Spotlight On: Brad Pitt

‘Fury’ star Brad Pitt might just be the coolest guy in the world, with a stellar resume, a beautiful wife and family, inspiring humanitarian achievements -- and, of course, those looks. Here are just a few of his many career highlights.

Pitt’s “overnight success” took four years to happen. At 23, he debuted in a 1987 episode of the soap opera, ‘Another World;’ several more bit parts would follow. This slasher flick was one of Pitt’s first starring roles. It’s not one for the ages.

This Oscar-winning drama is what really gave Brad Pitt his big break. As a sexy hitchhiker who makes off with Susan Sarandon’s life savings – and certain audience members’ hearts – he became the most buzzworthy actor of 1991.

A pair of duds followed ‘Thelma & Louise’ – that would be ‘Johnny Suede’ (1991) and ‘Cool World’ (1992) – but after Pitt stole every scene in Robert Redford’s warmly-received period piece, there would be no turning back.

Now an A-lister, Pitt turned down typical leading man offers and headlined the 1993 thriller ‘Kalifornia,’ playin a scuzzy psycho. Still, his more celebrated role that year was his hilarious turn as a stoner in this Quentin Tarantino-penned action caper.

“What’s in the box?!” Pitt has exhibited a flair for darker material throughout his career. This, his first of several films with director David Fincher, may still be the darkest.

Shortly after ‘Seven,’ Pitt appeared in another 1995 mindbender with a numerical title. His off-the-rails performance as a crazed animal rights activist earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination -- his first.

Pitt’s late ‘90s output was a bit uneven – ‘The Devil’s Own,’ anyone? – but it’s hard to argue against his career choices from 1999 forward, beginning with this coal-black comedy, another collaboration with David Fincher.

This all-American actor happens to have a great fondness for dialects. In this British caper, Pitt’s Irish Gypsy boxer speaks with a brogue so thick, you need subtitles to make out half of what he’s saying.

2001 saw three major Brad Pitt releases: ‘Spy Game’ with Robert Redford, ‘The Mexican’ with Julia Roberts, and this all-star heist film, one of those rare remakes that proves to be better than the original. ‘Ocean’s’ spawned two sequels in 2004 and 2007.

After a busy 2001, Pitt took a well-deserved break from big roles. He returned to the big screen as the mythic Achilles in this period epic, which is also notable for being the first of many films produced by Pitt’s own company, Plan B Entertainment.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are arguably the most popular power couple in Hollywood. They met on the set of this actioner, where they played a husband and wife who, unbeknownst to each other, also happen to be assassins.

Not many people saw this brooding Western, but those who did were astonished by both its gorgeous cinematography and by Pitt’s work as famed outlaw Jesse James. Casey Affleck, as Robert Ford, also delivers one of his finest performances.

Pitt’s third collaboration with David Fincher was this sentimental fantasy about a man who ages backwards and the woman (Cate Blanchett) who loves him. Pitt’s delicate performance earned him his first Oscar nod for Best Actor. 

Reteaming with ‘True Romance’ scribe Quentin Tarantino, Pitt once again showed an aptitude for blending into an ensemble cast, playing Southern-fried Nazi hunter Aldo Raine.

Pitt nabbed a third Oscar nomination – his second for Best Actor – for his work as Billy Beane, the Oakland A’s general manager who embraced “sabermetrics” and helped change Major League Baseball.

This thriller about a zombie apocalypse made headlines for its production troubles. Many predicted that the delayed, over-budget blockbuster would flop hard. But star/producer Pitt had the last laugh: the movie was a worldwide smash – his biggest hit to date. 

Ever the ensemble player, Pitt took only a small part in this hard-hitting drama about American slave life before the Civil War, but he walked away with his first Academy Award – as one of this Best Picture winner’s producers.