How Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise Screeched to a Halt on Ford v Ferrari—and Other Bromance Highlights

Okay, friends, grab your double-shot latte because I have *so* many tidbits to pour out—this brewing drama is just too delicious to keep to myself! Picture it: more than a decade before Matt Damon and Christian Bale revved into our hearts in Ford v Ferrari (2019), Hollywood dream-team Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise were actually *this close* to co-starring in the high-octane True Story of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles. But hold your horses (or Mustangs?): both mega-stars had one non-negotiable demand—they wanted to do their own wheel-to-wheel driving, and that, my caffeine-craving comrades, is exactly what sent this pairing skidding off the track.

Brad spilled the beans in a July sit-down with The National, recalling that he was lined up to play Ken Miles, while Tom was itching to slip behind Carroll Shelby’s wheel. The catch? Shelby does way less heavy pedal-pushing in the script—he’s more of the visionary type. When Cruise realized he wouldn’t clock enough screen time in the driver’s seat, negotiations went boom! E! News confirms both sides pulled out, leaving Damon and Bale to swoop in and take home two Oscars plus a Best Picture nod. (Talk about a plot twist!)

But fear not, because these two action legends didn’t slam the brakes on their friendship forever. At last June’s London premiere of Brad’s F1 movie, the former Interview with the Vampire co-stars shared their first public hug in 24 years—cue all the heart-eyes! Pitt even teased to E! News that he’d jump at another chance to work with Cruise…as long as it’s not dangling from an airplane or any other gravity-defying stunt. “Let’s keep it ground-based, Tom,” he winked.

Now that we’ve revved through that motor-movie almost-miss, let’s quick-shift into some other Hollywood bromances that are still gunning it—in real life!

Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds: Who would’ve thought a DM about a sitcom cameo would ignite a blockbuster business duo? After Reynolds slid into McElhenney’s Instagram to praise his It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia antics, the pair teamed up (without ever meeting face-to-face at first) to rescue Welsh soccer club Wrexham A.F.C. Fast-forward, they’re co-owners celebrating promotion to the English Football League—and calling each other “family,” despite living on opposite coasts. Source: People.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon: These lifelong Boston buddies have been scripting magic and friendship for over 40 years—hello, Good Will Hunting Oscar glory! In 2022, they launched Artists Equity to make movies they actually want to watch. At the Air premiere, Affleck quipped to E! News that if you get to work with your best friend, it’s like “never working a day in your life.” Um, yes please.

Zach Braff and Donald Faison: Speaking of besties, Scrubs’ iconic duo still co-host Fake Doctors, Real Friends, dropping ping-pong pong matches-in-underwear stories and proving it’s totally okay for dudes to say “I love you.” British GQ even called their friendship a cultural game-changer for sensitive guy bonds.

Whew! That’s a turbocharged tour of Hollywood’s most enduring duos—on-screen misses, on-field wins, and bromances for the ages. I swear, I could caffeinate and chat about this all day, but I need another refill. Stay tuned for more celeb confessions—there’s always something brewing under the spotlight!

Sources: Celebrity Storm and The National, E! News, People Magazine, British GQ
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed