Brad Pitt Says 'Se7en' Reignited His Love for Acting After 'Unhealthy' Summer in 1994

Brad Pitt has revealed how David Fincher's Se7en revived his passion for acting after what he described as 'the most unhealthy time' of his life.

Speaking on the Armchair Expert podcast hosted by Dax Shepard, the Oscar-winning actor reflected on a turbulent period in the summer of 1994, when he felt lost both personally and professionally.

Pitt, now starring in F1: The Movie, admitted he was unsure about his future in acting after completing several roles that left him disillusioned.

'I had not had such great experiences coming off a couple of jobs, and I just wasn't really sure what I was doing,' he recalled. 'I had the weirdest summer. It was the most unhealthy time; I just needed to check out.'

Describing his routine during that summer, Pitt said: 'I would wake up, I would get a bong load, I'd have four Coca-Colas — no ice, no food this particular summer — and I watched the O.J. trial, trying to figure out what to do next.'

Just as Pitt was questioning his future, his manager, Cynthia Pett-Dante, sent him a script that would mark a turning point in his career.

'My dear friend and manager, and basically my sister now, Cynthia, sends this over, [and] she says, "You got to read this",' Pitt explained. 'I read the first seven pages, I call her up and I go, "Are you kidding me? The cliché old cop wants out, the young cop comes in and he's looking at his high school football trophies?" She goes, "Just finish it."'

That script was for Se7en, the psychological thriller that would become a cult classic.

Meeting Fincher reignited the spark

Pitt's doubts were swept away after meeting with director David Fincher, who brought a new level of passion and insight to filmmaking.

'Then I go meet Finch, and he was just talking about films like I'd never heard anyone speak about film,' Pitt said. 'I just got the jones back, and finding that thing—it just reinvigorated what I wanted out of this thing.'

Se7en, released in 1995, stars Pitt as Detective David Mills, who teams up with the retiring Detective Somerset (played by Morgan Freeman) to hunt down a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as inspiration for his crimes. The film received critical acclaim and was nominated for Best Film Editing at the 68th Academy Awards.

Pitt's reflections come 30 years after the film's release, highlighting the lasting impact Se7en had not only on his career but also on his sense of purpose as an actor.

'I was lucky to find that project when I did,' he said. 'It reminded me why I wanted to do this in the first place.'