I can’t help but admit that, as a die-hard fan, it’s hard not to associate Mr. & Mrs. Smith with the moment when Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, two stars I deeply admire, came together on the big screen.
The action-packed thriller directed by Doug Liman, featuring married assassins unaware of each other’s professions until they are set to eliminate one another, offers an engaging and fun ride. Remarkably, this concept was intriguing enough to spawn a popular Amazon series with the same title, starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in the lead roles.
However, when the movie premiered on June 10, 2005, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston were already going through a divorce. A month after that, he was with Angelina Jolie in Ethiopia, where she had adopted daughter Zahara.
And all that, needless to say, kinda dominated the headlines.
It turns out, the film – Mr. & Mrs. Smith – managed to earn close to half a billion dollars globally without causing harm to it, and those who took sides back then (there were even T-shirts involved) are now aware that understanding marriages and why they fail is a complex issue.
In the January 2007 edition of Vogue, Jolie, who had been divorced twice before, expressed that both she and Pitt seemed to be the only ones seeking a relationship at the time. She emphasized that she was quite content being a single mother to her son Maddox, whom she adopted in 2002. Regarding Brad, she stated that she wasn’t fully aware of his personal situation, but it appeared he was deeply connected with a friend he admired and respected. In essence, they were both leading rich and fulfilling lives apart.
Simultaneously, Jolie openly admitted that the set of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” is where their feelings towards each other blossomed.
In 2008, Jolie expressed to the New York Times that not many people have the opportunity to watch a movie depicting their parents’ falling in love. She was eager to show the film to the six children she and Pitt had at that time.
Indeed, the atmosphere of family movie nights has shifted since then. The long-term pair eventually exchanged vows in 2014, a step their children had been eagerly anticipating, as Jolie mentioned. However, she filed for divorce two years later. In 2019, they were both declared single and recently, in December, they finalized their divorce settlement.
Pitt shared with GQ that he doesn’t consider the recent event in their complicated separation story as a significant matter. Instead, he views it as a legal process being completed.
Initially, Jolie wasn’t meant to star in “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” However, things worked out differently, leading to her casting. Here’s what transpired on set, along with some backstage secrets: a glimpse into the movie’s making and more behind-the-scenes revelations.
In an alternate casting scenario for the film “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”, the character of John Smith’s wife, Jane Smith, who is a proficient assassin disguised as a tech support consultant and is unhappy with her marriage, was initially intended to be portrayed by Nicole Kidman. However, she had a scheduling conflict with “The Stepford Wives,” which led Brad Pitt to shift his focus towards the Greek war epic “Troy.
Actresses such as Cate Blanchett, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Gwyneth Paltrow, previously engaged to Brad Pitt, were under consideration during that period.
The long-awaited production seemed doomed when Angelina Jolie agreed to play Jane in August 2003. Pitt decided to rejoin the project, believing that starting in November would provide ample time for him to film Ocean’s 12 in April.
According to producer Lucas Foster, Nicole’s departure could have been disastrous. When you have a film starring a prominent actor like Brad, it is under close scrutiny, especially during uncertain times when every studio tries to woo him with offers for other projects. However, Doug Liman’s unwavering enthusiasm and clarity about the project rekindled Brad’s confidence, making it feasible to attract Angelina. The team believes that their on-screen chemistry will be intriguing and captivating as they engage in intense battles and eventually rekindle their romance.
After Pitt seemingly left the project for good, they made offers to Will Smith and Johnny Depp.
In 2005, Liman shared with Entertainment Weekly that some of us had a strong preference for one over the other, while others in our group favored the opposite. Eventually, we decided to go after both. However, Brad later expressed interest once more.
David Fincher, the director of Fight Club, reportedly told him, “Expect it and understand that’s simply the way things are when you’re making a film with Brad Pitt.
In the early stages of rehearsals, “they were fitting us with outfits and testing how we’d look as a pair,” Jolie shared with Vogue, just about a week after she first met Pitt. “It always seems absurd; you hardly know someone, yet in three days you’re supposed to be ‘married.’ But Brad Pitt is quite endearing. He’s very kind.
She portrayed Mr. and Mrs. Smith as a fascinating exploration of marriage, revealing the depth of one’s understanding of their partner. From sessions in couples counseling to disagreements over window treatments, you suspect they’re involved with others, only to learn that their issues stem from living separate lives and harboring secrets from one another.
In the given context, Pitt had been wedded to Jennifer Aniston since 2000, while Jolie had gone through two divorces – the first one with Jonny Lee Miller in 1999 and the second with Billy Bob Thornton in 2003. Each divorce occurred approximately three years after their respective marriages.
Jolie expressed her view on marriage with a touch of skepticism. She stated, ‘Isn’t it ironic that if you truly love someone, you’d never want to harm them, right? That thought is amusing to me. And Brad Pitt views our relationship as a peculiar blend of serious devotion and dark humor since he cherishes his marriage deeply.’
She utilized her past experiences to shape her character. As she explained to Entertainment Weekly before the film’s release in June 2005, “It was a lot of reflecting on past relationships, particularly marriages, and thinking, ‘This is the moment where I wanted to end that person.’
In my expert opinion, the dynamic duo, John and Jane Smith, leave an indelible impression, particularly during the movie’s peak moments. They unite their forces powerfully, especially when they team up to overpower their adversaries who seek their demise. Through thick and thin, they stand shoulder-to-shoulder, demonstrating unwavering support for one another in a way that epitomizes resilience.
In 2005, Angelina Jolie stated that attending gun training was an activity that could be quite risky for actors, as she told Vanity Fair. What they used to do was visit shooting ranges and even challenge each other in competitions.
She pointed out that using real bullets, she remarked, “To advance either beneath or above one another, we had to rely on each other’s movements and only move when the other did, thereby fostering trust, especially considering the loaded firearm behind someone. This rapid trust-building experience was quite palpable, wasn’t it?
Instead of Jane making her daring exit from the 40th-floor hotel via the window, Jolie decided to perform that thrilling stunt personally.
She mentioned during her interview on TODAY in 2005 that she stumbled upon this trick which seemed fitting for her. However, when she initially attempted it, she admitted to feeling a bit hesitant. As fate would have it, her coat came off, and she realized to her embarrassment that she was not wearing any pants! There were just a sea of people below her.
Pitt surprised another mister and missus while making Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
In 2023, he shared with W that our team was shooting inside a Deco building in the city center. On the top floor, there were frequent comings and goings, which we noticed. It turned out to be a wedding reception, so he decided to join the celebration. Fortunately, they welcomed his unexpected arrival.
Due to the movie, we unexpectedly became close and engaged in numerous unusual activities. This peculiar friendship and collaboration seemed to develop spontaneously,” Jolie explained in the January 2007 issue of Vogue, reflecting on her relationship with Pitt that evolved from co-stars to something deeper. “I believe it took me a few months to realize how eager I was for our work together.
As for our shared experiences – be it rehearsing a scene, debating one, practicing with guns, attending dance classes, or performing stunts – whatever brought us closer, we discovered an abundance of happiness and genuine camaraderie in these moments. Over time, we evolved into an unbreakable duo.
At the beginning of filming in January 2004, Liman was aware that Pitt would be departing for Europe in April to collaborate with Steven Soderbergh on “Ocean’s Twelve”, but was he fully cognizant of this fact?
On my first day on set, there was still a heated debate about the original wrap date, as they intended to delay the start of filming until this issue was resolved. Yet, we commenced shooting without a definitive solution in sight. True enough, come April, it became clear: “He’s really leaving.” This is how I recounted the situation to Entertainment Weekly.
Liman acknowledged that he had doubted Soderbergh would truly begin the project at that point in time. “I remember thinking, ‘He doesn’t even have a script yet,'” he said. “Big productions like that rarely start on schedule.
Recalling that an identical scenario unfolded while filming “The Bourne Identity” with Matt Damon, who departed to work on “Ocean’s Eleven”, Liman humorously commented, “Once again, I placed my wager against Steven Soderbergh.
Pitt was gone for three months and they resumed filming that fall.
On January 7, 2005, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie made the announcement that they were parting ways. (She initiated the divorce proceedings in March, and the divorce was officially finalized in October of the same year.)
In simpler terms, they stated that their split wasn’t based on the gossip spread by the tabloids. Instead, this choice was made after careful contemplation. They continue to be close friends, holding each other in high regard with deep affection.
The speculation they were referring to: Rumors Pitt had an extramarital romance with Jolie.
In simpler terms, Angelina Jolie expressed to Vanity Fair that it has been challenging dealing with all the complications lately. She feels closely connected to everyone she’s ever collaborated with in her professional life.
However, she nonchalantly replied, “I reside in England.” When the news of Pitt’s separation surfaced, she casually mentioned, “At that time, I was in Niger, a location devoid of newspapers and where people do not engage in idle talk.
In my experience, there were persistently intrusive photographers, quite literally the “crazy” ones, but their antics escalated significantly following the announcement of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s separation. (Liman mentioned this to EW.)
The director mentioned, “We heard the helicopter chasing him first, and this helicopter had been tailing him ever since he departed from the Beverly Hills Hotel.” He went on to say, “That was really upping the ante. We were informed that a single photograph of them together would fetch an astonishing $300,000.
According to Liman, the paparazzi employed listening devices to overhear the team’s walkie-talkie conversations. He also mentioned that one Production Assistant received a reprimand for saying something that might have been misunderstood.
In another version of events, they were reportedly playing in a home decor shop during filming breaks, as Pitt and Jolie were casually spending time. Director Liman recounted that a production assistant remarked, “Brad is fooling around with Angelina,” meaning they were merely passing the time by playing with paddle balls or similar activities. However, the assistant was warned to be cautious when speaking over the radio about them, as on this set, saying someone was ‘fooling around’ would have a different connotation.
In April 2005, the cast and team reconvened for another take on the final scene – following their disagreements, they decided to address their lingering problems through therapy sessions – this was the version they ultimately chose.
Liman saw the choice to give the Smiths a happy, if open-ended, ending as a metaphor.
He clarified to EW that it was crucial not to provide a definitive resolution to the situation. This is because, much like in relationships, there isn’t any specific moment when all conflicts are resolved forever. It’s not as if after getting married, you no longer have to work on the relationship.
In one of the discarded finales, it was originally planned for Mr. and Mrs. Smith to outwit another evil duo. The initial pairing featured Jacqueline Bisset (a fun fact: she’s Jolie’s godmother) and Terrence Stamp, but they were later replaced by Angela Bassett and Keith David. However, their roles were significantly reduced in the final cut. Only Angela Bassett is heard on the phone, acting as Mr. Smith’s superior.
In a conversation with the Los Angeles Times, producer Foster stated that they were informed by the studio to halt the excessive spending, as the movie’s final cost ballooned to $126 million from an initial budget of $100 million.
In the original script, Mr. and Mrs. Smith are filled with witty remarks such as when Jane playfully inquires about her husband’s survival, “Still alive, baby?” – a line that sets the tone for the humorous narrative.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Tony Liman shared that Simon Kinberg’s script was “more humorous.” One scene he particularly enjoyed involved a moment where the character grabs a golf trophy to hit the other character over the head. The twist was that the trophy owner exclaims, “‘No! Don’t! I’m just looking after it for the year!’ It was a bit too comical for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
The initial draft stemmed from Kinberg’s Master’s degree project at Columbia University, where he was pursuing a Master’s in Fine Arts, and it was influenced by the insights gleaned from his friends’ observations about marriage counseling.
The London-born director expressed that their conversation seemed somewhat confrontational and money-driven, as reported by ScreenRant. This dynamic, he believed, could create an intriguing foundation for a romantic subplot within an action movie.
Ultimately, rather than engaging in a deadly struggle, the Smiths ended up ripping each other’s clothes off and reconciling. There were whispers that this scene in the movie, which is rated as PG-13, was toned down due to speculations surrounding the Jolie-Pitt affair rumors.
In the debate about it, Liman mentioned that the main point of contention revolved around the music choice. The director, advocating for “Mongo Bongo” by The Mescaleros, ultimately prevailed against a producer who favored a more melodious tune to accompany the action, so as not to make Jolie appear too seductive.
Due to an overwhelming amount of anticipation surrounding the movie, stemming from the rising fame of Brangelina prior to its release in June, the studio was concerned about potential backlash from a test screening, as explained by Liman to the BBC at the end of 2005.
However, although he acknowledged the studio’s perspective and agreed with their viewpoint, he felt that the movie, which grossed an impressive $487 million globally, could have been improved based on feedback from its audience.
Liman expressed his gratitude for the reviews, stating, “They help me stay accountable.” This is because, despite the financial success of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, he recognizes areas where he could have improved and the reviewers pointed out these weaknesses, ensuring that he maintains high standards.
He didn’t point out any particular aspects he’d want to alter, but instead expressed, “there were certain scenes in the film where I could’ve delivered a slightly improved performance.
In their amicable separation statement, they requested understanding and seclusion; however, Aniston later criticized Pitt for lacking a “compassion sensor” following the release of his 60-page photo spread with Jolie titled “Domestic Bliss,” published on July 1, 2005.
In a September 2005 interview with Vanity Fair, Aniston commented that the timing may seem strange, but it’s not her concern as it doesn’t affect her life. “He takes his own path,” she said. “He has the freedom to do whatever he wishes. We’re divorced now, and you can understand why.
The Friends alum also said that Pitt had told her he did not have an affair with Jolie.
She stated, “I prefer to trust my spouse.” In this situation, I’m not entirely shocked by anything anymore, but I’d rather put my faith in him.
In Jolie’s own words, it wasn’t until the very end of the filming that we truly understood it might hold deeper meaning than we initially thought. She shared this with Vogue, revealing that acknowledging this reality was significant and would require careful contemplation.
In response to Jolie’s reminiscences, Aniston shared with Vogue later in the year that there were certain statements published which took place during a time when I was unaware they were being made. I found those details to be somewhat inappropriate to discuss…The part about her eagerness to get to work every day? That was quite insensitive, indeed.
Jolie continued to pique curiosity when she expressed, during an interview with the New York Times in October 2008, her anticipation for sharing the film Mr. & Mrs. Smith with her children – Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne. She noted that it was unusual for kids to watch a movie where they could see their parents falling in love.
However, she didn’t mention that it might be a first for the whole family.
Inquired whether they had watched the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith for nostalgic reasons, Pitt (who identified it as one of his favorite Jolie films) stated to Rolling Stone in 2008, “We’ve never watched it.
But it was a favorite, he clarified, “because, you know…six kids. Because I fell in love.”
Time went by and, when Maddox and Pax were 12 and 10, they were apparently old enough to watch.
Recently, the older children of Jolie had the chance to watch ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ and they found it incredibly amusing, according to her statements made at a Maleficent press conference in May 2014. It wasn’t clear which kids were the ones laughing, with Zahara being the next-oldest at the time (9 years old). Jolie mentioned that watching one’s parents engage in espionage as spouses seemed like a peculiar and fascinating dream-like scenario.
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2025-06-10 13:18