Brad Pitt Biography

Brad Pitt, actor

Birthdate: December 18, 1963

Birthplace: Shawnee, Oklahoma

Sign: Sagittarius

Brad Pitt is best known to his fans as a movie star, the former husband of Jennifer Aniston, the current love of Angelina Jolie and as someone who has his every move covered by the media. He is also famous for twice being named the "Sexiest Man Alive" by People Magazine.

Although he had other roles prior to 1991, it was his role that year in the film "Thelma & Louise" that shot Pitt into the realm of sex-symbol. In the movie he played a small-time drifter who befriended Geena Davis' character Thelma. Pitt had a love scene with Davis, and it has become legendary thanks to the fact that Pitt appeared topless while wearing a cowboy hat.

Pitt was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, December 18, 1963, but grew up, along with his brother Doug and sister Julie Neal, in Springfield, Missouri. His father William Alvin Pitt was the owner of a truck company and his mother Jane Etta was a high school counselor.

Pitt attended the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri-Colombia before heading to Hollywood in 1987, where he studied acting with coach Roy London. Pitt had guest appearances on televisions "Head of the Class" and "Growing Pains" and then appeared on the soap opera "Another World."

His role in "Thelma & Louise" led to more movies and he starred in Robert Redford's "A River Runs Through It" in 1992. Pitt had to learn how to fly fish for the movie and practiced by casting off buildings in Hollywood.

In 1994, Pitt portrayed the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac, opposite Tom Cruise, in the movie "Interview with the Vampire" and starred as Tristan Ludlow in "Legends of the Fall."

Pitt won a Golden Globe for his role in "Twelve Monkeys" in 1995 and was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Two years later he filmed "Seven Years in Tibet" and due to themes of Tibetan nationalism in the film, the Chinese government banned Pitt from entering China for life.

In 2000, Pitt made the transition onto the A-list of movie stars when he starred in "Cold War" and "Spy Game." He also starred with long-time friend Julia Roberts in 2001 in "The Mexican." Appearing alongside his friend George Clooney in the "Ocean's Eleven" movies has cemented him as a top box-office draw.

Pitt's personal life attracts just as much attention as his movies. In 1998, he met "Friends" star Jennifer Aniston and they married in 2000. Pitt and Aniston seemed to have a strong marriage in Hollywood terms, and Pitt made a guest appearance on the eighth season of "Friends" with Aniston.

The couple, along with Brad Grey head of Paramount Pictures, formed the production company Plan B which produced the blockbuster "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" starring Johnny Depp.

The fantasy marriage didn't last, however, and Pitt and Aniston separated in January of 2005, admist rumors that Pitt was having an affair with actress Angelina Jolie. Both Pitt and Jolie denied the rumors, but in March of that year Aniston filed for divorce and it was finalized in October.

Not long after Aniston filed for divorce, Pitt and Jolie became an item and the media dubbed them "Brangelina." Although they are not married, they have one biological daughter, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, and three adopted children, Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt, Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt and Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt. All three of the adopted children are from different countries.

Pitt has used his star power to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, where he and Jolie have a home, and he is an active supporter of research for diseases such as AIDS. He is also a fan of architecture and has helped the National Trust for Historic Preservation raise money.