Brad Pitt, an Academy Award-winning actor known for his roles in films like Fight Club and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, joins for a captivating discussion. He shares his journey from nearly finishing college to Hollywood fame, the thrill of filming high-speed scenes, and the unique challenges of acting in a Tarantino movie. The conversation delves into the balancing act of fame, personal growth, and the creative process behind his latest film. Humor and nostalgia flow as they discuss everything from past cars to the quirks of dog ownership.
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Sobriety and Men’s Group Impact
Brad Pitt found men's group meetings very impactful for his sobriety and humility.
He admired Dax Shepard as an elder statesman who packaged struggles with humor.
insights INSIGHT
Holding Two Realities of People
It's possible and healthy to hold two realities of famous people you know: their celebrity self and their real, human self.
Brad Pitt and Dax Shepard discussed this duality about friends like Robert Downey Jr. and Sean Penn.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Early SAG Card Struggles
Brad Pitt struggled to get his SAG card because he needed to speak a line but was only doing extra work.
He improvised a line, got shut down hard, and took the experience as a valuable lesson.
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Published in 1957, 'Atlas Shrugged' is Ayn Rand's magnum opus and her longest novel. The story is set in a dystopian United States where increasingly burdensome laws and regulations strangle innovation and productivity. The plot follows Dagny Taggart, a railroad executive, and Hank Rearden, a steel magnate, as they struggle against 'looters' who exploit their work. A mysterious figure named John Galt leads a strike of productive individuals, persuading them to abandon their companies and disappear. The novel culminates with Galt's three-hour radio speech explaining his philosophy of Objectivism, which emphasizes rational self-interest, individual rights, and the importance of the human mind. The book explores themes of capitalism, property rights, and the failures of governmental coercion, presenting a provocative vision of a society in collapse and the potential for a new capitalist society based on Galt's principles.
The Fountainhead
Ayn Rand
Published in 1943, 'The Fountainhead' by Ayn Rand tells the story of Howard Roark, a young and innovative architect who refuses to compromise his artistic vision despite the opposition from society. The novel explores themes of individualism, egoism, and the conflict between those who think for themselves (the 'first-handers') and those who follow the opinions of others (the 'second-handers'). It also delves into the lives of other characters such as Dominique Francon, Peter Keating, Ellsworth Toohey, and Gail Wynand, each representing different aspects of Rand's philosophical ideas. The book is a defense of egoism and individualism, presenting a radical rethinking of basic moral concepts and challenging conventional notions of selfishness and altruism[2][3][5].
Story
Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting
Robert McKee
In *Story*, Robert McKee provides a detailed and integrated explanation of the craft of writing for the screen. The book expands on the concepts he teaches in his highly regarded seminars, offering insights into the relationship between structure and character, and the underlying principles that make a story compelling. McKee draws from a wide range of sources, including Aristotle and classic films, to offer practical advice on storytelling that is applicable to screenwriters, novelists, playwrights, and non-fiction writers.
Brad Pitt (F1 The Movie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Fight Club) is an Academy Award-winning actor and producer. Brad joins the Armchair Expert to discuss whether it makes him nervous to talk to Dax in public, holding two realities about people he knows that are famous actors, and leaving school one week shy of completing his degree for Hollywood. Brad and Dax talk about getting shut down trying to get his SAG card, still feeling like the kid from Oklahoma learning his way through this whole thing, and why his favorite humor is the most irreverent kind. Brad explains that there’s no bummer about being in a Tarantino movie, having to work up a case for insurance that it’s actually safer to drive at higher speeds while filming F1 The Movie, and the visceral high of delivering lines at 180 miles per hour.
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