Superstar actor Brad Pitt is interviewed in the new GQ magazine.

Pitt stars in the new film “War Machine,” a satire based on the incidents surrounding the firing of General Stanley McChrystal.

Pitt plays a character based on General McChrystal, who was the commander of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in the mid-2000s, and then Commander, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A).

Following unflattering remarks about Vice President Joe Biden and other Obama administration officials attributed to McChrystal and his aides in a Rolling Stone article, he was recalled to Washington and resigned.

Interviewed by Michael Paterniti, Pitt was asked about the theme of the film - hubris, or dangerous pride and arrogance.

An excerpt:

And the movie really pokes at this, too, right—America's hubris?

When I get in trouble it's because of my hubris. When America gets in trouble it's because of our hubris. We think we know better, and this idea of American exceptionalism—I think we're exceptional in many ways, I do, but we can't force it on others. We shouldn't think we can. How do we show American exceptionalism? By example. It's the same as being a good father. By exemplifying our tenets and our beliefs, freedom and choice and not closing borders and being protectionists. But that's another issue. You want me to tell you something really sad? I thought this was so sad. We were looking at—let me say, a certain war film that was looking to promote itself. The European posters had the American flag in the background, and it came back from the marketing department: “Remove the flag. It's not a good sell here.” I was, like, Man, that's America. That's what we've done to our brand.

Pitt was also asked about politics:

Have you ever felt the need to be more political?

I can help in other ways. I can help by getting movies out with certain messages. I've got to be moved by something—I can't fake it. I grew up with that Ozarkian mistrust of politics to begin with, so I just do better building a house for someone in New Orleans or getting certain movies to the screen that might not get made otherwise.

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