Brad Pitt has returned to China for the promotion of his upcoming film after he was reportedly banned over a film 20 years ago. The actor had apparently irked officials by starring in a film about Tibet.
Pitt is in Shanghai from Nov. 13 through Nov. 16 to promote his upcoming World War II thriller "Allied." The actor clicked selfies with fans and signed autographs for about 40 minutes before a 20-minute media event on Nov. 14, Monday, where questions were restricted to the film itself, and reporters were not allowed to ask questions related to his recent divorce from wife Angelina Jolie, The Associated Press reported.
Pitt, 52, angered the Chinese government with his 1997 film, "Seven Years in Tibet" because of its harsh portrayal of the Chinese rule in the region. The film followed the story of an Austrian explorer and his relationship with a young Dalai Lama. China claims sovereignty over Tibet and has accused Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, of seeking independence for the Himalayan region.
"It's a great honor for us to start with the film here," Entertainment Tonight quoted Pitt as saying about the film's release in China. "Your film industry has been exploding in the best of ways that we have great respect for, and to have our film play in this arena is a real, again, a real honor for us and we think we've got something that you'll really like."
Pitt has previously visited China in 2014. The actor accompanied Jolie on a press junket in the country for her film "Maleficient" at the time but did not make any public appearances and maintained a low profile.
"Allied," which also stars Marion Cotillard, features Pitt as an intelligence officer who becomes romantically involved with a French resistance fighter (played by Cotillard) and their relationship is put at risk by the brink of war. The film is slated to hit theaters on Nov. 23.
Check out the film's trailer below: