Born to High School Counsellor Jane and Truck Company Owner William, William Bradley Pitt certainly didn’t come to Hollywood a stage school brat.  Raised in Springfield, Missouri he attended the Missouri School of Journalism at Missouri University but a passion for acting took him to California, where he trained for several years and appeared in sitcoms including Head of the Class and Another World.

Following a stint in classic 80s soap Dallas he was given a number of more grown up television series including 21 Jump Street and Thirtysomething.  Brad’s first staring role came in the form of Dark Side of the Sun, however during filming in Yugoslavia war broke out and it remained unreleased for several years.  Now gaining regular film work the actor found himself suddenly noticed by audiences, albeit not for his acting skills, thanks for a bit part in Geena Davis movie Thelma and Louise.  Cool World, A River Runs Through It and Kalifornia (alongside then girlfriend Juliette Lewis) followed and shot Pitt to worldwide fame.

From the mid-90s the small town boy from Oklahoma found himself gaining acclaim as an actor and recognition as a heartthrob too.  Interview With a Vampire, Legends of the Fall and Se7en allowed him to flex acting muscle and before long he was nominated for an Academy Award (Best Supporting Actor for his role in Twelve Monkeys).  Able to turn his hand to just about any subject matter he accepted parts in romance Meet Joe Black, Brit-flick Snatch and the bizarre Fight Club - which ensured Brad, who was becoming of increasing interest to the tabloid press, remained a force to be reckoned with in the acting world.

It was around this time that Pitt began dating clean cut television star Jennifer Aniston.  Previously engaged to Gwyneth Paltrow the actor was no stranger to being one half of a high profile couple, however the Aniston-Pitt relationship saw public interest reach new heights.  The pair wed in 2000, releasing just one image from the day, to much disappointment, but securing their position as Hollywood’s most perfect wedded pair.  Despite talk of Brad turning his hand to architecture (a long-standing interest) and interior design to create a nursery in the Aniston-Pitt marital home, the creation of a production company, Plan B, together and even a bit part in Jennifer’s sitcom, Friends, the marriage wasn’t to last.

As Brad, now with blockbuster films such as Troy and Ocean’s Eleven under his belt, filmed his latest picture, Mr and Mrs Smith with notorious actress Angelina Jolie rumours were rife of an affair.  The Aniston-Pitt marriage was reportedly already in trouble but it appeared to take just one look at Jolie’s infamous lips to send Brad running for the divorce lawyer.  The rest is well-worn gossip page fodder.

In 2006 it was confirmed that Brad had adopted Angelina’s son Maddox as well as her new daughter Zahara.  In the same year Angelina gave birth to the couple’s biological daughter Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt.  They have since adopted another son, Pax, from Vietnam.  The family divide their time between LA and New Orleans, where they are involved in the continuing effort to rebuild the city following Hurricane Katrina.
September 2007

Angelina Jolie
Gwyneth Paltrow
Jennifer Aniston