Actor Brad Pitt revealed that he experienced suicidal thoughts during a period of intense personal difficulty approximately 10 years after his divorce from Angelina Jolie. In a recent interview with Esquire, Pitt described the profound emotional pain he endured, stating, "I’ve never been suicidal except for one little period. And in that one little period, I just thought — I just couldn’t — just didn’t see a way out."
He elaborated on the severity of his feelings, noting, "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, 62, added that his survival instincts eventually kicked in, but acknowledged the difficulty of the experience, remarking, "This s–t ain’t easy. And you’re talking to a guy who won the lottery."
When asked if he was referring to "kid stuff," Pitt clarified it was "family stuff," but declined to offer further details on the subject.
Pitt and Jolie, who share six children – Maddox, 25, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and 18-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox – have had a contentious relationship since their 2016 divorce filing. Jolie's legal team had alleged Pitt was involved in an abusive incident with one of their children on a private jet, claims that led to an FBI investigation which ultimately did not result in charges against Pitt.
The former couple was declared legally single in 2019, and their divorce was finalized in December 2024. Reports from the past year indicate that Pitt has remained estranged from most of his children, despite attempts to reconnect. Several of the couple's children have publicly or legally taken steps to distance themselves from the "Pitt" surname.
If you or someone you care about is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, you can contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).