner torment or even self-awareness, which makes him a boring Louis."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/1994-11-10/film/bloodlust/ |title=Bloodlust |first=Matt Zoller|last=Seitz |date=November 10, 1994 |work=[[Dallas Observer]] |page=1 |access-date=July 13, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227223848/http://www.dallasobserver.com/1994-11-10/film/bloodlust/ |archive-date=December 27, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the release of ''Interview with the Vampire'', Pitt starred in ''[[Legends of the Fall]]'' (1994),<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/11/14/legends_of_the_fall_1994_review.shtml |title=BBC Films review&nbsp;– Legends of the Fall |first=Almar|last=Haflidason |date=November 14, 2000 |work=[[BBC Online|BBC Movies]] |access-date=October 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216072343/http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/11/14/legends_of_the_fall_1994_review.shtml |archive-date=December 16, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> based on a novel by the same name by [[Jim Harrison]], set in the American West during the first four decades of the twentieth century. Portraying Tristan Ludlow, son of Colonel William Ludlow ([[Anthony Hopkins]]) a [[Cornish American|Cornish]] immigrant,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VgBtaDT-evYC&pg=PA204|title=The Celtic Languages in Contact: Papers from the Workshop Within the Framework of the XIII International Congress of Celtic Studies, Bonn, July 26-27, 2007|first=Hildegard L. C.|last=Tristram|date=January 1, 2007|publisher=Universitätsverlag Potsdam|via=Google Books|isbn=978-3940793072|access-date=March 15, 2016|archive-date=January 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117032317/https://books.google.com/books?id=VgBtaDT-evYC&pg=PA204#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> Pitt received his first [[Golden Globe Award]] nomination, in the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor&nbsp;– Motion Picture Drama|Best Actor]] category.<ref name="golden globes">{{cite web |url=http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/member/28464 |title=HFPA&nbsp;– Awards Search |access-date=May 16, 2008 |publisher=[[Golden Globe Award|Golden Globes]] Official Website |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811021752/http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/member/28464 |archive-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref> [[Aidan Quinn]] and [[Henry Thomas]] co-starred as Pitt's brothers. Although the film's reception was mixed,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/legends-of-the-fall |title=Legends of the Fall (1995): Reviews |date=January 13, 1995 |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=December 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818225157/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/legends-of-the-fall |archive-date=August 18, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> many film critics praised Pitt's performance. [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' said, "Pitt's diffident mix of acting and attitude works to such heartthrob perfection it's a shame the film's superficiality gets in his way."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9A04E1DF1F38F930A15751C1A962958260 |title=Grit vs. Good Looks In the American West |first=Janet|last=Maslin |authorlink=Janet Maslin|date=December 23, 1994 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117202807/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9A04E1DF1F38F930A15751C1A962958260 |archive-date=January 17, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> The ''[[Deseret News]]'' predicted that ''Legends of the Fall'' would solidify Pitt's reputation as a lead actor.<ref name="deseret">{{cite news |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700001019/Legends-of-the-Fall.html |title=Legends of the Fall |first=Chris|last=Hicks |date=January 17, 1995 |work=[[Deseret News]] |access-date=February 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091206034903/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700001019/Legends-of-the-Fall.html |archive-date=December 6, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1995, Pitt starred alongside [[Morgan Freeman]], [[Gwyneth Paltrow]], and [[Kevin Spacey]] in the crime thriller ''[[Seven (1995 film)|Seven]]'', playing a detective on the trail of a serial killer who preys on people he considers guilty of the [[Seven Deadly Sins]].<ref name="seven">{{cite news |first=Janet|last=Maslin |authorlink=Janet Maslin|title=Seven Movie Review |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=990CE1D81F3AF931A1575AC0A963958260 |date=September 22, 1995 |work=The New York Times |access-date=October 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206143415/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=990CE1D81F3AF931A1575AC0A963958260 |archive-date=February 6, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> Pitt called it a great movie and declared the part would expand his acting horizons.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jamie|last=Portman |title=Into the Pitt: The actor talks about how he chooses roles&nbsp;– and how his last one may have done him permanent injury |date=September 16, 1995 |work=[[The Hamilton Spectator]] |page=7}}</ref> He expressed his intent to move on from "this 'pretty boy' thing&nbsp;[...] and play someone with flaws."<ref>{{cite news |first=Cindy|last=Pearlman |title=Brad Pitt's Seven Deadly Sins |date=September 17, 1995 |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |page=1}}</ref> His performance was critically well received, with ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' saying that it was screen acting at its best, further remarking on Pitt's ability to turn in a "determined, energetic, creditable job" as the detective.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=review&reviewid=VE1117794764&categoryid=31&cs=1 |title=Se7en Review |date=January 1, 1995 |work=Variety |access-date=December 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815174232/http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=review&reviewid=VE1117794764&categoryid=31&cs=1 |archive-date=August 15, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Seven'' earned $327&nbsp;million at the international box office.<ref name="earnings" /> Following the success of ''Seven'', Pitt played psychotic [[anarchy|anarchist]] Jeffrey Goines in [[Terry Gilliam]]'s 1995 science fiction film ''[[12 Monkeys]]''. The movie received predominantly positive reviews, with Pitt praised in particular. Janet Maslin of ''The New York Times'' called ''Twelve Monkeys'' "fierce and disturbing" and remarked on Pitt's "startlingly frenzied performance", concluding that he "electrifies Jeffrey with a weird magnetism that becomes important later in the film."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D03E7DF1239F934A15751C1A963958260 |first=Janet|last=Maslin |authorlink=Janet Maslin|title=FILM REVIEW;A Time Traveler With Bad News|work=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 27, 1995|access-date=October 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206143359/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D03E7DF1239F934A15751C1A963958260 |archive-date=February 6, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> He won a Golden Globe Award for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actor]] for the film<ref name="golden globes" /> and received his first [[Academy Award]] nomination for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/press/presskits/nominations/pdf/81aa_fact_sheet.pdf |title=81st Annual Academy Awards&nbsp;– Oscar Nominations Fact Sheet |access-date=January 27, 2010 |publisher=[[Academy Award]]s Official Website |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206022110/http://www.oscars.org/press/presskits/nominations/pdf/81aa_fact_sheet.pdf |archive-date=February 6, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The following year, he appeared in the legal drama ''[[Sleepers (film)|Sleepers]]'' (1996), based on [[Lorenzo Carcaterra]]'s novel of the same name.<ref name="sleep cast">{{cite news |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,294799,00.html |title=Like a Bad Dream |first=Owen|last=Gleiberman |authorlink=Owen Gleiberman|date=November 1, 1996 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=November 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029030640/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,294799,00.html |archive-date=October 29, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The film received mixed reviews.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/sleepers |title=Sleepers (1996): Reviews |date=October 18, 1996 |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=March 31, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408003339/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/sleepers |archive-date=April 8, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the 1997 film ''[[The Devil's Own]]'' Pitt starred, opposite [[Harrison Ford]], as [[Provisional Irish Republican Army|Irish Republican Army]] terrorist Rory Devany,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,287134,00.html |title=The Devil's Own Movie Review |first=Owen |last=Gleiberman |authorlink=Owen Gleiberman|date=March 21, 1997 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=October 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001225930/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,287134,00.html |archive-date=October 1, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> a role for which he was required to learn an Irish accent.<ref>{{cite news|first=Larry|last=Ratliff |title=Sexy integrity&nbsp;– Brad Pitt worked hard to match co-star Ford's 'every day look' |date=March 28, 1997 |newspaper=[[San Antonio Express-News]] |page=10H |quote=[Brad] Pitt had to master an Irish accent [in ''The Devil's Own''] to play the bitter freedom fighter who befriends the New York cop portrayed by [Harrison] Ford.}}</ref> Critical opinion was divided on his accent; "Pitt finds the right tone of moral ambiguity, but at times his Irish brogue is too convincing&nbsp;– it's hard to understand what he's saying", wrote the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]].''<ref>{{cite news|author=Ruthe Stein|url=https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/A-Divine-Duo-in-Devil-s-Own-The-Irish-2849106.php|title=A Divine Duo in 'Devil's Own' / The Irish Troubles are brewing&nbsp;– Ford, Pitt add to the chemistry|access-date=March 15, 2010|date=March 26, 1997|work=San Francisco Chronicle|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119073629/http://articles.sfgate.com/1997-03-26/entertainment/17744750_1_northern-ireland-ira-rory-devaney|archive-date=January 19, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The Charleston Gazette]]'' opined that it had favored Pitt's accent over the movie.<ref>{{cite news|first=Linda B.|last=Blackford|title=Pitt Was Right About 'The Devil's Own'|date=April 4, 1997|newspaper=[[The Charleston Gazette]]|page=P2D}}</ref> ''The Devil's Own'' grossed $140&nbsp;million worldwide.<ref name="earnings" />

Later that year, he led as Austrian mountaineer [[Heinrich Harrer]] in the [[Jean-Jacques Annaud]] film ''[[Seven Years in Tibet (1997 film)|Seven Years in Tibet]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www2.salon.com/ent/movies/1997/10/10tibet.html |title=Seven Years in Tibet |first=Dwight|last=Garner |date=October 10, 1997 |work=[[Salon.com]] |access-date=October 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216071455/http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/1997/10/10tibet.html |archive-date=December 16, 2008}}</ref> Pitt trained for months for the role, which demanded significant mountain climbing and trekking practice, including rock climbing in California and the European [[Alps]] with his co-star [[David Thewlis]].<ref name="tibet">{{cite news |first=Chris|last=Nashawaty |url=https://ew.com/article/1997/06/13/brad-pitts-seven-years-tibet-dilemma/ |title='Seven Years' Hitch |date=June 13, 1997 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=October 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010232531/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,288347,00.html |archive-date=October 10, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> Pitt had the lead role in 1998's fantasy romance film ''[[Meet Joe Black]]''. He portrayed a [[death (personification)|personification of death]] inhabiting the body of a young man to learn what it is like to be human.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cincinnati.com/freetime/movies/mcgurk/meetjoeblack.html |title=Meet Brad Pitt |first=Margaret A.|last=McGurk |work=[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]] |access-date=October 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814015129/http://www.cincinnati.com/freetime/movies/mcgurk/meetjoeblack.html |archive-date=August 14, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> The film received mixed reviews, and many were critical of Pitt's performance. According to [[Mick LaSalle]] of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'', Pitt was unable to "make an audience believe that he knows all the mysteries of death and eternity."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1998/11/13/DD24338.DTL |title=Colorless 'Joe Black'/ Pitt's Death is lethally dull, but Hopkins breathes life into overlong romance |first=Mick|last=LaSalle |authorlink=Mick LaSalle|date=November 13, 1998 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=February 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120128032045/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F1998%2F11%2F13%2FDD24338.DTL |archive-date=January 28, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] remarked, "Pitt is a fine actor, but this performance is a miscalculation."<ref>{{cite news|first=Roger|last=Ebert|authorlink=Roger Ebert|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19981113/REVIEWS/811130304/1023|title=Meet Joe Black|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=November 13, 1998|access-date=January 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130402202651/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19981113%2FREVIEWS%2F811130304%2F1023 |archive-date=April 2, 2013|via=rogerebert.com}}</ref>