Superman star Nicholas Hoult recently shared his hilariously awkward experience meeting Brad Pitt. As the buzz around Hoult’s casting as Lex Luthor in the upcoming Superman film builds, the actor has opened up about his starstruck moment with Pitt, and it’s surprisingly relatable.
Here’s what Nicholas Hoult said about his meeting with Brad Pitt.
Nicholas Hoult talks about meeting Brad Pitt
Nicholas Hoult, best known for his roles in X-Men, The Great, and now as Lex Luthor in Superman (2025), revealed in a recent podcast interview that meeting Brad Pitt left him completely speechless. Hoult, who usually keeps his cool around celebrities, admitted that his brain simply “wasn’t working” during the encounter.
“I just stood there like a lemon,” Hoult joked on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast. He described how overwhelmed he felt meeting Pitt at the Venice Film Festival. Their meeting may have been brief, but it left a lasting impression on the Hoult.
Pitt, known for his laid-back charm, made the moment even more memorable by complimenting Hoult’s performance on the hit series The Great. Pitt told him, “Hey, the show’s really funny. You’re funny.” Hoult was flattered, but too flustered to respond.
While Hoult is gearing up for his villainous turn in Superman, set to premiere on July 11, Pitt has recently enjoyed success with his F1 movie, which debuted on June 27. The racing film has already earned strong reviews, boasting a 97% audience score and an 83% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Interestingly, Pitt also opened up recently about being starstruck, admitting that he had a similar reaction when meeting Thelma & Louise co-stars Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. Like Hoult, even Hollywood royalty have their awkward fan moments.
James Gunn’s upcoming Superman film features a talented cast, along with Nicholas Hoult. David Corenswet plays Clark Kent, with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt, and Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason, among others.
