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Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s relationship did not have the fairy-tale ending many might have expected. Their divorce battle lasted years, even after their marriage ended. Years after their separation, the Fight Club star addressed the “darker days” in a rare moment.

Pitt and Jolie met on the set of their 2005 film Mr. and Mrs. Smith. While he was married to Jennifer Aniston at the time, their marriage collapsed, and he reportedly moved on with Jolie. During their marriage, the couple welcomed three biological children and adopted three kids. 

Pitt and Jolie remained unmarried and committed to each other for most of their union. However, they tied the knot in 2014 at their French winery, with their six kids present. About two years later, Jolie went to court to file for divorce after an alleged incident on a private jet. 

The F1 star was accused of abusing his wife and kids while being intoxicated. However, the FBI did not charge him after an investigation. According to The Sun, Pitt appeared to look back at his marriage as he spoke at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. He said, “When I think of the darker days, it was certainly my close relationships that I relied heavily on.”

The 62-year-old continued to talk about his close relationships with friends, saying he had “a handful” of them. He noted that he was also “very open about my struggle” with his close family members. “And being able to be that free with people who love you and have your back, and that you love back, is everything. It’s everything,” the actor shared. 

He noted how working on his new movie, Heart of the Beast, got him to realize that he overcame the pain with the help of his friends. He plays a retired Special Forces veteran in the movie. Therefore, it was a survival expert who got him to think about his “little wins.” “You’re going to suffer losses, you’re going to suffer pain, but it’s just getting to the next little win,” Pitt shared. 

The Troy star connected it to his real life, saying, “When we are struggling and going through many challenges, just getting to that next little win.” He noted that the bigger picture doesn’t matter as much as the “next little win.”

Pitt said several A-list friends helped him through a tough time in his life. The list includes George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bradley Cooper, and Matt Damon. 

According to GQ, Clooney and Pitt admitted they often checked in on each other over the years. The 65-year-old noted, “You always have to make sure everybody’s okay.” The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star agreed with his close pal and called him the most understanding one of them all. 

“I’ll call George on numerous occasions when things get bumpy,” Pitt shared. He also noted that he was seven years sober after his separation. 

Pitt’s many years away from his kids seemed to be a bumpy ride. The bumps were his kids dropping his last name one by one. As all his kids are now 18 years and older, Jolie is planning to move out of the U.S.

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