Brad Pitt has always kept his private life tightly guarded. But in a rare interview on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, the Hollywood icon opened up about his painful descent into alcoholism and the unexpected lifeline he found in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
At 61, Pitt is speaking out about the vulnerability, brotherhood, and brutal honesty that helped him reclaim his life.
A Rare Glimpse into Pitt's Healing Journey
Pitt rarely sits down for personal interviews, making this appearance with Shepard especially significant. The two bonded over their shared history in AA, having met during recovery meetings. Pitt described AA as 'amazing', calling his early experiences in the group deeply emotional and eye-opening.
'It was just these incredible men sharing their experiences, their foibles, their missteps, their wants, their aches—and a lot of humour with it,' he said. 'It was really special.'
Bonding Through Sobriety
Shepard, 50, has long been open about his own battles with substance abuse and sobriety. On the podcast, he admitted he was unsure if Pitt would feel comfortable acknowledging their connection publicly. But Pitt quickly reassured him, saying that while he was initially shy about joining, he soon felt a sense of ease and belonging.
The actor joined AA in 2016, shortly after his high-profile divorce from Angelina Jolie. He recalled feeling broken at the time: 'I was pretty much on my knees, and was really open... I was trying anything anyone threw at me.'
Rock Bottom and a Wake-Up Call
Jolie filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. One of the most widely reported issues was an alleged incident aboard a private jet involving Pitt, which reportedly placed their children in distress. While Pitt did not address the incident directly, he alluded to a moment of reckoning.
'I needed rebooting. I needed to wake the f*** up in some areas,' he said. 'I'm a stubborn f***, but when I've stepped in s***, I'm pretty good at taking responsibility for it. And now it's a quest to figure out how to right it and make sure it doesn't happen again.'
From Desperation to Transformation
Over time, Pitt said AA became something he looked forward to. The honesty he encountered in meetings helped him transition into therapy with the same level of openness.
'When I jumped into therapy then, I was just like, "And I did this, and I did that..."' he said, describing the experience as 'desperate' but necessary.
Shepard agreed, adding that no one comes to AA because life is going perfectly. 'It's not the winner's club,' he quipped. 'Your hair's got to be on fire before you say, "Yeah, I'll go hang with a bunch of dudes and talk about emotions."'
Listen to the full interview on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard.
