Biography - Brad Pitt

Born in Oklahoma in 1963 and raised in Missouri, Brad Pitt left the University of Missouri in 1986 just two credits shy of a degree in journalism and moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. As a struggling actor in Los Angeles, Pitt supported himself with various odd jobs which included dressing up in a chicken costume as the mascot for El Pollo Loco restaurant and delivering refrigerators.

After a string of TV guest spots throughout the 1980s on shows such as “Another World” and “Dallas,” Pitt’s big break arrived in 1991 when he was cast as a sexy drifter who seduces Thelma, played by Geena Davis, in the film “Thelma & Louise.” This star turn brought him instant stardom as he emerged as one of the most sought after sex symbols of the 1990s. Pitt followed up his breakthrough performance by playing a fly-fishing rebel in Robert Redford’s “A River Runs Through It,” a troubled plantation owner turned vampire opposite Tom Cruise and Kirsten Dunst in “Interview with the Vampire,” and the wild son in a Western family in “Legends of the Fall.”

After being named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 1995, Pitt went on to star alongside Morgan Freeman as a cop in pursuit of a serial killer in “Se7en.” It was on the set of “Se7en” that Pitt met fellow co-star Gwyneth Paltrow. The two became romantically involved and were publicly admired as the ideal Hollywood couple. More good fortune and accolades surrounded Pitt in 1995: he won the Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe and garnered an Oscar nomination for his role as a mental patient in “12 Monkeys.” In November 1996, Pitt proposed marriage to Paltrow, but the engagement only lasted for seven months before the couple split. On-screen, Pitt’s celebrity only continued to rise as he starred in challenging films such as “Meet Joe Black,” “Fight Club,” and “Snatch.” Off-screen, Pitt made hearts across the country swoon as his romance with “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston blossomed. Amidst a whirlwind of publicity, the couple wed in July 2000.

In 2001, Pitt joined George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts in the ensemble film “Ocean’s Eleven.” After a few years of working on smaller projects, Pitt starred as the Greek hero Achilles in the 2004 epic, “Troy.” He then reunited with Clooney to star in the sequel film, “Ocean’s Twelve.” Once again, Pitt found himself in the middle of a media frenzy when he and Aniston announced their separation in 2005. Rumors were rampant that an on-set relationship developed between Pitt and his “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” co-star Angelina Jolie , which contributed to his separation from Aniston. Pitt and Aniston divorced in October 2005. His growing relationship with Jolie continues to make waves in gossip headlines. The globe-trotting couple is known for their humanitarian work as well as their private affairs. In January 2006, Pitt adopted Jolie’s two children, Maddox and Zahara. Jolie is due to give birth to Pitt’s child during the summer of 2006. On the big screen, Pitt has various projects in the works, including the role of Jesse James in the upcoming film “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.” He is currently on screen in "Babel", a beautiful, harrowing study of disconnect that also features Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia Bernal.