Was Brad Pitt ever harshly reprimanded by director Quentin Tarantino on set?

Hanoi [Vietnam], May 23: Despite being a highly successful Hollywood duo, director Quentin Tarantino and actor Brad Pitt once had a heated clash on the set of the blockbuster Once Upon a Time. in Hollywood, all because of a spontaneous action by the actor. The close relationship between eccentric director Quentin Tarantino and actor Brad Pitt is well-known. However, a disagreement between the two stars during the filming of Once Upon a Time. in Hollywood (2019) has unexpectedly been revealed.
According to People magazine , this behind-the-scenes story was recounted by veteran actor Bruce Dern himself at the premiere of his personal documentary, " Dernsie," at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
The incident stemmed from a scene between Bruce Dern and Brad Pitt. During the scene, veteran actor Bruce Dern spontaneously added a line of dialogue not in the script to enhance the emotional impact of his character. Seeing his co-star's "off-script" lines, Brad Pitt signaled to stop filming. This unauthorized action immediately offended director Quentin Tarantino and provoked a strong reaction.
"Quentin's expression was incredibly serious. He walked straight up to Brad and demanded, 'Brad, what did you just do?' Brad replied that he had just turned off the camera because that line was off-script," actor Bruce Dern recalled.
In front of the crew, the director bluntly warned: "You're never allowed to turn off the camera on your own again for the rest of your life, or you'll die in this profession. This is my territory. Never interfere with the acting."
Quentin Tarantino's powerful warning reveals his extreme strictness regarding set discipline and his respect for the actors' moments of brilliance.
Although the past incident has sparked much curiosity among fans, a source close to Variety magazine shared that the relationship between the two leading stars has not been damaged by the incident. The source affirmed: "Quentin has always been one of Brad Pitt's favorite directors, and the two have maintained an extremely good working relationship."
In fact, the demanding requirements on set proved to be fruitful. Once Upon a Time. in Hollywood subsequently became a huge hit both artistically and commercially, receiving 10 Oscar nominations and earning Brad Pitt his first prestigious Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Source: Thanh Nein Newspaper