Believe it or not, even people like Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio get starstruck.
This was exactly the case when they walked onto the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood set, and found themselves in the presence of Beverly Hills, 90210 star Luke Perry. I mean, who wouldn’t? Perry played the teenage heartthrob Dylan McKay after all!
Leonardo recalls in a new interview with Esquire, “I remember my friend Vinny, who is in the film as well, we walked in and we both had this butterfly moment of like, ‘Oh my God, that’s Luke Perry over there!'”
As for Brad’s response? Well, he says he practically yelled, “That’s Luke f–king Perry!”
“We were like kids in the candy shop because I remember going to the studios and [Beverly Hills, 90210] was going on and he was that icon of coolness for us as teenagers,” Pitt explains. “It was this strange burst of excitement that I had, to be able to act with him.”
Little did Leo and Brad know that Luke would die in March at the age of 52.
Looking back, the men say it was a “really special” experience that they will likely never forget. “Man, he was so incredibly humble and amazing and absolutely committed. He couldn’t have been a more friendly, wonderful guy to spend time with. I got to sit down and have some wonderful conversations with him,” Brad reveals.
Unfortunately, in the numerous years that both men have worked in the film industry, they have encountered many stars who have since passed, including their Once Upon a Time in Hollywood co-star Burt Reynolds. Reynolds was originally supposed to play George Spahn, but he died at the age of 82 in September 2018.
Shortly before his death, Brad and Leo had the privilege of seeing him take part in rehearsals and a script reading. Quentin says it was “really amazing,” whereas Brad takes it up a notch by describing it as a “f–king pleasure.”
Brad’s explicit language is rather fitting when considering his deep admiration for the actor. “Well, you’ve gotta understand, for me, growing up in the Ozarks and watching Smokey and the Bandit, you know, he was the guy. Virile. Always had something sharp to say—funny as shit. A great dresser. Oh, man,” he shares, laughing. “And I had never met him, so being there with him reminded me of how much I enjoyed him as a kid.”
Fans can witness the stars’ talent when Once Upon a Time In Hollywood hits theaters on July 26.
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