Local pilot flies as Brad Pitt's double

Marlborough is set for a touch of Hollywood glamour next week as one of the region’s own prepares to see his work on the big screen.

While audiences worldwide head to cinemas to watch megastar Brad Pitt battle the elements in David Ayer’s survival thriller Heart of the Beast, local attention will be on the aerial scenes crafted with the help of Patchett Ag-Air pilot Nigel Griffith.

Nigel worked on the film as the flight technical coach behind its backcountry aviation sequences and also served as Brad Pitt’s flying double.

For Nigel, the experience was unforgettable.

Brought on to help create authentic flight scenes, his real-world aviation knowledge proved invaluable. He also worked closely with Brad to ensure the actor looked convincing in the cockpit.

Working side-by-side in a hydraulic cockpit mock-up, Nigel coached him on how to move, react and operate an aircraft realistically for the camera.

According to Nigel, Brad was an exceptionally quick learner. Already possessing some flying experience in the United States, the actor mastered a complex multi-step aircraft start-up sequence in just five minutes and nailed the choreography on the first take.

“It was a really great experience. We were very blessed with the weather, which took a lot of pressure off,” Nigel says.

“I expected to see a lot of American crew working on set, but there were only about half a dozen and the rest were Kiwis, which was great to see.”

Away from the film set, Nigel is well known in the local aviation community.

As a leader in the Recreational Backcountry Pilots Association, he advocates for mountain flying safety and works to protect access to New Zealand’s remote airstrips.

The experience may also have sparked a new interest.

“I would do it all over again tomorrow. The experience was amazing and the people were incredible. They really looked after you on set.”

To celebrate the film’s release, a special local red-carpet premiere is being hosted by Alice Lammas and the Marlborough Aero Club.

Seeing the film for the first time alongside everyone else, Nigel is curious to find out whether locals will spot him on screen.

“While shooting a movie, you can spend half an hour on one thing and only one second might get shown. But I am really looking forward to the premiere. Alice has done an amazing job of organising it and getting the word out. The more hype around it and the more money the film makes, the better, because it means I have done my part well.”

Join the local premiere of Heart of the Beast at Event Cinemas Blenheim on Thursday, 24 September. Tickets are $30 per person and include canapés and a drink on arrival. Bookings are essential and tickets are available by searching ‘premiere’ on the Marlborough Aero Club website.