War Machine extra: Brad Pitt ‘thanked us for our service’

Ex-military man and Abu Dhabi resident Bobby Joe Lewis, who was part of the War Machine shoot in the capital, shares his experiences.

The Abu Dhabi set for War Machine, showing a watchtower and building with the sign ‘National Security Assistance Force’. The National staff

One of the extras on the War Machine set in Abu Dhabi understands the storyline better than almost anyone else on the film set.

Texan Bobby Joe Lewis actually served with General Stanley A McChrystal – portrayed by Hollywood star Brad Pitt in the film – when Lewis was in the United States military 35 years ago.

“I used to work in Afghanistan and Iraq and I served with McChrystal in 1980 to 1981,” says the 60-year-old Abu Dhabi-based ex-military man, who now works for Gal (Global Aerospace Logistics). “McChrystal was a typical officer, they just have a different attitude,” he says. They’ve got the seriousness, the follow-the rules-to-the-letter-of-the-law. He was special forces.”

Meeting Brad Pitt

Lewis, who spent six days filming War Machine, says he got the opportunity to meet Pitt on set in Abu Dhabi and even took a selfie with the star.

“All of us ex-military guys sat down with Pitt. He shook everybody’s hands and thanked us for our service. We took selfies with Brad Pitt but it was only with the prop phone. We weren’t allowed phones on the set.

“Pitt was definitely a good guy to play McChrystal,” says Lewis. “There was a resemblance with the make-up and the stuff he did, with the salt-and-pepper look. He also had the same walk, so I guess he did his homework.”

Last week, the actor attended the Los Angeles premiere of By the Sea, directed by his wife Angelina Jolie (the couple also star in the film).

But Lewis believes Pitt will be back in the UAE soon, adding that filming moved on November 4 to Ras Al Khaimah, where road signs and boards are being covered with Urdu lettering, ostensibly to depict a Pakistani town. “They’re doing some door knocking and pulling people out of houses this week,” says Lewis. “It’s going to be realistic. I think it’s the right-looking terrain.”

“I’m quite sure he’ll [Pitt] be doing something [in Ras Al Khaimah] because that’s the kind of terrain where McChrystal was the clean-up man.”

Lewis also reveals that the director, David Michôd, wasn’t shy about asserting his authority.

“The director was the policeman. He was strong on the people that were setting up the scene. He got a little hot a couple of times about some things, but he wasn’t that bad.”

Although Lewis didn't spot Pitt's War Machine co-star Topher Grace, he did see Anthony Michael Hall (who starred in the 1980s cult classics Weird Science and The Breakfast Club) on set.

Exercising his acting chops

Lewis says that many of those involved as extras were retired US military guys like himself.

“That helped out, with them with putting us in uniform. I had to carry the combat gear, the bulletproof vest, the simulated weapon – we call it ‘the full battle rattle’. But it was a whole different arena from when I was in the army. We had to do a lot of strenuous walking and I had to carry 40 pounds on my back, but it was OK. I had to follow instructions. They set up a scene and they had us doing normal stuff – forget the camera is there and walk around, laugh, talk, you know. I had a lot of fun.”

The Abu Dhabi set

Lewis reveals that the set in Abu Dhabi, of which The National got exclusive photos, reminded him of his time spent on a real military base in Afghanistan.

“I think they did make Abu Dhabi look like Afghanistan. It wasn’t a huge film set. They set up a mock base, so we did a lot of stuff in there, they set up a food court kind of deal and a bandstand for the military band, stuff like that was set up there.”

After wrapping up in Abu Dhabi, Lewis says the cast and crew moved to a new location on the outskirts of the city. “We worked in hangars with helicopters. And [we shot in] ADNEC, which they set up as an airport lobby.”

Beyond the glamour

Lewis says he was thrilled that he got to star in a film that’s tipped to become a blockbuster, but says he’s done with acting.

“My career as an extra is over. They couldn’t really give me guaranteed days in Ras Al Khaimah and I couldn’t just go up there and hang around and nothing happens. But I am just so pleased I got to do this once in my life. I never even wished, or dreamed, that I would do something like this. It was pretty cool.”

Lewis also has a newfound respect for those who work in the film industry.

“The casting guys were working 20 hours a day. They go home, take a shower and get changed and then they’re back out there. I’ve got to give them a lot of credit. The first couple of days I was shooting, I came in at 7.30am and we didn’t leave until 11.30pm. It was constantly doing whatever scene over and over – or somebody got an idea, do this, have this guy walk this way or lean against a building or whatever they needed, it was just constantly busy. Now I got a lot of respect for those people who do this for a living.”