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Full name -

The actor's full name is William Bradley Pitt. 

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Growing up -

Brad Pitt's road to stardom was a long and somewhat unlikely one. A movie star now, he grew up in strict Christian household in rural Oklahoma. Though young Brad did have a real love for movies, he ended up studying journalism.

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Side jobs -

However, the acting bug had caught him bad and just two weeks shy of graduating from the University of Missouri, he moved to LA to pursue acting. 

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Stripper -

He took on any job to support himself. One of his jobs required him to put on a chicken costume and hand out flyers. Another one of his side jobs was driving strippers to bachelor parties. 

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Roy London -

During his last ride he met a stripper who encouraged him to take acting classes, and he did. With famous acting coach Roy London, no less. 

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Breakthrough -

After a few smaller roles, he got cast for a part in 'Thelma & Louise' (1991). Despite appearing on screen only for about seven minutes, his performance in the star-studded movie was among the most lauded. 

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George Clooney -

Friend and colleague George Clooney also auditioned for the role and once even remarked that he hadn't been able to watch the film for years.  

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Serious -

He prepares for his roles really well! In fact, he's so dedicated that for 'Fight Club' (1999) he requested a dentist remove pieces of his teeth for the role. After the shoot he had them restored.

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'Se7en' -

While shooting another David Fincher-classic, 'Se7en' (1995), he injured is arm. But this didn't stop the actor, and instead his injury was just written into the script.

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Fame -

By the late '90s, Brad Pitt was one of the biggest movie stars in the world. However, ill-equipped to handle the pressures of his newfound fame, he sought refuge in marijuana.

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Brouhaha -

In a New York Times interview, he admitted having "spent most of the '90s hiding out and smoking pot" as he was "too uncomfortable with all the attention."

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Popular -

An especially frightening episode concerning the dark side of fame occurred in 1999, when an obsessed female fan spent 10 hours in the actor's house. She wore his clothes and even slept in his bed before the alarm went off.

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Sexy -

All the ladies love him, of course, and he had relationships with some the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood. One of his steady girlfriends in those early days was Gwyneth Paltrow, for example.

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Sexiest Man Alive -

Brad Pitt was voted People's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1995 and in 2000. 

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In love -

It was also in the late '90s that he and 'Friends' star Jennifer Aniston became an item. The two would eventually tie the knot in 2000.

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Diamond ring -

The engagement ring spotted on Aniston's finger during a concert had actually been partly designed by Pitt himself! 

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Nicole Kidman -

Did you know that before Angelina Jolie got the role, Nicole Kidman was set to play Jane Smith in 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' (2005)? However, she dropped out, Angelina Jolie was cast and, well, we all know the rest...  

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Angelina Jolie -

The two had amazing chemistry both on screen and off. 

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Divorce -

Pitt and Jolie became involved and in 2005, shortly after the release of their film, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston divorced.

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Rumors -

The new super couple, duly dubbed "Brangelina," didn't waste any time. Within months of Pitt's divorce from Aniston, the two announced Jolie was pregnant. 

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Six children -

The two would have six children together. Maddox, Pax, and Zahara were adopted, while daughter Shiloh and twins Vivienne and Knox were born by Angelina. 

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Photo shoot -

Exclusive pictures of their newborn twins were sold to Hello! Magazine for the amount of US$14 million.

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Sexy -

While together, Angelina always maintained Brad was an awesome dad, saying in 2014, "[He's] such a wonderful and loving father. It’s such a beautiful and sexy quality in a man when he takes his responsibilities as a father very seriously. I still get very emotional when I watch Brad play with the children – he is so naturally devoted and joyful around them."

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Google -

They also made sure the kids weren't able to Google their parents. Pitt told German publication Bild "they can't Google their mom and dad. I don't want to make myself dependent on what other people think." 

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Divorce -

After 12 years together and two years of marriage, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie announced their divorce. 

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Protracted -

Jolie demanded full custody on the grounds of Pitt having a drinking problem. The whole case was prolonged, and it would be another three years before the divorce papers were officially signed. The custody battle still continues, and has gotten ugly on several occasions.

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Alcohol -

In a 2017 interview with GQ magazine, Pitt admitted, "I can't remember a day since I got out of college when I wasn't boozing or had a spliff [...] I mean I stopped everything except boozing when I started my family. [...] I was boozing too much. It's just become a problem."

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Therapy -

In the same interview, the actor was very upfront about seeking therapy after the divorce.  

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AA meetings -

It was also around this time he started to frequenting Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. "You had all these men sitting around being open and honest in a way I have never heard. It was this safe space where there was little judgment, and therefore little judgment of yourself."

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Sculpting -

The new, reinvigorated Brad seems to be loving life again, and he's found a new hobby! The actor has started sculpting.

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Therapy -

It has a therapeutic effect on him and apparently his 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' (2019) co-star Leonardo DiCaprio is really into it as well!

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Oscar -

Finally, in 2020, Brad Pitt won his Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.'

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Speeches -

The Academy Award wasn't the only prize he took home for his starring turn in Tarantino's ninth film. Among numerous others, he also won a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award.

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SAG Awards -

During his SAG Award acceptance speech, he showed that through it all he hadn't lost his sense of humor, describing his role as being "a difficult part. Guy who gets high, takes his shirt off, and doesn't get on with his wife? It was a big stretch."

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Prince Harry -

His BAFTA acceptance speech read by Margot Robbie and in which he mentioned Megxit was even more hilarious. "He says he is going to name this Harry because he is really excited about bringing it back to the States with him. His words not mine," quipped Robbie.

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Children -

His Oscar speech was memorable for different reasons. He made a brief political statement and thanked his children by telling them, "I adore you."

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Writing -

The actor credits himself and some "very funny friends" with writing his unusual speeches. 

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Future -

It does seem that the genial actor has left his most turbulent times behind and really has turned a corner. Both personally and professionally, he seems to be thriving again. Here's to many more Oscar-worthy performances by the great actor!

See also: Will Brad and Jen ever be a couple again?

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