Brad Pitt Reveals Return to Drinking at Star-Studded Wedding, Opens Up About Struggles with Sobriety and Suicidal Thoughts

In a candid and revealing Esquire interview published this week, Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt confessed to returning to drinking after seven years of sobriety, an admission that comes on the heels of his high-profile appearance at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's July wedding where he was spotted imbibing. A source close to the situation told Page Six last month that the "Ocean's 8" star was seen enjoying drinks at the star-studded affair held at Madison Square Garden on July 3rd. The event brought together A-listers such as Adam Sandler, Paul McCartney, Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid, Tom Cruise and more, with guests reportedly shocked to see Pitt, a vocal advocate for his sobriety, partaking in the festivities. Accompanying Pitt was girlfriend Ines de Ramon. In the interview, Pitt confirmed that he had decided to drink again. "I was sober for seven years. And then I got back off the wagon," he admitted. "In a more restrained manner. I got overconfident a couple times, went, ‘Yep, nope, not good for me.’ Not in big quantities." The Oscar winner explained that he can handle a few glasses of wine, but "can't have a lot." He added, "I have to be professional about it." Pitt first opened up about his sobriety journey in a 2019 New York Times interview, revealing that he had joined a 12-step program and that his decision to quit drinking came after an alleged 2016 drunken plane incident that is said to have contributed to the disintegration of his marriage to Angelina Jolie. Jolie claimed in court documents that her then-husband physically harmed her and one of their six children – Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne. The FBI investigated but ultimately did not bring any charges against the two-time Oscar winner. The "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" co-stars were declared legally single in 2019 and settled their divorce in 2024. Pitt is estranged from most of his children, with several having dropped his last name. In the interview, Pitt also opened up about a dark period in his life, admitting that he once felt suicidal while navigating "family stuff." He said, "I’ve never been suicidal except for one little period. And in that one little period, I just thought — I just couldn’t — just didn’t see a way out." He continued, "The pain was so oppressive that — I wasn’t going to act on this, but I could feel — I could feel the cold steel of the bullet in my head, and it felt like relief." He added, "And I thought, ‘Oh, okay, now I understand’ — I understand suicide, in the sense that it’s just relief. It’s just looking for relief from the pain. But I also think we have incredible survival instincts. And for me, that immediately kicked in, but it was just..." After a pause, Pitt said, "This s**t ain't easy. And you’re talking to a guy who won the lottery." When asked by the interviewer about any "kid stuff," Pitt replied, "Family stuff. We could leave it at that." Pitt will soon be seen in several upcoming films, including "Heart of the Beast," an untitled project written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by David Fincher, as well as "The Riders." If you or someone you care about is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Your voice matters. Discussions are moderated for civility. Read our guidelines here.