In a heartfelt revelation, Brad Pitt opened up about a dark chapter in his life, sharing that he felt “suicidal” as he struggled with personal issues a decade after his split from Angelina Jolie.
The “Fight Club” star disclosed during an intimate interview with Esquire, “I’ve never experienced suicidal thoughts except for one brief period. During that time, I felt trapped, unable to see a way forward.”
Describing the overwhelming despair he faced, Pitt said, “The pain was so intense that, although I wasn’t going to act on it, I could imagine the cold steel of a bullet in my head as a form of relief.”
He continued with a moment of reflection, saying, “I suddenly understood. Suicide offers relief from pain, that’s what it is. But, thankfully, we possess remarkable survival instincts. For me, those instincts kicked in instantly, although…”
After pausing briefly, the 62-year-old actor admitted to the interviewer, “This isn’t easy, despite having the blessings of a lottery winner’s life.”
When the reporter asked the “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” star if he was dealing with “kid stuff,” he replied, “Family stuff.”
However, Pitt — who shares six children with Jolie — did not want to delve deeper into the touchy topic.
“Family stuff,” he told the outlet. “We could leave it at that.”
Page Six has reached out to Jolie for comment but did not immediately hear back.
The “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” co-stars share kids Maddox, 25, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and 18-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox.
Jolie, 51, filed for divorce from Pitt in 2016 and requested full custody of their six children following an alleged abusive incident between the actor and the kids.
The “Eternals” actress’s lawyers claimed Pitt allegedly “choked one of the children and struck another in the face” during a confrontation on a private jet.
The FBI “thoroughly” investigated and chose “not to bring any charges” against the two-time Oscar winner.
The former couple was declared legally single in 2019 and finally settled their divorce in December 2024.
Last year, a source told Us Weekly that the “Fight Club” actor remains estranged from most of his children despite “several efforts to reconnect.”
Several of the children have taken legal or public steps to drop “Pitt” from their last names.
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).