Biography
Despite his leading man looks and movie star charisma, actor Brad Pitt spent most of his career trying to avoid bloated box office roles in favor of riskier, lower profile work. After achieving heartthrob status with revealing performances showing off his six-pack abs in "Thelma and Louise" (1991) and "Legends of the Fall" (1994), Pitt actively subverted his hunky image by taking on ugly and often crazed characters, most notably in "12 …
Brad Pitt SlideShow
1 - 4 of 47
Career Milestones
| Grew up in Springfield, MO | ||
1986 | Moved to Los Angeles, CA after claiming to his parents that he was attending the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena | |
1987 | Made primetime TV debut in a guest role on the ABC sitcom "Growing Pains" | |
1987 | Made television debut on the NBC soap opera "Another World" | |
1987 | Played the boyfriend of Jenna Wade Ewing's daughter in three episodes of the CBS primetime soap "Dallas" | |
1987 | Worked as an extra on the film "Less Than Zero" (also had uncredited role) | |
1988 | Made TV-movie debut in "A Stoning in Fulham County" (NBC) | |
1989 | Landed feature acting debut in "Cutting Class" | |
1990 | Co-starred with Juliette Lewis in the fact-based NBC TV-movie "Too Young to Die?" | |
1991 | Achieved instant sex-symbol status as J.D., a charming hitchhiker who seduces Geena Davis in "Thelma & Louise" | |
1991 | Cast in first leading role in a feature alongside Catherine Keener and Nick Cave in the low budget, Tom DiCillo directed "Johnny Suede" | |
1992 | Cast in major film role in the Robert Redford directed "A River Runs Through It" | |
1993 | Played featured role in Tony Scott's "True Romance" | |
1993 | Took a dramatic turn as a scruffy serial killer alongside Juliette Lewis and David Duchovny in "Kalifornia" | |
1994 | Co-starred with Tom Cruise (as the vampire Lestat) in the film adaptation of Anne Rice's novel "Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles" | |
1994 | First worked with Anthony Hopkins playing one of his sons in "Legends of the Fall"; received a Best Actor Golden Globe nomination | |
1995 | Co-starred with Morgan Freeman as detectives tracking a serial killer (Kevin Spacey) in David Fincher's "Seven" | |
1995 | Portrayed mental patient Jeffrey Goines in Terry Gilliam's "Twelve Monkeys"; received a Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination | |
1997 | Played an Irish revolutionary opposite Harrison Ford in "The Devil's Own" | |
1997 | Played the main role of Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer in the Jean Jacques Annaud film "Seven Years in Tibet;" film was subject of controversy when it was disclosed that the main character had ties to the Nazis | |
1998 | Re-teamed with Anthony Hopkins for "Meet Joe Black" | |
1999 | Again collaborated with David Fincher for "Fight Club," playing the character of Tyler Durden opposite Edward Norton | |
2000 | Portrayed an itinerant Irish gypsy bare knuckles boxer in Guy Ritchie's gangster film "Snatch" | |
2001 | Landed featured role in the A-list ensemble of "Ocean's Eleven," which included Julia Roberts, George Clooney and Matt Damon | |
2001 | Teamed with Robert Redford in "Spy Game," playing the protege of a retiring CIA agent | |
2002 | Made a guest appearance on the NBC sitcom "Friends" as a man who has a grudge against Jennifer Aniston's character Rachel Green; received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor | |
2004 | Portrayed fated warrior Achilles in director Wolfgang Petersen's epic "Troy" | |
2004 | Reunited with the original cast for the sequel "Ocean's Twelve" | |
2005 | Co-starred with Angelina Jolie, as husband and wife assassins, in Doug Liman's "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" | |
2006 | Co-starred with Cate Blanchett as a tragedy-stricken American couple in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's critically acclaimed "Babel;" received a Golden Globe nomination for Supporting Actor | |
2007 | Portrayed outlaw Jesse James in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" (also produced) | |
2007 | Produced "A Mighty Heart," the film based on the book by Mariane Pearl, wife of murdered journalist Daniel Pearl; film featured his partner Angelina Jolie in the lead role | |
2007 | Reprised role along with the original cast for "Ocean's 13" | |
2008 | Joined an ensemble cast for the Coen's brothers' "Burn After Reading" | |
2008 | Re-teamed with director David Fincher and actress Cate Blanchett to play the title role in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"; earned Golden Globe, SAG and Oscar nominations for Best Actor | |
2009 | Starred as a Nazi hunter in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" | |
2010 | Voiced Metro Man, Megamind's archenemy in the animated comedy, "Megamind" | |
2011 | Played a domineering father in Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" | |
2011 | Portrayed the Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane in "Moneyball" | |
2011 | Voiced the character of Will the Krill in the animated sequel "Happy Feet Two" | |
2012 | Appeared as first male spokesperson for classic fragrance Chanel No. 5 | |
2012 | Starred in crime drama "Killing Them Softly," a feature adaptation of George V. Higgins' novel Cogan's Trade | |
Awards
1994 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in Legends of the Fall |
1995 | Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in 12 Monkeys |
1995 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in 12 Monkeys |
1995 | MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance in Interview With the Vampire |
1995 | MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo in Interview With the Vampire |
1995 | MTV Movie Award for Most Desirable Male in Interview With the Vampire |
1996 | MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance in 12 Monkeys |
1996 | MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo in Seven |
1996 | MTV Movie Award for Most Desirable Male in Seven |
2002 | MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Team in Ocean's Eleven |
2002 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor In a Comedy Series in Friends |
2005 | MTV Movie Award for Best Fight in Troy |
2005 | MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance in Troy |
2006 | BAFTA Award for Film in The Departed |
2006 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Babel |
2006 | MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss in Mr. & Mrs. Smith |
2007 | Palm Springs International Film Festival for Ensemble Cast Award in Babel |
2007 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Babel |
2007 | Venice International Film Festival for Volpi Cup for Best Actor in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford |
2008 | Academy Award for Actor In a Leading Role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button |
2008 | BAFTA Award for Leading Actor in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button |
2008 | BAFTA Award for Supporting Actor in Burn After Reading |
2008 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Actor in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button |
2008 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button |
2008 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature in A Mighty Heart |
2009 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button |
2009 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button |
2010 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Inglourious Basterds |
2011 | Academy Award for Actor In a Leading Role in Moneyball |
2011 | Academy Award for Best Picture in Moneyball |
2011 | BAFTA Award for Leading Actor in Moneyball |
2011 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor in Moneyball |
2011 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in Moneyball |
2011 | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor in Moneyball |
2011 | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor in The Tree of Life |
2011 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in Moneyball |
2011 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in The Tree of Life |
2011 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in Moneyball |
2012 | Producers Guild of America Award for Theatrical Motion Pictures in Moneyball |