Little Pink Houses

Hot pink tents, 150 of them, have sprung up around the Katrina-ravaged Lower Ninth Ward. It looks as if Christo—the avant-garde artist who once wrapped an island and put hundreds of saffron gates in Central Park—was here. But the man behind the little pink houses is a movie star. Brad Pitt—you've heard of him?—is launching a program to help rebuild New Orleans. "Make It Right" calls for 150 actual homes, worth $150,000 each, to replace the tents. He spoke with NEWSWEEK's Nicki Gostin.

NEWSWEEK: What is your project called?
Brad Pitt: MakeItRightNOLA.org. It's a rebuilding effort that's beginning in the Lower Ninth Ward but I think should work as a catalyst for all over.

Did you get involved in the blueprints, like "No, the kitchen should not go there"?
No, no. We didn't want to stifle these minds in any way. We put forth the criteria that the housing would have to be sustainable, afford­able, safe and beautiful. This has been one of the age-old challenges in architecture: how do you find aesthetics with affordability?

It's great you're doing this, but don't you think it's the government's job to rebuild?
It certainly illuminated that a certain portion of society is not being looked after. I think it should be one of the major issues of the upcoming campaign. This is a proving ground for so many issues: education, health reform, poverty level, unemployment, violence that comes from these conditions.

You know what I'm thinking? Sen. Brad Pitt.
Not a chance. The same reason I won't di­rect. I don't think it's my place. Besides, you can create acts of social disobedience from the outside.

Are you going to help build, like Jimmy Carter?
I would like to.