Brad Pitt Says He Was "Quite Emotional" About Angelina Jolie's Double Mastectomy

Brad Pitt chatted with USA Today about partner Angelina Jolie's decision to undergo a double mastectomy after learning that she had about an 87% chance of developing breast cancer, and the 49-year-old actor reveals that he has been "quite emotional" about it all.

"She could have stayed absolutely private about it and I don't think anyone would have been none the wiser with such good results," he says. "But it was really important to her to share the story and that others would understand it doesn't have to be a scary thing. In fact, it can be an empowering thing, and something that makes you stronger and us stronger."

Pitt said the experience has been "an emotional and beautifully inspiring few months. And I'll tell you, it's such a wonderful relief to come through this and not have a spectre hanging over our heads. To know that that's not going to be something that's going to affect us. My most proudest thing is our family. This isn't going to get that."

Pitt also noted that "just weeks" after she had had the surgery she visited Congo, as well as London for the G-8 Foreign Ministers Conference and New York City for the Women in the World Summit.

So how are the couple's six children handling mom's recovery? "We set up our own little post-op recovery that became pretty fun. You make an adventure out of it."