Brad Pitt is one of the finest actors in Hollywood with a fan base of millions across the globe. His good looks and affable nature have endeared millions for decades. While the actor firmly tries to hold on to his “golden boy” image, he has been dogged by allegations of drug abuse and violence.
One of the biggest controversies that the actor has been infamously involved in is the complaint from his former wife Angelina Jolie regarding abusive behaviour on a private plane in 2016 that led to the dissolution of their marriage.
On Brad Pitt’s birthday, December 18, here’s a closer look at all the controversies he has been involved in.
Abusive behaviour
In October this year, Jolie filed a cross complaint against Pitt, disclosing details about his abusive behaviour with his ex-wife and children. The court filing came as part of a legal battle over a winery that the two once owned together. In the filing, Jolie said Pitt had broken into a physical and verbal outburst in September 2016 while the family flew from France to California.
“Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face” and “grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her,” The New York Times quoted the filing as stating. It also said Pitt poured beer on Jolie and beer and red wine on the children.
Jolie had filed for divorce days after the plane trip.
Affair with Jolie
Another big controversy that surrounds Pitt is his affair with Jolie which started when he was still married to Friends actor Jennifer Aniston. Aniston and Pitt announced their separation and divorce in January 2005. However, four months later, he was seen with Jolie on a beach in Africa.
In 2006, Jolie told Vogue that they were friends and were not romantically involved until Pitt separated from Aniston. In 2008, the two actors implied in separate interviews that they had fallen in love with each other while filming the movie Mr & Mrs Smith.
Tells Harvey Weinstein “I’ll kill you”
Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was accused by many actors, including Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd, of sexual harassment. He had cast Pitt’s love interest Gwyneth Paltrow in Emma. Paltrow reportedly had the worst experience in a meeting with the filmmaker. When Pitt came to know about this, he threatened Weinstein to not ever come close to Paltrow.
“If you ever make her feel uncomfortable again, I’ll kill you," Pitt had told Weinstein.
However, many claim Pitt continued to work with Weinstein even though he knew the filmmaker was allegedly a predator. This is because Jolie also claimed that Weinstein tried to make a pass at her around the release of 1998's Playing by Heart. Pitt and Weinstein collaborated for 2009's Inglourious Basterds and 2012's Killing Them Softly. Pitt also remained silent when the Weinstein sexual assault scandal broke.
