''It was heartbreaking'': Babylon star Jean Smart opens up on doing a scene with Brad Pitt

Babylon star Jean Smart recently spoke to Vanity Fair about her new film that hit theaters on Friday, December 23, 2022. During the interaction, she mentioned an emotional scene that she did with Brad Pitt in the movie, describing it as ''heartbreaking.''

Smart said:

''Oh, looking in Brad's eyes, oh, it was heartbreaking!''

The actress says that in the scene, she tells Brad Pitt's character—who's a movie star—that he's going to be immortal and inspires him. Smart plays the role of a journalist named Elinor St. John in Babylon.

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Babylon star Jean Smart opens up about working with Brad Pitt, Damien Chazelle, and more

During the interview with Vanity Fair, Jean Smart said that she thought the long conversation her character has with Brad Pitt's Jack Conrad would be cut from Babylon. However, the scene made it to the film. She spoke at length about the scene, saying:

''The thing you see at the end that she is every bit as much enamored with this idea that we still have to this day of movies kind of immortalizing people, and you're catching moments in time that will never come again, and that you can watch over and over and over and over.''

Smart further mentioned:

''And she tells Jack, you know, that, 'you're gonna be immortal.' And she believes that, and you can see then that she's just as much taken with that magical idea as anybody else that we've seen in the film.''

Earlier in the interview, she described director Damien Chazelle as ''brilliant,'' and that she was a ''huge fan'' of his work before Babylon. She also mentioned that starring alongside Brad Pitt was a ''dream come true.''

Jean Smart plays a fascinating role in the movie. Her character, Elinor St. John, is a veteran sensational journalist who plays a pivotal role in the lives of the main characters, Jack Conrad, Manny Torres, and Nellie LaRoy. She's known for her outspoken and fearless nature. Fans can expect a powerful performance from the actress.

Apart from Babylon, Jean Smart has played a number of memorable roles in numerous films and shows over the years like Designing Women, Fargo, The Accountant, and Sweet Home Alabama, to name a few.

She's also received a number of awards for her work, including Primetime Emmy Awards, a Dorian Award for Best TV Performance, and a Golden Globe Award, among many others.

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A brief look at Babylon plot and cast

Babylon is Damien Chazelle's latest film and is touted to be another love letter to one of Hollywood's most memorable decades, the 1920s. Here's a short synopsis of the film, as per Paramount Pictures' YouTube channel:

''A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.''

The film generated massive hype months prior to its release, thanks to the stunning ensemble cast list that features Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, among many others, playing crucial roles.

Babylon released in theaters on Friday, December 23, 2022.