Mel Gibson Considered Brad Pitt for the Lead Role in This 1995 Epic, Which Won Best Picture

Mel Gibson received two Oscars for Braveheart: Best Director and Best Picture. Initially, he did not intend to portray William Wallace. His interest lay in directing the 1995 film, and he considered Brad Pitt for the leading role.

According to JoBlo, Gibson “initially wanted Brad Pitt or Jason Patric in the lead.” At 38, he believed he was too old for the role. However, Paramount insisted on his participation, stating they would not approve the movie unless Gibson also starred in it, JoBlo reports.

Braveheart was released on May 24, 1995. The American Film Institute later ranked it at No. 91 on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Thrills, a list of the most

thrilling American films.

Randall Wallace penned the script, inspired by a 15th-century poem by Blind Harry about the Scottish rebel. Although Gibson liked the script, he initially declined. Producer Alan Ladd Jr. had the project at MGM and took it with him when he departed the studio in 1993.

Warner Bros. proposed financing the film if Gibson agreed to another Lethal Weapon sequel. He declined. Ultimately, Paramount financed about a third of the budget for the U.S. and Canadian rights, while 20th Century Fox covered the rest for international distribution. The budget ranged from $53 million to $72 million.

Most of the filming took place in Ireland, not Scotland. The initial plan was to shoot in the U.K., but the production relocated after the Irish government offered 1,600 members of the Irish Army Reserve as extras. These reservists portrayed both armies in the battle scenes. Filming occurred from June to October 1994.

The film received 10 nominations at the 68th Academy Awards and won five: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Makeup. Gibson also secured the Golden Globe for Best Director. Braveheart grossed approximately $209 million worldwide.

Pitt had a significant year nonetheless. In 12 Monkeys, released in December 1995, he played a mental patient alongside Bruce Willis. This role earned him the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and his first Oscar nomination. He lost the Oscar to Kevin Spacey for The Usual Suspects.

Gibson has featured in numerous other films on MJ’s lists, including his 1981 war movie Gallipoli and the action classic Mad Max 2 from the same year.

Mel Gibson was awarded two Oscars for Braveheart: Best Director and Best Picture. Initially, he did not plan to portray William Wallace, as his primary interest was in directing the 1995 film. He considered casting Brad Pitt for the leading role.

As reported by JoBlo, Gibson “initially wanted Brad Pitt or Jason Patric in the lead.” At the age of 38, he felt he was too old for the role. However, Paramount insisted on his participation, stating they would not approve the film unless Gibson also starred in it, according to JoBlo.

Braveheart was released on May 24, 1995. The American Film Institute later ranked it No. 91 on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Thrills, a list of the most thrilling American films.

Randall Wallace wrote the script, inspired by a 15th-century poem by Blind Harry about the Scottish rebel. Although Gibson appreciated the script, he initially declined. Producer Alan Ladd Jr. had the project at MGM and took it with him when he left the studio in 1993.

Warner Bros. offered to finance the film if Gibson agreed to another Lethal Weapon sequel, which he declined. Ultimately, Paramount financed about a third of the budget for the U.S. and Canadian rights, while 20th Century Fox covered the remainder for international distribution. The budget ranged from $53 million to $72 million.

The majority of the filming took place in Ireland rather than Scotland. Originally, the plan was to shoot in the U.K., but the production relocated after the Irish government offered 1,600 members of the Irish Army Reserve as extras. These reservists portrayed both armies in the battle scenes. Filming occurred from June to October 1994.

The film received 10 nominations at the 68th Academy Awards and won five: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Makeup. Gibson also won the Golden Globe for Best Director. Braveheart grossed approximately $209 million worldwide.

Brad Pitt had a notable year as well. In 12 Monkeys, released in December 1995, he played a mental patient alongside Bruce Willis. This role earned him the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and his first Oscar nomination. He lost the Oscar to Kevin Spacey for The Usual Suspects.

Gibson has appeared in numerous other films on MJ’s lists, including his 1981 war movie Gallipoli and the action classic Mad Max 2 from the same year.