Brad Pitt has opened up about a deeply difficult period in his life, revealing that he once experienced suicidal thoughts and felt he “didn’t see a way out.”
The Oscar-winning actor made the candid admission in a new interview with Esquire, reflecting on his mental and emotional struggles while discussing his generally optimistic outlook on life.
Pitt said he considers himself a naturally positive person, describing himself as a “congenital optimist.” However, he acknowledged that his optimism did not prevent him from experiencing an extremely dark period.
“I’ve never been suicidal except for one little period,” Pitt said. He explained that during that time, the emotional pain became so overwhelming that he felt he could not see a way forward.
“The pain was so oppressive,” he recalled, adding that he came to understand how suicide could appear to someone as a form of relief from unbearable pain. Pitt stressed that he was not going to act on those thoughts, but said he recognized how serious the feelings were.
When asked what had triggered that period, Pitt gave a brief answer: “Family stuff.”
He declined to elaborate further, telling the interviewer, “We could leave it at that.”
Bradd Pitt’s comments come years after his highly publicized and messy divorce from Angelina Jolie, whom he began dating after they met while filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith.