'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), the globally recognized sobriety program, became a lifeline for Brad Pitt during his highly publicized divorce from Angelina Jolie. The 61-year-old actor appeared on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, on June 23, 2025, and opened up about his experience in AA, describing it as a transformative and “special” experience.
Alcoholics Anonymous, which was founded in 1935, is a peer-led, cost-free program designed to lead individuals to sobriety through the Twelve Steps and group support. Key principles include:
Anonymity: The identities of members are hidden to ensure honesty.
Shared Experience: Tales of relapse and recovery build a sense of connection.
Sponsorship: Newcomers are taken through the 12 steps by members who have longer periods of sobriety.
Brad Pitt disclosed that he started attending AA meetings in 2016, following Angelina Jolie’s filing for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The breakup, which was spurred by a reported physical dispute involving their children aboard a private plane, erupted into an eight-year legal war. Police probed Pitt’s involvement but never filed any charges.
Trending
"I was pretty much on my back, on my knees. I was trying anything anyone threw at me. It was a particular difficult time. I needed rebooting. I needed to wake the f**k up, in some areas."
Brad Pitt opens up about his experience in Alcoholics Anonymous
Brad Pitt described AA meetings as a "really special" environment where men openly discussed their struggles with humor and honesty. Dax Shepard, who struck up a friendship with Pitt in an AA meeting, remembered that despite his fame, the actor was not afraid to open up.
“I just thought it was just incredible men sharing their experiences, their foibles, their missteps, their wants, their aches, and a lot of humor with it. I thought it was a really special experience,” Pitt told Shepard.
AA’s framework of regular meetings, sponsor guidance, and peer support helped Pitt come to terms with his mistakes. He said,
“When I've stepped in sh*t, I'm pretty good at taking responsibility for it and owning up to it. And now it's a quest to, you know, ‘What do I do with this? How can I right this?’ And make sure it doesn't happen again.”
Although AA has a tradition of anonymity, Brad Pitt has been frank about his involvement, which the organization reportedly chided him for. In a 2024 GQ interview, he recalled being told, “It's anonymous.” Pitt pushed back, saying,
"I'm not outing anyone. Everyone knows you exist. What's the issue?"
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie finalized their divorce in December 2024, though legal disputes over assets and custody may continue. In addition to their three adopted children, Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, and Zahara, 20, the ex-couple also has three biological children, Shiloh, 19, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16. While Pitt has begun dating jewelry designer Ines de Ramon, he credits AA with his fresh start.
