Michael's Music Lessons

Currently channeling Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain in Last Days, Michael Pitt chats to NW about his own experiences with fame.

Last Days director Gus Van Sant is evasive about how much your character, Blake, is based on Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain...

I'll tell you the truth, I didn't really understand it until I saw the movie. And when I saw it, I realised not using [his] name and not using the facts, you're able to look at him more as a human being. And in a weird way, I feel like that can be more respectful to the individual.

What kind of reaction do you expect from Nirvana fans?

I’ve shown it to a couple of my friends who are really big fans and they've all liked it. They've all been surprised and impressed that it was more about a human being, a guy like that, as opposed to Cobain. I think it will almost be like a relief to the fans.

Did you ever see Nirvana play live?

I never got to see them play live. I wasn't a fan when they were out. I was younger and I didn't see the change, the effect that they had on music. They were very popular and on TV all the time so I didn't really give them a chance. I didn't gravitate towards them because I was more into the bands that only a few of us knew about.

So when did you change your stance?

When I was maybe 12 or 13. In my school, primarily, everyone listened to rap music. When I went to school one day, I saw all these rappers in black, and I asked, “What's going on?” And they said, “Kurt Cobain died today”. That really struck me. It made a huge impact. Then I learned his music later. I didn't understand it, which is, I think, a big problem with the whole thing. But I was a huge fan of Sonic Youth.

So how was it working with Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and Thurstan Moore in Last Days?

Amazing. It was weird at first. It was very strange. But now I'm just, like, in love with them as human beings. I look at them as people I'm inspired to be like because they have a lot of integrity, and they're both successful. They're just good people.

Could you even draw anything from your own life for the character?

I could relate. But I think a lot of people can relate.

Were there any aspects that you felt particularly attuned to?

Isolation and a sense of how degraded you can feel from fame.

Is that isolation something you're feeling more as your profile rises?

Well, I'm trying to do what I can to counteract that. But it just gets to the point where if you can't walk around and you just want to, like, have a real conversation with someone … Do you know what I mean?

If you were as famous as the other Pitt – Brad Pitt – you wouldn't have a life anymore?

No, I think that there are ways to do it. I think you have to be conscious of it but you reap what you sow. I think that was Brad Pitt's … I don't know him. I don't have people standing outside my house in Brooklyn and all that. I ride the subway … so far.

What do you want to do in the future?

Usually what I do after I play a role is look for something that's completely the opposite. Completely different. So I'm looking for that. But mostly I'm working on music. I have a band and I'm just focusing on the music, because I feel it's a younger beast.

We’ve heard you're writing your autobiography. Has it been published yet?

No, it's not an autobiography. It's based on experiences that I have had but nothing's been published yet. It's hard. It's really hard to write a book.

What made you want to do it?

Since I was a kid, I've always written. I would love to get some time to just focus on that and strengthen myself on that.

How do you feel about the promotional side of the acting business?

I'm getting better at it. It's a weird thing because you try to be as honest as you can, or at least I do, and that's not necessarily a good thing. It can be unnerving. It also worries me about getting narcissistic, talking about myself too much.

Is it important to you to surround yourself with artistic people?

As with anyone, it's important to surround yourself with good people. I think my life is a lot of the people around me, you know what I mean?

A lot of young actors party and go to clubs to get noticed.

Well, they're retarded. [Laughs]

You have a cross tattooed on your wrist. Why?

I was 21, I think, when I did that. My sister's boyfriend is a tattoo artist and we went into a shop in the middle of the night and I got it.

Does it have any special significance?

I kind of like crosses. I don't know why. I'm not really religious.

You did go to a Catholic school?

For about three months. [Laughs]

Is it true that you drank the Communion wine and got kicked out?

It was a statement. I was trying to leave the school.

Why?

Because it was a school my mum tried to get me into because my [old] school was dangerous. But I didn't fit.

Why not?

Well I just didn't fit in, you know what I mean? As far as being creative, school never really allowed me to do that. But I didn't go to the right schools. I've since seen schools that are a dream. They're the schools I'll probably send my kids to.