Brad Pitt offered up some advice to those about to vote in the 2016 elections — don’t let emotion cloud your judgement.
“Don’t be so emotional,” Pitt advised voters at the premiere of his new movie The Big Short in New York on Monday, according to the New York Daily News.
“Don’t see the world from our own backyard,” Pitt added. “Understand everyone has self-interest and that we are now in a community. We are not an island and we don’t always know best so let’s check ourselves.”
The Big Short is based on the true story of four men who predicted the 2008 financial collapse — Ben Hockett, Steve Eisman, Michael Burry, and Greg Lippmann — and who profited mightily by betting against the American economy. Pitt, who also produced the film under his Plan B production shingle, clearly gained some perspective on the financial crisis while working on it.
“This entitlement that you can make money off the backs of others without being responsible to what it’s doing to them or what it could do to them drives me crazy,” Pitt told the Daily News. “The fact that no one was held accountable after this mass failure drives me crazy so I wanted this story told. I’m really proud to be able to tell this story.”
Director Adam McKay (Anchorman, Step Brothers) echoed his star’s sentiments, telling the paper: “Banking’s just got to be cleaned up. There’s nothing wrong with banking in essence. It’s just when you take away the regulations it gets in trouble.”
Paramount moved The Big Short up from its 2016 release date to this December, which allows the film to compete in this year’s Oscar race. Ryan Gosling, Steve Carrell, and Christian Bale round out the all-star cast. The film hits select theaters December 11 before opening wide on December 23.