Brad Pitt reveals he doesn't regret discussing Alcoholics Anonymous after group ‘came down’ on him
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hollywood actor Brad Pitt recently revealed that he does not regret mentioning the group Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for helping him in his sobriety journey even after the group ‘came down’ on him.
Pitt and Hollywood legend George Clooney gave a joint interview to GQ for the magazine's September issue where the 'Fight Club' actor said AA came down on him for mentioning the program publicly.
Brad Pitt reveals he does not regret mentioning AA
Brad Pitt said, "You know they came down on me for that? AA did. They were like, 'It’s anonymous'." He added, "I am not outing anyone. Everyone knows you exist. What’s the issue?"
He initially discussed his involvement with Alcoholics Anonymous during a GQ profile in June 2022 where he said, "I don’t have that ability to do just one or two cigarettes a day. It’s not in my makeup. I’m all in and I’m going to drive into the ground. I’ve lost my privileges."
Pitt also credited AA meetings for helping him stay sober. He said, "I had a really cool men’s group here that was really private and selective, so it was safe."
He added, "Because I’d seen things of other people who had been recorded while they were spilling their guts and that’s just atrocious to me."
Pitt said that he had quit smoking in 2017 after a 2016 incident on his family’s private jet led to a child abuse investigation. Angelina Jolie ended up filing for divorce one week after the plane ride.
Notably, the actor was cleared by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services in November 2016.
Pitt told GQ in 2017, "Personally, I can’t remember a day since I got out of college when I wasn’t boozing or had a spliff, or something. Something. And you realize that a lot of it is, cigarettes, you know, pacifiers. And I’m running from feelings. I’m really, really happy to be done with all of that."
He also said, "I mean, I stopped everything except boozing when I started my family. But even this last year, you know — things I wasn’t dealing with. I was boozing too much. It’s just become a problem. And I’m really happy it’s been half a year now, which is bittersweet, but I’ve got my feelings at my fingertips again."
Brad Pitt's alcohol issues
Brad Pitt spoke to Anthony Hopkins in 2019 where he talked about his alcohol issues. He said, "I just saw (alcohol) as a disservice to myself, as an escape. So you’re embracing all your mistakes. You’re saying, 'Let’s be our foibles, our embarrassment. There’s beauty in that.'"
He added, "I’m seeing that these days. I think we’re living in a time where we’re extremely judgmental and quick to treat people as disposable. We’ve always placed great importance on the mistake."
He also mentioned, "But the next move, what you do after the mistake, is what really defines a person. We’re all going to make mistakes. But what is that next step? We don’t, as a culture, seem to stick around to see what that person’s next step is. And that’s the part I find so much more invigorating and interesting."
