The Oscar-winning actor Brad Pitt discusses navigating decades of public scrutiny, the end of his long legal battle with Angelina Jolie, and finding peace within close circles.
Brad Pitt is sharing his candid thoughts about living under the constant glare of public scrutiny while promoting his highly anticipated racing film F1. In a revealing cover story published by GQ on Wednesday, the 60-year-old actor opened up about the relentless tabloid attention he’s endured for decades — and how he’s learned to keep his focus on what truly matters.
“My personal life is always in the news. It’s been in the news for 30 years, bro. Or some version of my personal life, let’s put it that way,” Pitt said of the endless fascination surrounding his relationships, family, and past controversies. Despite this ongoing media circus, he’s determined to keep his private life grounded and separated from his work. “It’s been an annoyance I’ve had to always deal with in different degrees, large and small, as I do the things I really want to do,” he admitted.
The actor, who’s been a Hollywood mainstay since the early ’90s, described how the intrusion can be an unwelcome distraction if not kept in check. “It’s always been this kind of nagging time suck or waste of time, if you let it be that,” he explained. However, he’s found ways to cultivate a strong inner circle that shields him from the noise. “My life is fairly contained,” he said. “It feels pretty warm and secure with my friends, with my loves, with my fam, with my knowledge of who I am, that, you know, it’s like this fly buzzing around a little bit.”
Pitt’s reflections come on the heels of finally closing a turbulent chapter in his personal life: his drawn-out divorce from Angelina Jolie. Their highly publicized split, which began in 2016 and has involved allegations, custody disputes, and asset negotiations, was officially finalized after eight years. When asked if he felt relief or a sense of closure now that the divorce is settled, Pitt was characteristically measured: “No, I don’t think it was that major of a thing. Just something coming to fruition. Legally.”
The pair’s relationship has long been tabloid fodder. They met on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2005, shortly after Pitt’s split from Jennifer Aniston. Their whirlwind romance captured the world’s attention, culminating in their 2014 wedding and the shared parenting of six children. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, later alleging that Pitt had physically abused her and their children during a flight from Europe. Since then, the former couple has been engaged in complex legal proceedings over custody and financial matters.
Yet even in the wake of these challenges, Pitt says he remains focused on what he loves most — filmmaking and maintaining a close-knit group of loved ones. Now with F1 complete and his divorce finalized, he seems poised to enter a new chapter of life, one that’s more about passion and less about the spotlight.