Actor Brad Pitt revealed in a recent interview that he has begun drinking again after maintaining seven years of sobriety. Pitt, who has been open about his past struggles with alcohol, told Esquire that he "got back off the wagon."
While reflecting on his personal battles, Pitt described his current approach to drinking as more measured. "In a more restrained manner," he clarified. "I got overconfident a couple times, went, ‘Yep, nope, not good for me. Not in big quantities.’"
The actor's candid confession comes as he discusses the lasting impact of grief and depression. Pitt shared that during a particularly difficult period, he experienced suicidal thoughts, describing the feeling as understanding suicide as a form of relief from overwhelming pain.
"The pain was so oppressive that – I wasn’t going to act on this, but I could feel – I could feel the cold steel of the bullet in my head, and it felt like relief," Pitt stated. He added that his survival instincts eventually took over.
Pitt, who has been navigating complex "family stuff" since his divorce from Angelina Jolie began in 2016, acknowledged that fame and success have not shielded him from personal struggles. He characterized himself as a "congenital optimist" but admitted that this trait has also led him into difficult situations.
"Grief, if you survive it, leaves a gaping hole, but it also leaves profound beauty," Pitt reflected. "It’s an aching beauty, but it’s beauty."
Pitt's career spans decades, with early attention for his role in "Thelma & Louise" followed by leading roles in films such as "A River Runs Through It," "Legends of the Fall," "Fight Club," and "Ocean’s Eleven." He has also achieved success as a producer through his company, Plan B Entertainment, earning an Oscar for producing "12 Years a Slave."
Looking back on his fifties, Pitt expressed a desire to have done more, urging others to pursue their goals with urgency. "Your fifties are just – man, anything that’s on your mind, go. Go attack it. Go attack it now."