Back in 2005, Doug Liman, the director of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, sat down with Entertainment Weekly and spilled some beans about his experience working with two of the biggest stars at the time. During the interview, Liman discussed casting challenges, Pitt’s protective nature, and Jolie’s knife skills.
A still from the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Liman also mentioned the constant paparazzi attention during the shoot. He recalled the producer of the film, Lucas Foster, himself made sure they did not come too close to the shooting locations. They even resorted to using CGI techniques to remove the cranes from the scenes that were placed to block the paparazzi.
Director Explains Shooting Intimate Scene With Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
During the EW interview, Liman was inquired about his experience shooting an intimate scene involving Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. In response, Liman recalled how embarrassed he felt while filming the scene, given his upbringing in a conservative family. He shared how he tried to create a sense of camaraderie with the actors, but it backfired.
Pitt and Jolie in Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)
Liman revealed that he had an ex-girlfriend who used to address him by the nickname Bunny. The director assumed that everyone had similar nicknames in their past relationships, and he suggested the actors might have had similar experiences. But that wasn’t the case.
“It wasn’t that well thought-out, but somehow it came out that I had an ex-girlfriend who’d given me the nickname Bunny. And I said, I’m sure, Angie, that you’ve had cute names like that for your boyfriends. And Brad, I’m sure you’ve had girlfriends who called you, y’know, Little Mushroom or Walnut or My Little Scrubby-Wubby. I honestly thought everybody does this. And they were like, “…Uh, no.” So I was left there, naked. It wasn’t a bonding experience at all. I lost all sexual credibility with Angie on the spot. She called me Bunny from then on. She never let me forget. They were both like, You’re so not qualified to pass judgment on positions we might be in [for the scene]. You’re the guy whose girlfriend called you Bunny.”
Unfortunately for Liman, his attempt at bonding did not go as he might’ve imagined. He recounted that Angelina Jolie playfully called him Bunny for the rest of the shoot.
Angelina Jolie Was Highly Underpaid For the Film
Mr. & Mrs. Smith managed to rake in $487.3 million worldwide despite having a budget of $110 million. Considering the film’s success, one might believe that both leading actors might have earned a fortune. However, it might be true for Brad Pitt but not so much for Angelina Jolie.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Brad Pitt received a paycheck of around $20 million for the film, while Jolie received only half the sum of Pitt’s salary. Not earning a large chunk of what she deserved due to gender bias must’ve been tough for the actress, as $10 million is not a small amount. Considering the two actors were in a relationship at the time, the pay difference might have made her feel more upset.
