American actor Brad Pitt has revealed he suffered overwhelming personal pain, suicidal thoughts and a moderate alcohol relapse following difficult family struggles.
In a wide-ranging interview published on Monday with Esquire magazine, the 62-year-old Oscar winner opened up about what he described as the darkest period of his personal and professional life. The interview was conducted last June at his residence in Los Angeles, a home he purchased last October.
Pitt, who was born in Oklahoma, explained that family matters had caused him severe emotional distress. He confessed that at his lowest point he felt he could not see any way out because the pain was so overwhelming. Although he stressed that he was not planning to take action, he said he could feel the cold steel of a bullet in his head, which felt like relief at the time.
Struggle with personal pain
Reflecting on those dark moments, the actor said he came to understand suicide as a search for relief from suffering. He added, however, that humans possess an extraordinary survival instinct, which he said activated immediately in his case to protect him.
The actor acknowledged that dealing with family issues is far from easy. The interview, featured on the cover of Esquire's September issue, comes after two of his six children with actress Angelina Jolie, Maddox and Zahara, made headlines last month by starting the legal process to drop their father's surname.
Pitt and Jolie, who were married in 2014 and separated in 2016, share six children together. Their high-profile separation led to extensive legal proceedings regarding custody and joint assets, including international properties.
In addition to discussing his mental health, Pitt revealed that after maintaining seven years of complete sobriety, he suffered a moderate relapse. He explained that he had become overconfident on a couple of occasions and drank alcohol again, but emphasized that it did not involve large amounts. He added that he quickly realized the habit was not good for him.
Reflections on aging and career
Looking back on his life, the two-time Academy Award winner expressed a wish that he could turn back the clock by ten years. He said he wished he could return to his fifties so he could accomplish more, advising readers to immediately pursue whatever goals or projects they have in mind.
Pitt has been a major figure in Hollywood since the early 1990s, when he gained recognition in films such as Thelma and Louise. He went on to star in critically acclaimed box-office successes including Fight Club, Seven, Moneyball, and the Ocean's Eleven trilogy. Beyond acting, he established the production company Plan B Entertainment, producing Oscar-winning films such as 12 Years a Slave and Moonlight.
Pitt won his first Academy Award as a producer when 12 Years a Slave claimed Best Picture, and later earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Over his decades-long career, he has remained one of the film industry's most recognizable personalities.
Esquire magazine, founded in 1933, is a long-standing American men's publication known for longform interviews and cultural commentary. The magazine published the profile on Monday as Pitt continues living at his Los Angeles estate.
