Brad Pitt Calls His Dog Costar the “Star” of Heart of the Beast
Brad Pitt may lead Heart of the Beast, but according to the actor himself, the film’s most important cast member has four legs.
In a new behind-the-scenes featurette shared exclusively with PEOPLE ahead of the film’s Sept. 25 theatrical release, Pitt, 62, praises his German Shepherd costar Uber, who plays Odin, describing the dog as “number one on the call sheet” and “the star of the film.”
Directed by David Ayer, the survival thriller follows James, a retired Special Forces officer played by Pitt, after his plane crashes in the remote Alaskan wilderness. Stranded far from civilization, James is rescued by his canine companion Odin, and the two are forced to rely on each other as they fight to survive.
Brad Pitt and Uber’s Unusual On-Screen Partnership
Sitting beside Uber in the featurette, Pitt explains that the heart of the story is the relationship between James and Odin.
“In our story it’s James and Odin in the Alaskan outback, which turns into a survival story,” Pitt says. He describes the way the two characters depend on one another as “really beautiful in the film.”
Working with Uber also required Pitt to adapt to the dog’s unpredictable presence on set.
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When Uber looks away from the camera, Pitt jokingly asks, “What, now you’re camera shy?” He explains that following the dog’s lead and “improv-ing” became an important part of how they approached their scenes.
For Pitt, that natural interaction ultimately became central to the movie.
“Odin, as played by Uber, is the most important piece to this story,” he says, adding that the experience has been “a surprisingly special” one.
Filming in New Zealand
Exclusive photos shared with PEOPLE show Pitt and Uber tackling the rugged conditions during production in New Zealand, where Heart of the Beast was filmed.
Paramount Pictures describes the movie as “an intense adventure thriller” centered on the unbreakable bond between a man and his best friend as they confront their greatest battle yet.
Richard Raymond, who was part of the production team alongside Pitt, shared the film’s trailer on X on June 11 and offered fans some reassurance about the fate of its canine star.
“Everybody loves a dog,” he wrote. “It’s about the only thing the whole world agrees on.” He then confirmed that Uber’s character makes it through the story, adding: “the dog does not die. You’re welcome.”
Pitt Has Several More Films on the Way
Heart of the Beast is one of several upcoming projects for Pitt.
The actor is also set to reprise his role as Cliff Booth in a David Fincher-directed sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood…. His other upcoming projects include Edward Berger’s The Riders and Ocean’s 14.
For now, however, Pitt is giving much of the attention to his four-legged scene partner. In Heart of the Beast, Uber’s Odin is not simply along for the journey — he is at the center of the survival story and the bond that drives it.
