Brad Pitt Returns to Work After Mother’s Death as He Films Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Sequel

Two weeks after the passing of his mother, Jane Pitt, Brad Pitt is back on set in Los Angeles, resuming work on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated projects — the sequel to Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.

Back to Work Amid Grief

On Tuesday, Aug. 19, the 61-year-old Oscar winner was photographed in full costume as Cliff Booth, his beloved stuntman character. The return to work comes just days after Pitt’s mother, Jane, died at the age of 84 on Aug. 5.

“Brad is being his usual professional self despite this personal tragedy,” a source told People.

Jane Pitt, affectionately known as “Grammy,” was remembered by her family for the special one-on-one traditions she created with each of her 14 grandchildren. Her obituary highlighted the cherished “Your Special Day” celebrations, which allowed her to honor each child individually.

A Son’s Tribute

Although Brad Pitt’s parents lived quietly outside the Hollywood spotlight, the actor often spoke fondly of his mother. In June, during an interview with Today host Savannah Guthrie, Pitt gave Jane a heartfelt public shout-out.

“I gotta say hi to my mom because she watches you every morning,” Pitt said at the time. “To Jane Pitt. Love you, Mom.”

A New Chapter for Cliff Booth

Pitt has been filming the sequel, officially titled The Adventures of Cliff Booth, since late July. Directed by longtime collaborator David Fincher, the film is based on a script by Quentin Tarantino, who opted not to direct the project himself. Tarantino, 62, explained on The Church of Tarantino podcast that he wanted to pursue “uncharted territory” rather than revisit ground he felt he had already covered.

In this new spinoff, Pitt once again transforms into Cliff Booth, this time sporting a longer, messier blond wig and mustache. The film builds on the alternate-history storytelling that made the 2019 original a cultural phenomenon — and earned Pitt an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

From Tarantino’s Shelf to Fincher’s Lens

Reports of The Adventures of Cliff Booth surfaced earlier this year after Tarantino shelved his planned film The Movie Critic. That project, set in the 1970s, would have followed a reviewer for a pornographic magazine. Instead, Tarantino’s focus shifted toward expanding the universe of Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.

While plot details remain under wraps, the sequel promises to delve deeper into Booth’s world, offering fans a new lens on Hollywood’s golden age.

No Release Date Yet

Though no official release date has been announced, anticipation is high. With Fincher at the helm and Pitt reprising one of his most celebrated roles, The Adventures of Cliff Booth is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about films of the decade.

For Pitt, the project also represents resilience — a return to craft and creativity while carrying the memory of the woman who shaped his earliest days in Springfield, Missouri.

Would you like me to frame this piece more as a news-style report (straightforward, like Variety or Deadline), or lean into a feature profile angle that blends Pitt’s personal loss with the film’s significance, like something you’d see in Vanity Fair or The Hollywood Reporter?