One of the hottest men in Hollywood, this Oklahoma-born blond appeared in a handful of TV-movies and guest spots before becoming an overnight sensation with his sexy supporting turn as a robber in
Thelma & Louise in 1991. Pitt graduated to leading roles in the Western
Legends of the Fall and the bloodsucking blockbuster
Interview with a Vampire, both in 1994, prompting
People magazine to crown him the "Sexiest Man Alive" the next year. Fearing the label would limit his career, Pitt took on intense, often offbeat roles that proved he was more than just a pretty boy, such as a mentally unstable animal rights activist in
12 Monkeys (which earned him an Oscar nod) and the leader of an underground society in
Fight Club. Pitt was again voted
People's "sexiest man alive" in 2000. Finally ready to embrace his hunk status, Pitt played a suave, suit-clad criminal in
Ocean's Eleven and a stunning shirtless warrior in
Troy. He was more often in the spotlight thanks to his high-profile romances, including broken engagements to actresses Juliette Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow, and a seemingly perfect marriage to Jennifer Aniston that ended in 2005. She filed for divorce after rumors circulated that he had taken up with his
Mr. & Mrs. Smith costar Angelina Jolie. In 2006, after months of tabloid coverage of "Brangelina" flying around the globe fighting for human rights and adopting children, the couple revealed that Jolie was pregnant with Pitt's child.
Brad Pitt Fast Facts:
- Moved to Los Angeles in 1986 with $325 to his name and landed his first acting job (an industrial-training film) within a week.
- Slept on Melissa Etheridge's couch when he first arrived in L.A.
- Worked as a limo driver, handed out cigarette samples and dressed up as a giant chicken for a fast-food restaurant while waiting for his big break.
- Unhappy with his audition for A River Runs Through It, he filmed a scene with pal Dermot Mulroney that featured Melissa Etheridge performing the background music.
- Donated $120,000 to the Discovery Center (a children's museum) in Springfield, Mo., in 1996.
- Sued Playgirl magazine in 1997 to stop the publication of nude photos of him.
- Was banned from China for appearing in Seven Years in Tibet, which was about the Dalai Lama.
- Named Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine in 1995 and 2000.
- Quit smoking while preparing to film Troy.
- In a 2004 interview with Vanity Fair, the just-turned-40 star hinted at drastic changes to come in his life. "I know there's a midlife crisis on its way. I'm sure there's some more rude awakenings yet to come. But I like it like that. I like the unknown. It's just more vibrant that way."
- Is an ambassador for DATA, an advocacy group that champions debt reduction, fair trade and AIDS relief in Africa.
- Brad Pitt Relationships:
- Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt - Son
- Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt - Daughter
- William Pitt - Father
- Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt - Daughter
- Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt - Son
- Knox Leon Jolie-Pitt - Son
- Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt - Daughter
- Doug Pitt - Brother
- Jane Pitt - Mother
- Julie Pitt - Sister
- Angelina Jolie - Significant Other
- Jennifer Aniston - Ex-wife
- Gwyneth Paltrow - Ex-fiancée
- Juliette Lewis - Ex-significant Other
- Brad Pitt Awards:
- 1995 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role - Nominee
- 1995 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominee
- 1996 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Winner
- 2007 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Nominee
- 2002 Emmy: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- College:
- Attended University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
