in Ridley Scott’s The Counsellor, Brad Pitt’s character of Westray isn’t malevolent like Malkina, though he certainly has a dark side.
Westray is a philosophizing and shady middleman whose warnings to The Counselor about the dangers of a world he seeks to enter go unheeded.
Handsome, charming and witty, Westray is an unapologetic womanizer, which threatens to lead to his demise.
“We don’t know quite what Westray does, apart from the fact he’s connection to the cartel with which The Counselor has made his deal,” says Scott. But whatever his motives and allegiances, Westray is nothing if not stylish. “We dressed him like country music legend Hank Williams,” with a cowboy jacket, padded shoulders, cowboy hat and boots, adds the director. “Westray is a bit of a dandy.”
“Westray is a cool character, and Brad plays him with enormous amounts of clever, dark wit,” adds Wechsler.
Reteaming with Ridley Scott, who launched his career in Thelma & Louise, Pitt brings unbridled charisma to a quirky and unforgettable character. The chance to reunite with Scott and work with a script from a writer he’s long admired was irresistible. “I’m a Cormac McCarthy fan – I mean, I’ve read every word the guy’s published and most of the books more than once. So THE COUNSELOR was a chance to do something of his and also to work with Ridley again. Ridley gave me my first break into the big leagues.”
The Counselor’s supporting cast is exceptional, including Bruno Ganz, Rosie Perez, Dean Norris, Natalie Dormer, Goran Visnjic, and Rubén Blades.