Brad Pitt was once asked to punch fellow cast members in the face so he would get to know them better.

The actor, who starred in 1999 movie Fight Club, said the unnamed director told the actors: “You never learn about someone until you punch him in the face.”

The peculiar bonding technique was revealed by the 55-year-old in an interview for the latest edition of Red Bulletin magazine, as new film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is released.

After talking about director Quentin Tarantino's approach to the new film, Brad said: "There was one director who made me and my cast mates spar with each other.

Brad Pitt (
Image:
Getty)

"He told us it was to help us get comfortable with a daily level of violence.

"It wasn't until later that he revealed it was also to get us to know each other.

"He said you never learn about someone until you punch him in the face.

"We formed a relationship through sparring.

"You push a little, but also hold back because you're rooting for each other.

"You're competitive but also protective."

In Fight Club, Brad played Tyler Durden, who sets up the clandestine club of the film title, in which men with typically white collar jobs meet to have secret, recreational fist fights.

Brad Pitt in Fight Club (
Image:
Rex Features)

Brad's character has regular violent bouts with the narrator of the film, played by Edward Norton.

The occasionally brutal film was directed by David Fincher, now 56, who also directed the actor in classic crime thriller Seven.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which also stars Leonardo DiCaprio and was directed by Quentin Tarantino, hit British cinemas this week.