Brad Pitt, the award-winning actor and producer, recently shared how The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) changed his life. Pitt’s admissions come just ahead of the European premiere of his newest release, “F1.” This event will happen at Cineworld Leicester Square in London on June 23, 2025. The actor is candid about his path to sobriety. This cri de coeur follows the last few years’ personal lows — particularly after the 2016 divorce from Angelina Jolie.
In an emotionally-charged interview, Pitt opened up about how he spent a year and a half going to AA meetings. This experience followed in the wake of his marriage’s dissolution. He expressed how deeply impactful these sessions were, stating, “I was pretty much on my knees, and I was really open.” This was a critical turning point in his life, and it was during this time that he decided to reassess his relationship with alcohol.
Pitt explained that his AA experience was “really special. He has been most struck by the deep sense of community and support that he found once entering the program. He recognized that these meetings were sort of a new happy hour that he began to enjoy. “It was this safe space where there was little judgment, and therefore little judgment of yourself,” he remarked, emphasizing the importance of vulnerability and honesty in these gatherings.
The actor looked back on the personal lessons he learned over these past months too. “What do I do with this? How can I right this and make sure it doesn’t happen again?” Pitt questioned, illustrating his commitment to personal growth. He conceded that he was running on fumes. Because of this, he made the determination to revoke his drinking rights.
Pitt’s reflections on his time pair well to connect with other young adults and teens currently undertaking the same journey. About the AA sessions, he enjoyed the “really heightened honesty and vulnerability” that defined the sessions. What I saw out there was, quite frankly, amazing—men talking freely about their stuff, their foibles, missteps, desires and aches, injecting a whole lot of comedy into the scene.
In addition to his journey through sobriety, Pitt is a dedicated father to six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne. Since adopting Maddox and Zahara in 2006, he has kept family first while conquering Hollywood on a raging career path.
Prior to the gala, on May 8, 2014, Pitt and Jolie joined their friends for a private reception at Kensington Palace. The star-studded evening featured costumes and props from Disney’s “Maleficent”, helping to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Through the lens of philanthropy, this event highlighted their collaborative philanthropic efforts, a theme which continues to be relevant in Pitt’s life.
