Brad Pitt Opens Up About Angelina Jolie and the Part He Played in His Divorce

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie shocked the world with the announcement of their split last year. Now, the actor has finally addressed his marriage and subsequent divorce in a new candid interview with GQ Style. Describing the journey as “self-inflicted,” Brad told writer Michael Paterniti: “If you love someone, set them free. Now I know what it means, by feeling it. It means to love without ownership. It means expecting nothing in return. It doesn’t mean [expletive] all to me until, you know. Until you live it.”

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Brad, 53, and Angelina, 41, announced their separation in September. The Hollywood stars, who were married for two years and together for 12 after becoming close during the filming of Mr and Mrs Smith in 2005, are parents to six children – Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 10, and eight-year-old twins, Vivienne and Knox. Blaming himself, Brad confessed it was his “heavy drinking” that played a pivotal role in the breakdown of his marriage.

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“I mean I stopped everything except boozing when I started my family,” he shared. “But even this last year, you know – things I wasn’t dealing with. I was boozing too much. It’s just become a problem. And I’m really happy it’s been half a year now, which is bittersweet, but I’ve got my feelings in my fingertips again. I think that’s part of the human challenge: You either deny them all of your life or you answer them and evolve.”

Although the acclaimed star is trying to avoid the limelight, Brad explained he fears for his children having to deal with the attention of the divorce. “I worry about it more for my kids, being subjected to it, and their friends getting ideas from it,” he said.

“….Kids are so delicate. They absorb everything. They need to have their hand held and things explained. They need to be listened to.”

Admitting he has allowed work to distract him in the past, Brad said he intends to be more present for his children. “It hit me smack in the face with our divorce: I gotta be more. I gotta be more for them. I have to show them. And I haven’t been great at it.”

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Earlier this year, Brad and Angelina agreed to resolve their divorce and custody dispute in private. They said in a joint statement at the time: “The parties and their counsel have signed agreements to preserve the privacy rights of their children and family by keeping all court documents confidential and engaging a private judge to make any necessary legal decisions and to facilitate the expeditious resolution of any remaining issues. The parents are committed to act as a united front to effectuate recovery and reunification.”

The summer issue of GQ Style will be available to buy nationwide on May 16.