Interesting Facts About Brad Pitt

For Brad Pitt, the elements of superstardom seem to have always been in place: a world-famous face; a highly-publicized love life; and a penchant for roles that have played into American myths or torn them down. Critics have wondered whether he will ever find the one great, career-defining role that eludes him. Pitt has nevertheless made his mark as an actor, especially in films that have struck a cultural nerve, such as Se7en (1995) and Fight Club (1999).

William Bradley Pitt was born in 1963 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He grew up in Springfield, Missouri. His parents, Bill and Jane Pitt, were devout Southern Baptists. Pitt was an active student at Kickapoo High School, participating in everything from sports to debating to musicals. He went to the University of Missouri to study journalism and eventually entered advertising. Somewhere along the line, however, he discovered an ambition to act. Just two credits short of a degree, Pitt packed up "Runaround Sue"—his Datsun—and drove to Los Angeles.

Pitt did odd jobs, driving a limo and even dressing up as a chicken to promote a restaurant. Meanwhile he studied acting and tried to break into the business. He was soon cast in small roles on television shows such as Dallas and Growing Pains. He had bit parts in a few films before making his breakthrough in the film Thelma & Louise (1991). Playing a small role as a hitchhiker who romances Geena Davis and then steals from her, Pitt got noticed for his looks and his magnetic screen presence. Suddenly Brad Pitt was a star.

The subsequent Johnny Suede (1991) and Cool World (1992) did not necessarily dim anyone's enthusiasm for Pitt; neither did they fan the flames. He did shine, however, in Robert Redford's A River Runs Through It (1992). The role of a spirited but doomed young man showcased his physicality and charisma. Pitt costarred with Tom Cruise in Interview with the Vampire (1994). And in Legends of the Fall (1994), as in A River Runs Through It, Pitt played another charismatic, doomed character in a period piece set in a beautiful American landscape.

Pitt grew increasingly uncomfortable with his pretty-boy image. He proceeded to take on darker roles in films such as Se7en, Twelve Monkeys (1995) (for which he received an Academy Award nomination), Fight Club, and Snatch (2000). Ironically, looking beat-up only made him more attractive to his fans. Pitt seemed to flourish when paired with talented costars such as Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Bruce Willis, and Edward Norton. But some of Pitt's projects were major disappointments, such as Seven Years in Tibet (1997) and Meet Joe Black (1998). More-recent roles include Ocean's Eleven (2001) and its sequels Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007). Pitt played the Greek warrior Achilles in Troy (2004). He appeared in the 2006 film Babel, and starred as Jesse James in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007). In 2008, Pitt appeared in Burn After Reading and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It the latter film, Pitt portrayed a man who ages backward. His performance earned him a second Academy Award nomination. He was next seen as the leader of a Jewish-American guerrilla group fighting the Nazis in German-occupied France in the 2009 film Inglourious Basterds.

 

In the mid-1990s, the media and fans took a strong interest in Pitt's relationship with actress Gwyneth Paltrow, whom he had met on the set of Se7en. They split in 1997. Pitt went on to marry actress Jennifer Aniston in 2000, but the couple separated in 2005 and filed for divorce. Soon after, Pitt became involved with actress Angelina Jolie. The two had costarred in the film Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005). Pitt has since legally adopted Jolie's two children. Their first biological child was born in May 2006. The couple adopted a young Vietnamese boy in 2007 and became parents of biological twins in July 2008. They have become activists for various social issues, including the environment and poverty.