The Mr. and Mrs. Smith reboot is upon us! The project has been in the works for a while with several different creative minds coming in and out of being attached to the series, including Phoebe Waller Bridge, who was initially slated to star. However, work on the show has finally completed and just released for Amazon Prime subscribers to enjoy. Donald Glover and Maya Erskine had big shoes to fill by taking over roles originated by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but are doing so in a fun creative way that works for the new iteration. But Glover still tried to get advice from Pitt on approaching the role, and the Oscar winner responded in the most “Brad Pitt” way possible.
Erskine and Glover recently sat down on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to chat about their new project and how they approached the infamous cinematic material and made Mr. and Mrs. Smith their own. While their take on the spy thriller is certainly different from the campy erotic 2005 film that shares a name, Glover still sought out his counterpart for advice on taking on the role. Pitt may have not exactly been the best source for advice, but the Se7en actor was still supportive nonetheless. The Community alum explained:
He didn’t give me any real pointers, he kinda ‘Brad Pitted’ his way out of it. He kinda, like charmed his way [out of it]. ‘Hey ya know, you’ll do great.’
2005’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith was an uncomfortable time for Pitt, so digging up advice may have felt awkward for the Inglorious Bastards actor. Rumors regarding an affair with co-star Angelina Jolie on the film swirled and eventually led to Pitt’s divorce from Jennifer Aniston. Pitt continued a relationship with Jolie in the aftermath, and were together for a number of years and share children together. A tumultuous "Brangelina" divorce followed, and the two are still battling out some issues in court.
In addition, the new Mr. and Mrs. Smith differs greatly from the original, which is another reason Pitt may’ve wanted to side-step giving his own two cents. In the film, the two central characters are married, yet are unaware that their spouse is a spy. They find out about their shared profession when a mission pits them against each other. Glover explained to Jimmy Fallon that in their version, the couple is aware that their counterpart is a spy and the conflict comes from the two exploring their personal relationship with their profession. This is such a vast departure from the original premise, so I’m not sure advice from Pitt would be relevant, anyways. You can see both actors talk deeper about the project in the Tonight Show interview clip below:
I don’t blame Glover for not pushing any further for advice from the movie star. That “Brad Pitt” charm is something special and impenetrable. Getting his blessing is enough, and Pitt does have a point with the “You’ll do great” sentiment. Glover is an Emmy winner who has tons of experience with a number of risky creative pursuits. Reviews for the Mr. and Mrs. Smith series have been positive, with many saying the show is an improvement to the original, so I think Pitt may have been right.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith is one of the best original shows on Amazon Prime streaming, so make sure to check it out. In addition, you can revisit Brad Pitt in the original Mr. and Mrs. Smith film now with a Hulu subscription. For more information on exciting projects heading to the small screen this year, make sure to consult our 2024 TV premiere schedule.
