The actor talked about his pets at the premiere of “Heart of the Beast,” which stars Pitt and a canine actor
Credit: Paramount Pictures
NEED TO KNOW
- Brad Pitt says he’s focused on connection, truth, and meaningful stories at this stage of his career
- His new film Heart of the Beast explores survival and the bond between a man and his combat dog
- As the pet parent to three dogs, Pitt found the script deeply moving and says filming in harsh conditions enhanced the movie’s authenticity
At the Franklin, Tenn., premiere of his survival thriller Heart of the Beast on Wednesday, Sept. 16, Brad Pitt, 62, revealed that his own pack recently grew.
When asked how his two dogs (Jacques and Blackout Superstar) reacted when he came home smelling like his canine co-star German shepherd Uber (named Odin in the film), the actor said his pets were more curious than jealous — and mentioned a new addition.
“We got a third now. So, yeah, a rescue,” Pitt teased in an Extra interview. “Dogs are hilarious that way. They don’t really get [jealous]. They just [get] more interested. Like, it’s just more part of the party, isn’t it?”
Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty
For Pitt, the appeal of a dog is simple, adding, “Life’s just better with a dog. It’s just better with a dog. No matter how the day beats you up, you walk in the door, and there’s that tail wagging and doing the wacha-cha and so happy to see you, and like you go, ‘All right. What am I complaining about?’”
The theme runs straight through his new film. In Heart of the Beast, Pitt plays a retired Special Forces officer who survives a plane crash and is left stranded in the Alaskan wilderness with his loyal combat dog, Odin.
When asked where Uber the dog actor ranks among the legends Pitt’s worked opposite, including Anthony Hopkins, 88, Al Pacino, 86, and Morgan Freeman, 89, the star didn’t hesitate.
“It’s definitely Morgan and Anthony and then Uber,” he joked. “They’re all in the same category, and then everyone else is behind,” teasing that “the Clooneys and the Damons” fall below his canine co-star.
The film’s dog-friendly spirit extended to the premiere itself, where four adoptable rescue dogs walked the red carpet alongside Pitt. Wags and Walks, a nonprofit with adoption centers in Nashville and Los Angeles, provided the adoptable dogs.
Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty
Pitt, who attended the premiere with girlfriend Ines de Ramon, 33, also got candid about why he’s been letting fans see a more personal side of himself lately.
“What else are we here for? You know, other than connect and take care of each other and, like, make each other better,” he said. “The human struggle is real, you know? It’s a challenge, and it’s an obstacle course, and we need each other. We can’t do it alone.”
In August, Pitt opened up about the connection he found with Uber while working with the canine.
“In our story it’s James and Odin in the Alaskan outback, which turns into a survival story,” Pitt said in a behind-the-scenes featurette shared exclusively with PEOPLE. “It’s really beautiful in the film how they work together and depend on each other.”
Directed by David Ayer, who previously worked with Pitt on Fury, and also starring J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe, Heart of the Beast arrives in theaters on Sept. 25.
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