> At a Glance
> – Rose Byrne told W Magazine that working with Brad Pitt on 2004’s Troy was memorable
> – She played Briseis, the enslaved princess who falls for Pitt’s Achilles
> – Byrne called her co-star “such a sweetheart”
> – Why it matters: The rare dramatic role helped launch Byrne’s pivot to comedy hits like Bridesmaids
Rose Byrne is revisiting her early dramatic work, praising Brad Pitt’s kindness during the filming of Troy two decades ago. The 46-year-old revealed the experience helped shape her future career choices.
The Role That Started It All
Byrne told W Magazine she was “daunted” stepping into the 2004 swords-and-sandals epic. As Briseis, she spent months opposite Pitt in the $490 million-grossing film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and written by Game of Thrones‘ David Benioff.
Reflecting on Pitt, she said simply: “Brad was such a sweetheart.”
From Drama to Comedy
After Troy wrapped, Byrne realized she’d had enough of heavy material:
- 2006: appeared in Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette at Versailles
- Late 20s: began chasing comedy auditions
- 2011: breakout as Helen Harris III in Bridesmaids
- 2014-15: starred in Neighbors and Spy
- Today: headlines Apple TV comedy Platonic
“Troy really took it out of me,” she told TEEN PEOPLE in 2004. “The stakes were high in every scene. I could use a little laughter.”
Key Takeaways
- Byrne’s dramatic roots trace back to Troy opposite Pitt
- She credits the intense experience with driving her toward comedy
- Her upcoming film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You returns her to dramatic territory
The full-circle moment proves Byrne’s range has always been there-she just needed the right stage to show it.
