Cate Blanchett vows never to work with Brad Pitt again — and Angelina Jolie was oddly the reason
David Fincher's 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' remains one of the most heartwarming and unique films of all time, celebrated not only for its exceptional screenplay but also for the captivating on-screen chemistry between its leads, Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt. While their performances had audiences on the edge of their seats, it was a different story behind the scenes. Rumor has it that Blanchett was not a fan of Pitt's one particular decision. And at the heart of this storm was none other than Angelina Jolie.
Despite their very public fallout, Pitt and Jolie were once Hollywood’s ultimate 'it' couple. Blanchett revealed in an interview with The Telegraph that working with Pitt during 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' was challenging due to his highly publicized romance with Jolie. The actress even joked that their relationship was so ever-present it became frustrating for her. Blanchett says, "Honestly, to see how in love with Angelina he is, it was quite disgusting. Awful in fact." Blanchett even jokingly stated that she never wanted to work with Pitt again, saying, "It’s in my contract now, I won’t ever work with him again."
Now the question is, why was Blanchett upset about Pitt and Jolie's romance? It turns out that Pitt initially refused to kiss Blanchett in the movie out of respect for his then-wife, Jolie, as per Ask. His no-kiss policy even left director Fincher in surprise. However, at that time, rumors were rife that there was trouble in paradise, which eventually led Pitt to film the scene. While Blanchett clarifies that she shares a heartwarming rapport with Pitt, unfortunately, Brangelina couldn't stand the test of time and had a very messy and public divorce.
After a very public romance, Jolie divorced Pitt in September 2016 after two years of marriage and 12 years together, shortly after alleging abuse during a private plane flight with their six children. Authorities investigated but did not charge Pitt, and Jolie declined to press charges, as per People. After filing for divorce, Jolie and the children never returned to their former home, Château Miraval. Four months later, the former couple released a joint statement confirming they had reached an agreement to handle their divorce privately. They committed to keeping future details confidential by using a private judge. Pitt and Jolie then settled their divorce eight years after the actress filed to end their two-year marriage due to irreconcilable differences.
Returning to Pitt and Blanchett, the duo were also part of Terrence Malick's 'Voyage of Time.' However, there is an interesting twist—the movie was developed from footage shot for 'The Tree of Life,' as per Collider. The documentary explores themes of science, spirit, birth, and death and was released in two versions: a 40-minute IMAX edition narrated by Pitt and a feature-length 35mm version narrated by Blanchett.