Brad Pitt has hinted the executives responsible for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill deserve the death penalty.

The 'Inglourious Basterds' star speaks out against those behind the oil rig explosion in April - which caused the worst environmental disaster in US history with millions of gallons of oil flooding into the sea - in a new documentary 'If God is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise'.

Of the people responsible for the disaster, Brad says: "I was never for the death penalty before - I am willing to look at it again."

The oil spill - which happened after an explosion on the BP operated Deepwater Horizon rig - resulted in the decimation of wildlife and habitat of marine and coastal animals, as well as loss of livelihood for many fishermen and other people who depend of the area for work. As yet the root cause of the disaster remains unconfirmed.

Brad's comments are at the end of the documentary, filmed by Spike Lee, about the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the city of New Orleans, Louisiana - the closest major US city to the Deepwater rig - five years after the hurricane devastated the city, leaving 80 per cent of it waterlogged.

Brad spearheaded the 'Make it Right' project after the natural disaster, which built 150 affordable and sustainable homes in one of the areas of New Orleans that was worst hit.

The documentary originally ended on a positive note, with the New Orleans saints NFL team winning the Super Bowl, but after the oil spill in April, Spike extended the programme to include the effects of it.

He said: "This would have been a much more upbeat documentary for sure."

An estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil leaked into the Gulf of Mexico during the 87-day spill. An operation to seal the leak will not be completed until next month.

'If God is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise' will be shown in the US tonight (23.08.10).