Brad Pitt Confesses His Return to Alcohol After Seven Years of Sobriety, Explains His 'Restrained' Approach

In a candid conversation with Esquire, 62-year-old heartthrob Brad Pitt has opened up about his recent relationship with alcohol. During their chat, Pitt, known for his humorous charm, jokingly offered the journalist wine and admitted to stepping back on the wagon after seven years of sobriety—but this time, he insists, it's a more controlled journey. "I was sober for seven years. And then I got back off the wagon," Pitt explained with a slight chuckle and a raised eyebrow. "In a more restrained manner. I got overconfident a couple times, went, 'Yep, nope, not good for me.' Not in big quantities." Pitt clarified that he can enjoy a few glasses of wine but has learned to set boundaries due to professional obligations: "I can't have a lot. I have to be professional about it." Throughout the years, Pitt has been vocal about his struggles with substance abuse, even attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in 2016 following an incident on a private jet involving his family that led to a child abuse investigation. The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services later cleared him of any wrongdoing. (A week after the news broke, Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt; their proceedings were finalized in 2024.) In 2017, Pitt shared his thoughts on sobriety with GQ, stating, "I’m really, really happy to be done with all of that. 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." Following his time in Alcoholics Anonymous, Pitt formed a close friendship with Dax Shepard and reflected on their bond during a 2025 appearance on Shepard's "Armchair Expert" podcast. Pitt recounted trying "anything anyone threw at me" during that tumultuous phase in his life: "It was a difficult time. I needed rebooting," he admitted. "I needed to wake the f*** up in some areas." If you or someone you know is grappling with substance abuse, reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).