For years Brad Pitt struggled with his alcohol consumption. He admitted that his drinking "became a problem" in his marriage to Angelina Jolie and many speculate it was one of the things that led their demise.
The divorce forced Pitt to take a hard look at his life. He knew he had to get sober but doing so was easier said than done. It took the help of another superstar actor to make it happen – Brad’s close pal Bradley Cooper.
The 55-year-old "Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood" star made the revelation at the National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala, where he won Best Supporting Actor.
Accepting the award from Cooper, Pitt shared how his friend inspired him.
"Bradley just put his daughter to bed and then rushed over to do this," he said at the award ceremony, according to E! News. "I got sober because of this guy. And every day’s been happier ever since."
Pitt then turned to Cooper. "I love you, and I thank you," he said.
Two years ago, Pitt spoke candidly about his battle with drugs and alcohol in an interview with GQ Magazine. Since then he has been open about his recovery. A big part of that was regularly attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, which he found cathartic.
"You had all these men sitting around being open and honest in a way I have never heard," Pitt told The New York Times in a recent interview. "It was this safe space where there was little judgment, and therefore little judgment of yourself."
Pitt said he removed his "drinking privileges" after pushing the boundaries with the people closest to him.
"I had taken things as far as I could take it," he said. Joining AA was an important part of his sobriety.
"It was actually really freeing just to expose the ugly sides of yourself."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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