Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt

UPDATED 05/10/2004 at 01:00 AM EDT • Originally published 05/10/2004 at 01:00 AM EDT

"He doesn't seek to look like the perfect iconic beauty or Greek god, even though he plays Achilles in the movie," says photographer Steven Klein, who spent four days in Mexico with Brad Pitt in December to document the making of the epic Troy. "He's not interested in photographing the idea that people have of Brad Pitt." Klein, who has collaborated with Pitt four times since 1997 (they met shooting a Japanese jeans ad), shot a 62-page portfolio for Italy's May L'Uomo Vogue. After capturing Pitt letting some of his armor down between takes for the cover (right), being prepped for a complicated fight scene (opposite) and more, Klein followed the actor back to L.A. for edgier shots where Pitt "did some of his makeup himself. He wanted to use his body as a landscape. He's not like 'Look at me—don't I look good?' He morphs himself so easily. He's the perfect muse."