During a recent episode of
“New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce,”
Brad Pitt shared one of his most memorable method acting anecdotes, providing a candid look at his unique approach to on-screen eating. This conversation added another entry to the growing list of Brad Pitt method acting stories, underlining the unexpected ways these moments shape his film experiences.
How a Method Acting Choice Led to a Memorable On-Set Incident
Appearing on the 146th episode, Pitt joined Jason and Travis Kelce to discuss his latest project, “F1,” and his longstanding image as an actor who frequently eats in movies. When Travis Kelce brought up this reputation, Pitt remarked that although he’s always been a “grazer,” he never imagined it would become so closely linked with his public persona.
“Everything I’ve done, that’s what I’m known for,”
he chuckled. —Brad Pitt
Prompted by the conversation, Pitt recounted a method acting story from early in his career involving an independent film shoot in a cramped, overheated cafe. With around sixty crew members filling the room, Pitt’s character had not eaten for days, setting the stage for his commitment to the part.
“The confession you heard first, right here,”
he told them. —Brad Pitt
Four Plates of Beans and an Unexpected Outcome
Pitt explained that in the scene, his character receives a large plate of beans, and in his dedication to authenticity, he ate the entire plate during every take.
“I haven’t thought about this for years,”
Pitt told the Kelce brothers.
“One of my first movies, this little independent film. We’re shooting in this little tiny cafe. It’s full of the crew, so there’s about 60 people in there. It’s hot, you can’t breathe. And my character hadn’t eaten for days, and he gets this big plate of beans.”
—Brad Pitt
“First plate of beans and bacon, and I was all, like, method, you know?”
he said.
“I was like, ‘I’m going to do this right.’ And I power down this plate of beans. Take two, do the same thing, take three, I do the same thing. Take four, I do the same thing. Something hit me. It was true evil, and there was nothing I could do; I was stuck in this chair, and nature took its course. And then there was nothing. I went, ‘Oh, great, I got away, I got away with that one.’”
—Brad Pitt
As the scene went on, consequences followed. Pitt described how something “diabolical” overwhelmed the entire crew, forcing them to leave the overheated restaurant.
“And then, suddenly,” he continued,
“the entire crew… the most diabolical ‘something something’ descended on the crew and the whole room, and they fleed the cafe. Fleed.”
—Brad Pitt
How Brad Pitt’s On-Screen Eating Became a Signature
Pitt also clarified to the Kelce brothers why his character Rusty in “Oceans Eleven” is almost always eating. He explained that the character’s constant snacking was intentional, stemming from his own creative decision to embody Rusty as the group’s advisor who was always on the move.
“I figured he’s always waiting around; he’s like the consigliere of the group,”
the
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
star said.
“And he’s always doing this, and doing this, and he’s got to eat on the run. That’s all. That’s where this came from. There was, like, thought behind it.”
—Brad Pitt
Pitt’s stories gave Jason and Travis Kelce—and listeners—new insight into both his humor and his process, alongside countless Brad Pitt method acting stories that have defined his career. As he continues with projects like “F1,” his commitment to authentic performances—and the unpredictable moments they create—remain a defining part of his legacy.
