EXCLUSIVE: Brad Pitt 'Health Check Led to His Decision to Return to Drinking'
There was a key reason Brad Pitt returned to drinking according to insiders.
Aug. 14 2026, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
Brad Pitt has revealed he returned to drinking after seven years sober, years after joking that giving up alcohol had left him with "the cleanest urinary tract in all of LA" – with friends now telling RadarOnline.com to watch closely as he attempts to keep his drinking controlled.
The Hollywood star, 62, stopped drinking following the collapse of his marriage to Angelina Jolie, 51, after a private-plane confrontation in September 2016.
Brad Pitt Admits Ending Seven Years Of Sobriety
Pitt recently revealed he returned to drinking after seven years of sobriety.
Pitt attended Alcoholics Anonymous and replaced alcohol with "cranberry juice and fizzy water," but has now disclosed that he gradually began drinking again and believes he can consume alcohol in moderation.
Pitt said: "I was sober for seven years. And then I got back off the wagon."
He also told Esquire he now drinks "in a more restrained manner", adding that experimenting with his limits had sometimes convinced him to pull back.
The movie star, who is now said to be largely estranged from the six children he shared with Jolie, said: "I got overconfident a couple times, went, 'Yep, nope, not good for me.' Not in big quantities."
He noted he can "have a few" glasses of wine but added: "I have to be professional about it."
Girlfriend Ines de Ramon Serves As Sobriety Guardrail
Ines de Ramon is reportedly helping her boyfriend Pitt monitor his drinking habits.
A source close to Pitt claimed to Radar that his return to alcohol had not happened suddenly, but had been a "gradual process in recent years" as he worked out "how he felt comfortable and what he felt was appropriate for him."
Friends had increasingly noticed Pitt drinking socially, including with girlfriend Ines de Ramon, 33, whom he has dated since late 2022.
Insiders claimed de Ramon has become an important influence in preventing Pitt from overdoing it.
The couple has reportedly agreed that she will intervene if his drinking appears to be getting out of control.
Past Jet Incident and AA Journey
'The Fight Club' actor credited fellow Hollywood star Bradley Cooper for supporting his early sobriety journey.
Pitt's sobriety followed the breakdown of his marriage to Jolie after an incident aboard a private jet. Jolie subsequently alleged in court filings that Pitt had physically abused her and some of their children during the flight.
FBI documents released in 2022 contained allegations the actor "choked" one child and "struck another in the face," while pouring beer on Jolie and beer and wine on the children.
An FBI investigation followed, but Pitt was never charged, while child services did not find abuse.
The Fight Club star later described the depths he had reached before becoming sober during an appearance on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast.
Pitt said: "I was pretty much on my knees, and I was really open. I was trying anything and everyone, anything anyone threw at me. It was a difficult time. I needed rebooting. I needed to wake the f--- up in some areas."
He has also credited Bradley Cooper with helping his sobriety, saying in 2020: "Every day's been happier ever since. I love you, and I thank you."
Career Highs and Clean Health Check
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Pitt maintained he approaches alcohol professionally to avoid overdoing it.
Pitt's relationship with de Ramon has meanwhile become increasingly serious. The pair live together in Los Angeles and made their red-carpet debut at the Venice Film Festival in 2024.
His return to alcohol comes despite a career resurgence which included an Oscar for Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood and a Best Picture nomination for F1: The Movie.
A source claimed: "Brad also decided to start drinking after he got an all-clear with his health – that's why he has been joking about having the clearest urinary tract in LA after his period of sobriety."
