Brad Pitt, who began his acting career nearly forty years ago, has grown into one of Hollywood’s most celebrated stars, known for his impressive range and enduring charisma. Over the decades, Pitt has earned two Academy Awards and contributed to films that have grossed billions worldwide. Despite this remarkable success, his journey has been marked by significant personal challenges, including battles with addiction, mental health struggles, and a tumultuous private life, highlighted by his difficult divorce from Angelina Jolie and the recent loss of his mother, Jane Pitt.
Pitt has spoken openly about how these hardships have shaped him, viewing the obstacles life presents as opportunities to grow and rebuild. During a July 2025 appearance on the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce, he reflected on the dual nature of life’s experiences, saying,
“Sometimes everything goes quiet, it’s perfection, it’s sublime. Other periods, life throws these struggles at you and it’s how you deal with those and how you come back from those.”
Brad Pitt’s Journey Toward Sobriety and Alcohol Recovery
Following his highly publicized split from Angelina Jolie in 2016, which included a confrontation on a flight involving their children, Brad Pitt acknowledged his struggles with alcohol and took concrete steps to address them. That same year, he began attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to work on overcoming his alcohol dependency. In September 2019, Pitt opened up about this period in an interview with The New York Times, revealing that hitting rock bottom motivated his decision to seek help.
He explained,
“I had taken things as far as I could take it,”
and described choosing to stop drinking as a conscious, liberating choice:
“So I removed my drinking privileges.”
Pitt also shared the relief he found in the honesty and trust built within AA meetings, stating,
“It was actually really freeing just to expose the ugly sides of yourself.”
Further discussing his sobriety in June 2025 on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard, Pitt admitted that the consequences of his behavior had become too painful to ignore. He said,
“I was pretty much on my knees. It was a difficult time. I needed rebooting. I needed to wake the f*** up in some areas.”
This candid admission highlighted the depth of his commitment to recovery and personal change.
Reflecting on Enduring Melancholy and Emotional Struggles
Despite his fame, wealth, and family, Brad Pitt has frequently discussed feelings of loneliness and melancholy that persist beneath the surface. In January 2023, while promoting his role as Jack Conrad, a fading silent film star in the movie Babylon, he connected with the character’s emotional struggles, which mirrored his own outlook at times.
Pitt described this persistent sense of sadness, sharing with W Magazine,
“Sadly enough, that melancholy may be my natural mode of being. Some congenital melancholy,”
and added,
“There’s a world-weariness that I can certainly relate to a little bit. At this time, more of us are trying to tear each other down than help each other up. I get a little weary.”
The actor has been open about such feelings dating back to his youth. In an interview with GQ in June 2022, Pitt mentioned experiencing what he called “low-grade depression” for many years. However, he emphasized that only recently has he been able to manage these feelings more effectively through self-acceptance and embracing the full complexity of his life, allowing him to seize moments of happiness amid the difficulty.
The Impact of Losing His Mother Jane Pitt
August 2025 brought profound grief to Brad Pitt with the passing of his mother, Jane Pitt, at the age of 84. The two shared a close and supportive relationship, visible to fans over the years as Jane stood by him through key moments in his career. Just weeks before her death, during a screening of his film F1, Pitt warmly acknowledged his mother on live television, telling Today show host Savannah Guthrie,
“I gotta say hi to my mom because she watches you every morning,”
and affectionately adding,
“To Jane Pitt. Love you, Mom!”
While Brad has remained private about her death, his niece Sydney Pitt paid tribute on social media, sharing heartfelt words and photos. She wrote,
“My sweet Grammy, Jane Etta, we were not ready for you to go yet but knowing you are finally free to sing, dance, and paint again makes it a tad easier,”
and continued,
If you knew Grammy, you knew she had the biggest heart. She cared deeply for everyone and everything, no questions asked… and I know she lives on through each of us.”
Jane Pitt was a devoted supporter of Brad, frequently attending premieres and events with him. Notably, she appeared alongside Brad and his father, Bill Pitt, at the 2008 premiere of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and was present for Angelina Jolie’s 2014 premiere of Unbroken. Jane also accompanied Brad to the 2012 Oscars ceremony when he was nominated for Best Actor for Moneyball.
Why Brad Pitt’s Story Resonates Beyond Hollywood
Brad Pitt’s openness regarding his sobriety and emotional challenges offers a rare glimpse into the complexities hidden behind the glamor of fame. His journey underscores how persistent personal issues can affect even those at the top of their fields, revealing a human side to a Hollywood icon. As Pitt continues to confront his past and move forward, his experiences may inspire others facing similar struggles to seek help and embrace vulnerability.
With new projects on the horizon and ongoing personal growth, Pitt’s candid reflections suggest that his story is still evolving, marked not only by professional triumphs but also by a deep and honest reckoning with life’s difficulties.
