10 Best Underrated Brad Pitt Characters

The cool, laid-back Brad Pitt is known for many roles. Those that thought he would be typecast as the stereotypically attractive and calm dude are wrong, and dedicated fans of his will recall some of his most noteworthy roles. The frighteningly handsome vampire, Louis de Pointe du Lac; the surreal, tough Tyler Durden; the ever-enigmatic Benjamin Button; the confident, clever, Nazi-killing Lieutenant Aldo; the carefree, “wife-killing buddy boy,” stuntman, Cliff Booth. The list goes on and on of Pitt’s career-defining roles.

But what about the ones that aren’t discussed as much? Most people—fans, especially—know that the famous actor got his start with the “hot guy” roles. However, his reputation should not be nailed down to a limited archetype. His most underrated roles should be recognized as his solidified performance range.

10 David Mills – Seven

Yes, this flick is one of his top-rated ones, and fans will say it’s one of the most recognized as well. But Pitt’s character has not been recognized in modern days as it once was over 20 years ago.

Alongside the brilliant Morgan Freeman, Pitt plays the detective David Mills, who investigates a serial killer emulating the seven deadly sins in all of the murders. The character is much more complex than the average crime drama character, as the entire murder case takes a surprising turn in the end. “What’s in the box?” is not one of the most recognizable lines anymore, hence this role now falling under the radar of newer viewers.

9 J.D. – Thelma & Louise

The runaway-trip, feminist-approved movie featured a young Brad Pitt in one of his biggest roles in his earlier days. Although some see his character as a very minor role in Thelma and Louise, the comical character, J.D., ends up making a huge contribution to the two female leads and their quest to escape law enforcement.

J.D. hitchhikes right into the arms of Geena Davis’s character. He sweeps her away for a bit to have some fun but he isn’t just a road stop. Pitt’s character has way more of a story than viewers initially presume and is still undoubtedly underrated by new generation moviegoers.

8 Early Grayce – Kalifornia

Despite being a box office failure, the actors’ performances garnered positive reviews. Pitt’s portrayal is a brutally violent and heartless killer who is basically a manipulative, uncontrollable monster—a surprising role for the typical funny characters he’s played in the past.

His character, Early Grayce, doesn’t appear to have motive or remorse over anything throughout the film. He takes full advantage of the main couple who simply need a ride by eventually holding them hostage, weakening his girlfriend bit by bit even as she comes to terms with his abuse. This character certainly is well underrated for Pitt’s scarily convincing performance.

7 Roy McBride – Ad Astra

After the release of his Academy Award-winning role in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Pitt starred in a science fiction space film, playing an astronaut who sets out to learn the truth about his father.

The character’s trauma regarding his father’s supposed death also involves the film’s future American society trying to find signs of other life elsewhere in space. Pitt portrays an emotionally complicated character who has to come to terms with his relationship with his father in order to understand what is happening outside of earth.

6 John Smith – Mr & Mrs. Smith

This was one of Pitt’s biggest roles ever! So, what happened? Now that the real-life Brangelina duo is over, not many viewers talk about their thoughts on this comical, romantic, and action-packed movie about two secret agent-assassins who can barely stabilize their marriage due to their lies.

Pitt’s role delves into the romance sector of the movie a lot, even when he doesn’t want to in front of his wife. The emotional side to John Smith quickly unravels as he comes to terms with what he has to live with in his marriage to Jane (Angelina Jolie).

5 Jackie Cogen – Killing Them Softly

The character, Jackie Cogan, isn’t the run-of-the-mill cinematic hitman. His philosophy (which also explains the title of the movie) “killing them softly” is to shoot his targets from a distance so that they won’t see it coming and feel fear. The film directly involves the 2008 American financial crisis and the presidential election, with Cogan’s own opinions shaping the story.

Although the film had a positive critical response, not many recall Pitt’s effective performance.

4 Gerry Lane – World War Z

Most may think that this is just a zombie movie but Pitt’s dedicated performance to the horror drama flick shines. His role as a husband, father, and brave hero is the prime focus of the character who ultimately embarks on a journey to terminate the viral zombie apocalypse. The character, Gerry, has a much bigger role to play in the trek to find a cure or protection for the zombie virus.

Pitt’s performance is completely underrated for the dedication he showed in this role. For action scenes as well as the highly intense, dramatic ones, his performance truly shows how well-versed of an actor he has become.

3 Rick Clayton – The Dark Side Of The Sun

In his very first known leading role, Brad Pitt portrays the couple character, Rick, who struggles to find a cure from a rare skin disease that can kill him when exposed to the sunlight. The character learns to appreciate life, in the sun too, once he becomes involved with a girl. The young actor embraced every ounce of raw emotions in his character’s reactions to his ongoing struggle.

This role is deeply underrated due to its lesser-known reputation. Released direct-to-video in 1997, countless Brad Pitt fans may have never even heard of this unrecognized role.

2 Paul Maclean – A River Runs Through It

Brad’s role as Paul Maclean should be recognized much more than it has been due to its simple yet complicated storyline. The brothers, Paul and Norman, grow up as perfect, religious, fisherman gentlemen who embark on different paths as they grow up. Paul starts to get into more physical fights and disagreements with the local Montana residents, especially after he defended his girlfriend, a Native American woman, for facing racism from the white-dominated neighborhood.

The character of Paul is a direct comparison to the brother character, as the film conveys a juxtaposition between the two. Pitt’s performance was widely forgotten about for this highly praised portrayal.

1 Heinrich Harrer – Seven Years In Tibet

Pitt’s role was that of a real-life Austrian, sacrificial, non-stop mountaineer whose experiences in Tibet shape his character. Heinrich experiences imprisonment, camaraderie, and loss throughout hi years in Tibet after he leaves his pregnant wife to climb the Nanga Parbat mountain.

The character’s estrangement from his son leads to a strained relationship, bringing viewers to wonder the reasons behind Heinrich’s decisions to remain in and keep trekking through Tibet. Although Pitt’s performance was met with positive reviews, most audiences have forgotten how significant this role was for his career in the long run after its 1997 premiere.

About The Author

Elisabeth McGowan
(102 Articles Published)

Based in the New York City area, Elisabeth has written for various media outlets, was a Walt Disney World Cast Member, and her true focus is on the film and television industry! While double majoring in Theatre and English at the University of California, Davis, her passion for writing developed when she worked as an Editor-in-Chief at the Odyssey Online and as a blog writer for a New York-based theater company. She became interested in film acting at the age of 13 during a brief summer program at the New York Film Academy and was then hooked on the movie and television industry.

Although a big fan of both big-screen and independent drama films, Elisabeth loves comedy, romance, action, and sci-fi movies. Her favorite TV shows include a variety of comedy, drama, and sci-fi fantasy shows, specifically Supernatural, Breaking Bad, and Pretty Little Liars. As a writer for ScreenRant, she is eager to cover new and old favorite films and shows!

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