Somehow, its already been more than 30 years since 1991’s Thelma & Louise hit theaters.
The chemistry between lead stars Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon is utterly unmatched in this early ’90s release, which blends together so many potential genres that it still falls somewhere in between. Part feminist crime caper, part buddy road trip comedy, part rom-com, the film doesn’t mire itself in a single camp, and arises all the better for it. It still holds up, a good three decades post-release, and a huge part of the credit goes to to the Thelma & Louise cast.
I’ve already gushed about Davis and Sarandon — though I’ll surely do so again, later in the article — but the pair of powerhouses were joined by a slew of similarly talented stars. Nearly everyone that saunters on screen during Thelma & Louise‘s two-hour runtime is a staple of our screens, but not all of them were when the film first debuted. Brad Pitt is among the biggest stars that appeared in the 1991 film, but at the time he was a complete unknown. The film was among his first-ever roles, and helped establish him as a movie star to watch.
Brad Pitt’s age in Thelma & Louise
There’s a reason Thelma & Louise has yet to be remade. The 1991 film simply doesn’t need a modern reimagining, thanks to the stellar performances, stylish approach to filming, and sturdy foundation the release is built on.
Brad Pitt’s part in Thelma & Louise is relatively small, compared to the leading man roles he takes on now, but its a vital one none-the-less. Minor spoilers are to follow, so if you’ve (somehow) yet to see the film, and are hoping to avoid story points, skim ahead.
Pitt plays J.D. in the flick, an eye-catching drifter who befriends Thelma and Louise during their flight west. The character is presented as youthful and free-spirited, and eventually reveals his criminal background. That background comes back to bite after J.D. steals the recently-acquired cash Thelma and Louise are relying on, flees, and is eventually apprehended by authorities.
Pitt plays the role to perfection, and his status as one of the youngest cast members really drives home how early in his career the role was filmed. He’s no teenager in Thelma & Louise, but the film does feature one of the actor’s earliest roles. He was only 27 when he appeared in the flick, which filmed over the summer of 1990 before releasing the next year.
Pitt was in several releases ahead of Thelma & Louise, but the 1991 film continues to serve as one of his breakout roles. It helped immensely in establishing him as a star on the rise in Hollywood, and those long-ago instincts certainly paid off. More than 30 years later, Pitt remains a Hollywood darling with more film roles under his belt than half of the remaining cast combined.
