Taylor Kitsch Reveals the Advice Oliver Stone Gave Him After ‘Battleship’ Sank

Taylor Kitsch hasn’t had the greatest of luck with movies this year.

John Carter, which opened March 9, made less than $73 million, while another big-budget film, Battleship, sunk in theaters with only $60.1 million since its May 18 bow.

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But Kitsch tells the new issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine that he found support in his Savages director, Oliver Stone, who e-mailed the former Friday Night Lights star after the Battleship fiasco offering his encouragement.

“With any job there is always going to be self-doubt that creeps in, but know that you are going to have a long career,” Stone wrote to Kitsch.

Kitsch adds that Stone has “zero filter” in giving his opinion and praised him for being open to Kitsch’s suggestion that his Savages character, a vet, be covered with scars.

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“Other directors would have been, ‘No, I want you to look good!’ ” he says. To his surprise, Stone agreed without hesitation.

The film — about two pot growers whose mutual girlfriend is kidnapped by a Mexican cartel — also stars Blake Lively, Aaron Johnson, Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek and John Travolta.

Kitsch adds the cast of Savages rehearsed from 9 to 5 every day for two weeks in Los Angeles and that he was helped by his military training for Battleship, during which he worked with Navy SEALs.

Savages opens July 6.