He's clearly still reeling from the breakup of his marriage.
Brad Pitt finally broke his silence on his split from Angelina Jolie and how he's handling the custody battle over their kids in the newest issue of
GQ Style, and it sounds like the actor is taking all the right steps to put the pieces back together.
Case in point? He's been sober for the past six months!
"I do remember a few spots along the road where I've become absolutely tired of myself. And this is a big one. These moments have always been a huge generator for change. And I'm quite grateful for it. But me, personally, I can't remember a day since I got out of college when I wasn't boozing or had a spliff, or something. Something. And you realize that a lot of it is, um—cigarettes, you know, pacifiers. And I'm running from feelings. I'm really, really happy to be done with all of that. I mean I stopped everything except boozing when I started my family. But even this last year, you know—things I wasn't dealing with. I was boozing too much. It's just become a problem. And I'm really happy it's been half a year now, which is bittersweet, but I've got my feelings in my fingertips again. I think that's part of the human challenge: You either deny them all of your life or you answer them and evolve," he explained.
The Oscar winner is also seeking help from a therapist to process the situation and his confusing emotions. "You know, I just started therapy. I love it, I love it. I went through two therapists to get to the right one," he said.
As for visitation with his brood, he admits it was rough at first, but he's finally getting into a good groove in terms of agreeing with his ex on putting their children first.
"I was really on my back and chained to a system when Child Services was called. And you know, after that, we've been able to work together to sort this out. We're both doing our best. I heard one lawyer say, 'No one wins in court—it's just a matter of who gets hurt worse.' And it seems to be true, you spend a year just focused on building a case to prove your point and why you're right and why they're wrong and it's just an investment in vitriolic hatred. I just refuse. And fortunately my partner in this agrees. It's just very, very jarring for the kids, to suddenly have their family ripped apart," he confessed.
The
World War Z star doesn't love his heartache being splashed all over the tabloids, but he's more concerned about how all the rumors affect his offspring.
"It's always been a long-run game for me. I hope my intentions and work will speak for themselves. But, yes, at the same time, it is a drag to have certain things drug out in public and misconstrued. I worry about it more for my kids, being subjected to it, and their friends getting ideas from it. And of course it's not done with any kind of delicacy or insight—it's done to sell. And so you know the most sensational sells, and that's what they'll be subjected to, and that pains me. I worry more in my current situation about the slideshow my kids have. I want to make sure it's well-balanced," he lamented.
In the end, he knows that he's taking the steps to mend what's important.
"Family first. People on their deathbeds don't talk about what they obtained or were awarded. They talk about their loved ones or their regrets—that seems to be the menu. I say that as someone who's let the work take me away. Kids are so delicate. They absorb everything. They need to have their hand held and things explained. They need to be listened to. When I get in that busy work mode, I'm not hearing. I want to be better at that," he mused.
Good for him!
