William Bradley "Brad" Pitt born Dec. 18, 1963 in Shawnee, Oklaholma to Jane Etta (a high school counselor) and William Pitt, a truck company owner. The oldest boy with a younger brother, Doug and youngest sister, Julie, each born 3 years apart. He grew up in Springfield, Missouri where the family moved soon after his birth in a conservative
Southern Baptist household.
In 1982, Pitt enrolled in the University of Missouri and majored in Journalism with a focus on Advertising. As a member of the fraternity, Sigma Chi, he would act in several skits and shows. Two weeks before earning his degree, he moved to Los Angeles to take acting lessons. When asked why he left the university, Pitt responded: "I had this sinking feeling as graduation approached. I saw my friends getting jobs. I wasn't ready to settle down. I loved films. They were a portal into different worlds for me, and Missouri wasn't where movies were made. Then it hit me: If they didn't come to me, I'd go to them." (Parade, "I have faith in my family", Rader, Dotson, Oct. 7, 2007)
After a rough bout of luck, he received a guest spot on the soap opera
Dallas but, it wasn't until 1991's
Thelma and Louise that the world took notice. His first starring role in a big-budget movie was
A River Runs Through It in 1992 and 1994's
Interview with the Vampire, starring opposite Tom Cruise. His first Golden Globe nomination came when he starred opposite Sir Anthony Hopkins in
Legends of the Fall. Twelve Monkeys earned him his first Golden Globe win and Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His second Academy nomination wouldn't be until
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 2008. To date, he hasn't won an Oscar but, his production company, Plan B Entertainment won a Best Picture with
The Departed. Pitt is incredibly involved in humanitarian efforts, especially the One campaign aimed at fighting AIDS and poverty in third world countries. He is one of the founders (along with George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon and Jerry Weintraub) of Not On Our Watch, focuses national attention on genocide in areas like Darfur. He also created the Make It Right foundation, which uses his love and knowledge of architecture to finance and construct 150 new homes in New Orleans' Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina. In March 2009, he met with President Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi to discuss "green housing" and federal funding for Make It Right. Jolie and Pitt established the Jolie-Pitt Foundation to aid in humanitarian causes. It made initial donations to Global Action for Children and Doctors Without Borders in the amount of $1 million each.
He is currently living with life partner Angelina Jolie and their three adopted children (Maddox, Zahara, Pax) and three biological children (Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne). Depending on what you read, Jolie may be pregnant with another set of twins and/or they may be breaking up.
