Trigger warning: This story contains references to substance use, suicidal thoughts, and mental health struggles.
Brad Pitt has revealed that he no longer considers himself sober after abstaining from alcohol for seven years. “I was sober for seven years. And then I got back off the wagon,” Pitt said with a laugh in an Esquire interview published Monday. The admission came after Pitt offered the interviewer wine during their conversation at his Los Angeles home. “In a more restrained manner. I got overconfident a couple times, went, Yep, nope, not good for me,” he explained. “Not in big quantities.”
Brad Pitt Says He Now Places Limits on Drinking
GettyPitt, 62, said he can have a few glasses of wine but knows he cannot allow himself to drink heavily.
“I have to be professional about it,” the ‘Fight Club’ actor said.
Pitt explained that he has grown to value his mornings and does not want to lose them to the effects of drinking the previous night. His comments mark a significant change from years of public statements about maintaining his sobriety.
Brad Pitt Quit Drinking After Angelina Jolie Split
GettyPitt stopped drinking amid the breakdown of his marriage to Angelina Jolie in 2016. Jolie filed for divorce days after an alleged confrontation aboard the family’s private plane.
Jolie later alleged in court documents that Pitt had been drinking and became abusive during the flight. Pitt denied the allegations, as reported by The New York Times.
In a 2017 interview with GQ, Pitt acknowledged that alcohol had become a problem.
“I don’t want to live that way anymore,” he said. “I just ran it to the ground. I had to step away for a minute.”
Alcoholics Anonymous Became Part of Brad Pitt’s Recovery
Pitt spent approximately 18 months attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings following the separation.
“I had taken things as far as I could take it, so I removed my drinking privileges,” Pitt said in 2019 in an interview with The New York Times.
Pitt said the all-male recovery group gave him an unfamiliar but important place to be vulnerable.
“You had all these men sitting around being open and honest in a way I have never heard,” he recalled. “It was this safe space where there was little judgment, and therefore little judgment of yourself.”
In 2020, Pitt publicly thanked Bradley Cooper for supporting his recovery.
“He’s a sweetheart. I got sober because of this guy and every day has been happier ever since,” Pitt said while accepting an award from Cooper.
Brad Pitt Reflects on Recovery and ‘Family Stuff’
Pitt revisited his AA experience during a 2025 appearance on Dax Shepard’s ‘Armchair Expert’ podcast. He said he entered the program during a difficult period when he felt ready to accept help and take responsibility for his actions.
His latest Esquire interview also touched on a brief period when Pitt experienced suicidal thoughts while dealing with what he called “family stuff.” Pitt stressed that he did not intend to act on those thoughts and said his survival instincts took over.
“Family stuff,” Pitt said when asked about the source of his pain. “We could leave it at that.”
Pitt’s latest admission makes clear that his relationship with alcohol has changed again. He is no longer abstinent, but said he now relies on strict personal limits after recognizing the risks of becoming overconfident.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to reach the toll-free Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (dial 888-628-9454 for assistance in Spanish). You can also speak with a trained crisis counselor anytime by texting HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.
