Fans of Formula 1 and the latest blockbuster flick bearing its name could have seen Brad Pitt racing cars much earlier—had Top Gun star Tom Cruise not caused a separate project to come crashing down by declining one of the lead roles. Pitt, who features as washed-up racer Sonny Hayes on the road to a comeback in F1, revealed the characteristically Cruise maneuver that saw his Interview With the Vampire co-star turn down Ford v Ferrari, a project that would have reunited them onscreen years ago. “What it came down to is that we both wanted to drive, and he wanted to play Shelby, and I wanted to play Ken Miles,” Pitt told The National News. “When Tom realized that Carroll Shelby would not be driving much in the movie, it didn’t come through.” Cruise is famous for involving himself in as much of the action in his films as possible and has suffered broken ankles, cracked ribs, and a torn shoulder—just while shooting the Mission: Impossible franchise. Pitt has said he would be open to partnering with Cruise “when he does something again that’s on the ground.” “I’m not gonna hang my a-- off airplanes and s--t,” the Fight Club actor joked. In 2019, James Mangold did finally bring Ford v Ferrari to life with Christian Bale as Miles and Matt Damon as Shelby, the role Cruise declined. Mangold’s film was nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture, and took home two awards.
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