Brad Pitt reveals alcohol relapse after seven years sober and suicidal thoughts tied to family problems in Esquire interview

A candid Esquire interview

Brad Pitt has revealed in a long interview with Esquire magazine, published on 11 August 2026, that he resumed drinking alcohol after seven years of sobriety. The 62-year-old actor spoke with journalist Ryan D'Agostino at his home in Los Angeles, covering the darkest period of his life, including suicidal thoughts he attributes to "family stuff," and the death of his mother, Jane Etta Pitt, who died last summer at the age of 84. The interview coincides with the upcoming release of his thriller "Heart of the Beast."

Relapse after seven years

Pitt said he had been sober for seven years before returning to alcohol, but in a more controlled manner. The topic surfaced when he offered a glass of wine to D'Agostino during the conversation. Pitt said he can have a few drinks but not too many, and that he must remain professional about it. He acknowledged that on a couple of occasions he grew overly confident and crossed a line he recognized as harmful, telling himself it was not good for him and not something to do in large quantities. Pitt had previously spoken about his alcohol addiction and a seven-month detox program he undertook after separating from Angelina Jolie in 2016.

Suicidal thoughts and family strife

When the Esquire interviewer asked what sparked his suicidal feelings, Pitt replied: "Family stuff. We could leave it at that." He described a short period during which the pain was so oppressive that he could feel the cold steel of a bullet in his head, and that it felt like relief. He said he was not going to act on it, but that he understood suicide as a search for relief from pain. He credited his survival instincts with kicking in immediately.

I've never been suicidal except for one little period. And in that one little period, I just thought, I just couldn't, just didn't see a way out. The pain was so oppressive that I wasn't going to act on this, but I could feel the cold steel of the bullet in my head, and it felt like relief.

Pitt described himself as a congenital optimist, noting that this trait had helped him many times but had also led him into difficulty.

If I have any afflictions, it's probably being a congenital optimist. Which has helped many times, and it's also gotten me, I've walked foolishly head-on into a Mack truck because of my optimism.

Strained family relations

Pitt separated from Angelina Jolie in September 2016 after an incident on a private plane that allegedly involved physical abuse toward his wife and children, who were aged between eight and 15 at the time. Pitt has denied the allegations and was cleared of all charges following an FBI investigation. Jolie filed for divorce days after the flight, but the divorce was not finalized until 30 December 2024, after eight years of legal battles over custody and the French winery Château Miraval, which the couple bought in 2008.

Relations between Pitt and several of their six children remain tense. Four of the six children have filed official requests to drop "Pitt" from their surname. Shiloh obtained her name change on her 18th birthday, while proceedings for the other three are ongoing. Most recently, daughter Vivienne also moved to drop the Pitt surname.

Grief and reflection

Pitt also spoke about losing his mother, Jane Etta Pitt, who died last summer at 84. He described grief as the most profound experience a human being can face, and said the loneliness that can follow is the greatest of tortures. About his relationship with his father, he said they are country people who never go too deep, and that sometimes a single sentence is enough before moving on.