One of the hottest men in Hollywood, this Oklahoma-born blond was once a furniture mover, chauffeur and a costume-wearing mascot for a restaurant chain.
His mere presence ensures a film is a box office hit. No doubt, this Golden Globe-winning actor’s versatility is tantamount to his handsome face.
He was the first man ever to be awarded ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ twice by People magazine. He has appeared thrice on Forbes’s list of the 100 most powerful celebrities.
Childhood
William Bradley “Brad” Pitt was born on December 18, 1963 in Oklahoma to a conservative household. At Kickapoo High School, Pitt was involved in sports, debating, student government and school musicals.
Pitt attended the University of Missouri, where he majored in journalism with a focus on advertising. He dropped out with only two credits left to gain his degree, and set off for California to pursue his dream of a Hollywood acting career.
Career
Pitt made his big screen debut in 1989’s horror/slasher film ‘Cutting Class’. After a series of supporting roles, a supporting role in ‘Thelma and Louise’ proved to be a breakthrough appearance for Pitt.
Pitt’s next few films failed to boost his acting credibility and establish him as more than just a pretty face in Hollywood. Pitt’s career hit an upswing with his casting in ‘A River runs through it’ (1992), which cemented his status as a multi-layered actor.
His subsequent projects were as quirky and varied in tone as his performances, ranging from romantic roles in visually lavish films like Legends of the Fall (1994), to an emotionally tortured detective in the horror-thriller Se7en (1995).
In 2004, Pitt starred as the Greek hero Achilles in the Warner Bros. blockbuster epic Troy. In 2005, Pitt starred in the hit film, ‘Mr. And Mrs. Smith’. The action flick earned more than $100 million at the box office.
Philanthropy
Pitt supports the ONE Campaign, an organization aimed at combating AIDS and poverty in the developing world. In 2007, Pitt and Jolie donated $1 million to three organizations in Chad and Sudan dedicated to those affected by the crisis in the Darfur region.
In 2006, Pitt and Angelina Jolie established a charitable organization, the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, to aid humanitarian causes around the world. Three years later, the Foundation donated $1 million to a UN refugee agency to help Pakistanis displaced by fighting between troops and Taliban militants. In 2010 the foundation donated $1 million to help victims of the Haiti earthquake.