Brad Pitt was turned away from a screening of his latest film because the bouncer didn't recognise him.

The 44-year-old Hollywood heartthrob arrived at the Mann Bruin Theatre in California to watch 'The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button', in which he plays the lead role of a man who is born old and gets progressively younger, but security failed to identify the star, who wore a hat and has grown a moustache.

Convinced that Pitt was a paparazzi photographer, the bouncer went as far as to manhandle the actor, who eventually broke away and stormed off.

A witness said in The Daily Express: "Brad arrived late and looking rather unappealing, given his pin-up status.

"A bit of a fracas broke out. We're not sure if the security staff were holding back a frustrated Brad from waiting snappers or if they just didn't recognise him in his peculiar moustache and hat.

"Either way, Brad wasn't sticking around and quickly left."