Hollywood actor Brad Pitt has moved to the Dublin suburb of Dalkey to begin filming his upcoming movie The Riders. The production, an adaptation of Tim Winton's novel, started in early February and will span several Irish locations before moving to Europe. Fans have a limited window to spot the star in Ireland.
Brad Pitt, aged 62, arrived in Dublin last week to start work on The Riders, directed by Edward Berger. The film adapts the 1994 Booker Prize-shortlisted novel by Australian author Tim Winton. In the story, Pitt plays Fred Scully, an Australian whose life unravels when his wife, Jennifer—portrayed by Julianne Nicholson—vanishes after the family relocates to a remote Irish farmhouse. Scully then searches across Europe with his seven-year-old daughter, Billie, played by Coco Greenstone.
Production kicked off in early February, with shooting scheduled in Dublin, Wicklow, Cork, and Kerry. Key scenes in the Wicklow Mountains, including at Lough Tay—a site previously used for the TV series Vikings—have been closed to the public. Pitt has settled in Dalkey, a coastal suburb in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown county, southeast of Dublin, following a path similar to that of fellow actor Matt Damon.
The actor's stay in Ireland is brief, lasting about two weeks before the crew heads to other European spots, such as the Greek island of Hydra. Pitt has a history with Dublin, having attended concerts there, including Bruce Springsteen's recent show at Croke Park. In 1996, he signed autographs outside The Point venue alongside Bryan Adams.
Pitt has expressed affection for Ireland in the past. In a January 2023 interview on Today FM, he discussed interest in buying property in Waterford, saying, "I do love it there. It's just so beautiful that I actually would love to have a spot there." He also praised U2's Bono after attending his book tour, Surrender, in Los Angeles: "I saw it in LA. It's extraordinary, and I wish it would've gone on for another three hours. It's really moving and really joyful and beautifully reflective." He added, "You know, it's Bono, there's no other man like him."
A detailed synopsis describes Scully's family arriving in Ireland after two years traveling Europe. On a whim, they purchase an old farmhouse near a castle. While Scully renovates it alone, Jennifer returns to Australia to sell assets. At Shannon Airport, only Billie appears, leaving Scully devastated by the unexplained disappearance. No release date is confirmed, though early 2027 is suggested.
