Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling have never had much time for each other; their competitive natures are on the brink of erupting as they compete to be the face of a planned Ocean's 11 prequel, a new report claimed.
“Brad and George Clooney are making an effort to regain control of the Ocean’s series after the Sandra Bullock soft reboot and after a script was developed to bring in Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie in as the new franchise leads,” a longtime colleague of the 60-year-old "Troy" actor disclosed to In Touch Weekly.
“That was a bridge too far for Brad and his team. Copycats have always been a problem for Brad, but after decades in the business, the stakes have never been higher than they are now,” the insider continues.
Brad has collaborated with Ryan, 43, on "The Big Short" and, more recently, with Margot, 34, on the film "Babylon." However, the source emphasizes that the Meet Joe Black star did not cheerlead their blockbuster success, "Barbie."
The issue appears to be a power struggle over roles, as the "La La Land" actor collaborated with director David Leitch of "Bullet Train" to produce "The Fall Guys." This decision caused Brad to privately fume, believing Ryan was attempting to emulate him.
In June 2022, the "Wolfs" star informed GQ that his acting career is on its "last leg." However, his colleague is skeptical of this assertion, stating, “Forget the self-effacing things Brad has said publicly about not having a lot of movies left in him.”
Despite his age, the icon is determined to pursue the roles he still desires as he approaches his sixties, according to the source, “The actual position of Brad and his camp is that Brad isn’t done, especially when it comes to being Hollywood’s most bankable quote-unquote ‘hunk.’”
George, Brad's 63-year-old collaborator and close friend, has also contemplated the potential implications of the transition from bankable heartthrob to aging actor for their respective careers, as reported by Globe Magazine, “The phone stops ringing if your decision is that you want to continue to be the character that you were when you were 35, and you want a softer lens.”
“But if you’re willing to, say, move down the call sheet a little bit and do interesting character work … you have to make peace with the idea that you’re going to die!”
Brad, who had previously been considered a lock for certain roles, has decided to continue his pursuit of top billing, as other actors are now vying for the same roles. He is unwilling to relinquish his youthful allure.
“Brad and Ryan have gotten along over the years, but we’re only right now in a situation where Ryan is actively picking up roles that were offered to Brad first,” clarifies the informant. “That gets Brad’s attention, especially when it happens multiple times.”
Indeed, Brad and Ryan worked together on The Big Short ten years ago, although in a limited capacity; nonetheless, the period in question was significantly less competitive. Currently, the market is a dog-eat-dog environment, and Brad is aware of the necessity of improving his performance and taking the offensive against his competitors.
In spite of this, Brad continues to be offered better scripts, and he intends to maintain this situation.
