Adrien Brody recalls the early days of his career and spending time with an unlikely friend, Tupac Shakur. The 51-year-old actor took a stroll down memory lane with Variety, discussing his breakout role in the 1996 film Bullet, which starred Mickey Rourke and Tupac. Brody described his experience working with Tupac as amazing, highlighting the rapper’s incredible focus and their time spent together during filming. “Working with ’Pac was amazing. He was incredibly focused. We hung out a lot when we did the movie,” Brody stated.
Reflecting on their camaraderie, Brody noted how close Tupac had become with Rourke, who mentored him during that time. In a vivid description of their nights out, Brody shared that although Tupac was already well into his career, he had not yet reached the peak of his stardom. “He had a big rap career, but he was not ‘Tupac’ yet. He didn’t even have ‘Thug Life’ tattooed on his chest yet,” Brody explained. “We were writing graffiti together, and he was writing ‘Thug Life.’ I didn’t know what he was referencing.”
Tupac was known not only for his music but also for his acting roles in films like Juice, Above the Rim, Gang Related, and Poetic Justice. Tragically, the rap legend’s life was cut short when he was killed in a drive-by shooting in 1996, just one block off the Las Vegas Strip, at the age of 25. Despite police investigations, his murder remains unsolved, with recent searches conducted in suburban Las Vegas for evidence linked to the case.
