What if Brad Pitt had played Russell Hammond in Almost Famous? It sounds like a missed opportunity! Well, he almost did until creative differences happened. In an interview (via Fox News), director Cameron Crowe spilled tea about the very moment, which could’ve changed the film entirely.
At the start, the Almost Famous cast lineup looked extremely different. Per Crowe, there were talks of Meryl Streep as the mom, Elaine Miller, and Natalie Portman as the iconic Penny Lane, the free-spirited “band-aid,” the role that ultimately went to Kate Hudson. However, it was Pitt who was initially tapped for the role of Russell Hammond, the lead guitarist of the fictional band Stillwater.
“He was the first choice, just the first choice,” casting director Gail Levin said of Brad Pitt. Crowe had a strong connection with Pitt dating back to the Say Anything days when the actor was just breaking into Hollywood. Having met Pitt, Crowe knew he had something special. So, when it came time to cast Russell Hammond, Pitt seemed like the obvious pick.
“I had a really good meeting with him around the time of Say Anything, and he just really had something,” Crowe recalled. They even spent months working on the role, with Pitt reading lines alongside Natalie Portman. However, despite the initial excitement, Pitt ultimately passed on the role.
So why did Brad Pitt bow out? Crowe alluded that he was disappointed, saying, “I wept.” While Pitt was intrigued by the character, he knew something wasn’t clicking. “He had fallen in love with the idea of the character, but maybe there just wasn’t enough on the page,” Crowe reflected. It wasn’t about money, as some rumors suggested. Instead, Pitt was uncomfortable with the age difference between Russell and Penny Lane.
While Crowe was bummed about Pitt passing on the role, Almost Famous still soared. Billy Crudup nailed Russell Hammond, and Kate Hudson’s Penny Lane became iconic. The film scored an Oscar and a Golden Globe in 2001, with Hudson winning Best Supporting Actress.
Both she and Frances McDormand earned Oscar nominations. Looking back, the movie wouldn’t have been the same without them. Pitt’s absence opened the door to the perfect cast, making Almost Famous a classic. So, next time you watch it, remember that Brad Pitt almost had a part, but sometimes the stars align without him.
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