‘I don’t want to brag’: Brad Pitt confronts homophobic past as he opens up about the gay experience he never had

In a recent episode of Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, Brad Pitt spoke openly about his life, including his thoughts on sexuality, his journey to sobriety, and his early experiences with homophobic language.

The 61-year-old actor talked about never having had a “gay experience” and joked that he felt he had “missed that window.” He playfully added that if he were to have such an experience, Dax Shepard would be far down on his list, maybe his “14th or 15th.”

Pitt said specifically, “I kind of missed that window, but if I did, it wouldn’t be you.” The podcast conversation also covered Pitt’s personal struggles, especially his fight against alcohol addiction. He admitted there was a time when he felt completely overwhelmed and knew he “needed rebooting,” forcing him to face difficult truths about his life.

Dax responded to Pitt’s comment about not being first on his list, “I don’t want to brag, but you’re going to need to build up to me. I do recommend you start with some starters.” While it was light, Pitt described being at his lowest point, willing to accept any help offered. This led him to his first Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting, an experience he found deeply meaningful. While he didn’t say exactly when this first meeting happened, he had previously told the New York Times that it was around the time of his split from Angelina Jolie in 2016.

Brad Pitt never got to have a homosexual experience

The discussion also turned to Pitt’s childhood and the homophobic language that was common at the time. He shared that he and his younger brother, who he called “wild” but now very successful, were often targeted with slurs and other offensive words. He remembered phrases like “Don’t cry” and “Don’t be gay,” as well as other hurtful insults being thrown around. He told a story about a childhood fight where he used a desperate move, which the podcast hosts found funny, leading to a bigger talk about how homophobic attitudes were normal back then.

Shepard wondered whether the effectiveness of Pitt’s move was because it actually hurt or because of the homophobia of the time. Pitt’s struggle with alcohol is widely believed to have played a major role in the end of his marriage to Angelina Jolie. Court papers from 2022 revealed Jolie’s claims that Pitt got into a physical fight with one of their six children during a 2016 plane ride because of his drinking.

The former couple, who finalized their divorce last year after a long legal battle, share six kids: Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, Zahara, 20, Shiloh, 19, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16. Reports say Pitt is no longer close with some of his children, and a few have stopped using his last name.