Long before the Dalai Lama made headlines for winning a Grammy Award, his life story had already crossed paths with Hollywood in an unexpected way—through a 1997 film starring Brad Pitt. That cinematic connection dates back nearly three decades and continues to resonate today.
The 14th Dalai Lama recently won a Grammy in the Best Audiobook category for Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The award was accepted on his behalf by singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 1. While the Dalai Lama is globally revered for his spiritual teachings and humanitarian work, fewer people are aware of how his life has been portrayed on the big screen—most notably in Seven Years in Tibet.
Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, Seven Years in Tibet is a biographical war drama based on Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer’s 1952 memoir. Brad Pitt stars as Harrer, alongside David Thewlis as fellow climber Peter Aufschnaiter. The film follows their journey from a mountaineering expedition in British India in the late 1930s to their imprisonment as German nationals in a British prisoner-of-war camp during World War II.
In 1944, Harrer and Aufschnaiter escape captivity and trek into Tibet. Although initially instructed to return to India, they are allowed entry into Lhasa, where Harrer is eventually introduced to the young 14th Dalai Lama. By 1945, Harrer is invited to live at the Potala Palace, becoming the Dalai Lama’s tutor in geography, science, and Western culture. Over time, a deep bond forms between the two—a friendship that lies at the emotional heart of the film.
The Dalai Lama is portrayed at different ages by Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk, Sonam Wangchuk, and Dorjee Tsering. The film also features notable performances by Danny Denzongpa, Mako, BD Wong, and Victor Wong. Seven Years in Tibet is currently available to stream on Netflix.
Another major cinematic portrayal of the Dalai Lama came the same year with Martin Scorsese’s Kundun, released in December 1997. Written by Melissa Mathison, the film focuses more directly on the Dalai Lama’s early life and spiritual journey.
Through Seven Years in Tibet, Brad Pitt’s Hollywood career intersected with the story of one of the world’s most respected spiritual leaders—creating a lasting cultural bridge between cinema and Tibetan history.
