Director Kevin Macdonald reflects on ‘wasteful’ Hollywood filming era

Oscar-winning Scottish director Kevin Macdonald reflected on the dynamics of his career in the rapidly shifting film industry while speaking at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

On Sunday, Aug. 17, Kevin was joined by his brother Andrew Macdonald during the festival’s keynote session.

He candidly recalled making some of the 21st century's biggest films and working with Hollywood A-listers for the first time on the political thriller State of Play.

Kevin shared that after months of rewriting the script with Tony Gilroy and spending a significant amount of money, “when they gave it to Brad Pitt, he said, ‘I hate it.’”

“That was just the beginning of a long, very Hollywood [experience],” Kevin explained with a laugh. “A certain kind of wasteful Hollywood filmmaking, where they were trying to make intelligent and good films.”

The Oscar winner further recounted how an entire soundstage was shipped to Los Angeles instead of filming on location in Washington, D.C., because Pitt wanted to stay close to his family.

Eventually, Russell Crowe took over Pitt’s role. Kevin admitted he felt out of his depth while working with such big names.

“I don’t think I’m saying anything out of turn to say that Russell Crowe is quite a difficult man, and he would intimidate the studio to such a degree that they wouldn’t actually want to come to set,” Kevin recalled.

“I would say to the studio, ‘Oh my God, this is a nightmare,’” he laughed. “‘I can’t control this, man, we’re spending all this money,’ and they’d say, ‘You’re doing great.’”

The acclaimed filmmaker’s candid truths about Hollywood’s dysfunction highlight that even an Oscar-winning director like Kevin can find himself powerless when A-list egos and studio politics collide.

RELATED: ‘Adolescence’ star Owen Cooper recalls filming out of ‘comfort zone’