Brad Pitt has revealed he has resumed drinking after maintaining seven years of sobriety, a period that began after a volatile 2016 plane incident involving his ex-wife Angelina Jolie and their children. Pitt, now 62, stated in a recent interview with Esquire that he has "gotten back off the wagon" but is now drinking in a "more restrained manner."
Pitt explained that he can now have "a few" glasses of wine, but not in large quantities, emphasizing the need to remain "professional." He noted that he has discovered he is "a professional" when it comes to alcohol consumption, a statement made during his 2017 GQ interview when he described his ability to "drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka."
He had previously announced his sobriety after the 2016 incident, during which he was accused of being physically abusive towards Jolie and two of their children. Court filings later alleged Pitt had been drinking and poured beer on Jolie and the children during the flight. Pitt denied these allegations, and an FBI investigation did not lead to any charges. A source close to Pitt at the time called the filing a "media stunt."
During his period of sobriety, Pitt attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for about a year and a half, describing it as a "safe space" to address personal issues.
The actor's renewed drinking comes amid ongoing family drama. Several of his children with Jolie have taken steps to drop "Pitt" from their last names. Their daughter Vivienne, 18, filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court to drop his surname, citing "personal" reasons, with a court hearing scheduled for November 2. Their children Zahara and Maddox have also published notices indicating their intention to drop the surname. Shiloh previously legally changed her name to Shiloh Jolie. His twin son Knox is the only other sibling who has not yet formally dropped the actor's surname.
Jolie had cited Pitt's "acknowledged problem of alcohol abuse on their family" as part of her motivation to sell her stake in their French winery, Chateau Miraval. The property and business dealings have become a central point in their ongoing legal disputes.
In the same interview, Pitt also spoke about the emotional toll of his estrangement from his children. He described experiencing a period where he struggled with suicidal thoughts, not in the sense of acting on them, but in understanding the relief the act could provide from overwhelming pain. He attributed his survival instinct to ultimately prevailing.
Pitt is currently working on several film projects, including "Heart of the Beast" and Quentin Tarantino's "The Adventures of Cliff Booth."