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Brad Pitt says he has reached a point in his life where he cares less about keeping up appearances and more about being honest about the experiences that shape him.
He opened up about his decision to share more of his personal struggles while attending the Tennessee premiere of his new survival film Heart of the Beast on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
Speaking with Extra, Pitt was asked why he has become more willing to let audiences see the person behind the Hollywood star, including the ups and downs he has experienced in recent years.
"What else are we here for?" Pitt said. "Other than connect and take care of each other and, like, make each other better. Like, why else are we here?"
He continued, "The human struggle is real, you know? It's a challenge and it's an obstacle course and we need each other. We can't do it alone."
Pitt's comments come after a candid interview with Esquire in August, in which he spoke about difficult family circumstances and the death of his mother in 2025. He also discussed his relationship with alcohol after spending seven years sober.
Looking at where he is in life now, Pitt said he is less concerned about how he is perceived and more interested in meaningful work.
"At this point in my life, man, I just care less about any of it other [than] about, like, finding some truths and finding some stories that mean something to me and that I know I can elevate," he said. "Otherwise, I'll stay on the couch."
During his Esquire interview, Pitt also recalled a particularly difficult period when he said he briefly understood why someone might view suicide as a form of relief from pain. He described the experience as temporary and said his survival instincts eventually took over.
When asked whether that period was connected to his family, he simply responded, "Family stuff. We could leave it at that."
Pitt has spent years dealing with the aftermath of his 2016 divorce from Angelina Jolie. Their divorce was finalized in 2024 following a lengthy legal battle. The former couple share six children.
Heart of the Beast arrives in theaters on Sept. 25.
