It’s fairly uncommon for a star of Brad Pitt’s magnitude to sit down down for a candid, in-depth dialog, however the Oscar winner has performed precisely that. In an interview with Esquire revealed on Aug. 10, 2026, the actor and producer lastly broke his silence amid his estrangement from his six youngsters he shares with ex-wife Angelina Jolie.
The Seven star informed the outlet that he’s by no means been suicidal, however there was a time when he felt he may “perceive suicide” as he navigated a difficult time involving “household stuff.”
“I used to be by no means suicidal in any method. It simply was not my make-up,” Pitt started. “In truth, if I’ve any afflictions, it’s in all probability being a congenital optimist.”
He continued, “Anyway, I’ve by no means been suicidal apart from one little interval. And in that one little interval, I simply thought—I simply couldn’t—simply didn’t see a method out. The ache was so oppressive that—I wasn’t going to behave on this, however I may really feel—I may really feel the chilly metal of the bullet in my head, and it felt like aid.”
“And I assumed, ‘Oh, okay, now I perceive’—I perceive suicide, within the sense that it’s simply aid. It’s simply on the lookout for aid from the ache,” Pitt defined. “However I additionally suppose we have now unimaginable survival instincts. And for me, that instantly kicked in, nevertheless it was simply…”
After a quick pause, he stated, “Yeah. Like, pay attention: This s— ain’t simple. And also you’re speaking to a man who gained the lottery.”
When requested whether or not the troublesome interval associated to “child stuff,” Pitt responded, “Household stuff. We may go away it at that.”
Pitt’s feedback come as 4 of his six children—Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh, and Vivienne—have filed to legally drop “Pitt” from their final names.
In June 2024, a supply informed Us Weeokly that Pitt was “devastated” by his children’ determination to drop his identify. “Brad was devastated by this selection,” the insider revealed. “To him, it was greater than a change of identify — it was a logo of a deeper estrangement that has been brewing for years.”
One other claimed that Pitt hasn’t had “a lot of a relationship” along with his children in recent times, however he was reportedly eager on repairing their bond. Nonetheless, “understanding they’re dropping his identify is upsetting.”
“Brad’s placing on a courageous face, however behind closed doorways, he’s discovering it extraordinarily troublesome to come back to phrases with [what’s happening],” a 3rd supply added.
In case you or somebody you already know is experiencing a psychological well being disaster, assist is accessible. Name the Suicide and Disaster Lifeline at 988 at no cost and confidential counseling.
