Brad Pitt has candidly admitted that he "couldn't see a way out" when he was at his lowest point, revealing he experienced suicidal thoughts during a period of "oppressive" pain.
The Hollywood star, 62, told Esquire UK that while he has never been suicidal by nature, there was one exception. "I was never suicidal in any way. It just was not my makeup. In fact, if I have any afflictions, it’s probably being a congenital optimist," he said.
A Dark Period
Pitt described a specific time when the pain became overwhelming. "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—I could feel the cold steel of the bullet in my head, and it felt like relief."
He added, "And I thought, 'Oh, okay, now I understand' - I understand suicide, in the sense that it’s just relief. It’s just looking for relief from the pain. But I also think we have incredible survival instincts. And for me, that immediately kicked in."
When asked what the period was about, Pitt said it was "family stuff."
Family Background
Pitt was married to Angelina Jolie from 2014 until 2019, and the pair endured a bitter divorce battle. They share six children: Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 18.
The divorce was declared final in 2019, but asset and custody disputes continued. A private judge initially granted equal custody, but Jolie filed to have him removed over a conflict of interest. Pitt also filed a lawsuit over Jolie's sale of her half of a French winery they co-owned, which she argued was nullified due to an NDA request.
Reconnecting with Jennifer Aniston
Pitt's comments come just hours after reports that he and ex-wife Jennifer Aniston enjoyed "lunch dates" together, decades after their divorce. Sources claimed Brad visited Jennifer on the set of The Morning Show for private lunches, and they also met at her house, though the bond was described as platonic.
One source said, "He genuinely enjoyed reconnecting with her, spending time together away from the spotlight and just being friends." Jennifer is said to be one of the "few people" Brad feels he can trust.
