Brad Pitt Reveals He’s Returned To Drinking After 7 Years Of Sobriety

Brad Pitt has revealed he is drinking again after seven years of sobriety, saying he now limits his alcohol intake. His comments have sparked debate over controlled drinking.

Brad Pitt admits he’s back off the wagon.

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Brad Pitt revealed he resumed drinking after seven years sober.
• Pitt now drinks moderately, acknowledging past
• His comments reignited debate on abstinence versus harm reduction in recovery.

Brad Pitt has revealed that he is drinking alcohol again after maintaining sobriety for seven years, reopening a debate about recovery and whether people with alcohol use disorder can safely return to drinking. The actor, who has previously spoken about his struggles with alcohol and his experience in Alcoholics Anonymous, told Esquire that he now drinks in a more restrained manner. Pitt said he had become “overconfident” at times and recognised when drinking was not good for him. His comments have drawn reactions online, from people in recovery, while experts note that treatment can involve both abstinence and harm reduction.

Brad Pitt On Drinking Again

In a new Esquire cover story, Pitt opened up about his relationship with alcohol while discussing his life, career and upcoming films. The 62-year-old actor said he had remained sober for seven years before returning to drinking. Pitt told writer Ryan D’Agostino that he is now drinking in smaller quantities and believes he needs to be careful about how much he consumes.

“I got overconfident a couple times, went, Yep, nope, not good for me,” Pitt said. He also acknowledged that he can drink wine, adding, “Yeah. Well . . . I can have a few,” before explaining, “But I can’t have a lot. I have to be professional about it.” His comments are notable because Pitt has previously spoken openly about how seriously alcohol affected his life.

From Alcohol Struggles To Sobriety

Pitt discussed his drinking problems publicly following his 2016 split from Angelina Jolie. In a 2017 interview with GQ, he said he had been “boozing too much” and admitted that “it became a problem.” He later told The New York Times in 2019 that he had joined a 12-step community. At a 2020 awards event, Pitt also credited Bradley Cooper with helping him get sober.

More recently, while speaking with actor and podcaster Dax Shepard, Pitt recalled attending an Alcoholics Anonymous men's group. The two met through AA, and Pitt described the experience positively. “It was when I was first getting sober. I just thought it was just incredible. Men sharing their experiences, their foibles, their missteps, their wants, their aches, and a lot of humor with it. I thought it was a really special experience.”

Pitt's latest comments have therefore raised questions among people who associate recovery from alcohol dependence with lifelong abstinence.

Abstinence Vs Harm Reduction

Alcoholics Anonymous has long maintained that people with alcoholism cannot safely return to controlled drinking. On its website, the organisation says that after a period without alcohol, attempts to resume moderate drinking can eventually lead back to heavier consumption.

The organisation states: “If you are an alcoholic, you will never be able to control your drinking for any length of time.” However, the treatment landscape also includes approaches that do not make complete abstinence the only goal. A 2023 article published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism discussed harm reduction as another approach to alcohol use disorder treatment.

The article noted that relatively few people achieve continuous abstinence after treatment and said reducing alcohol consumption can help lower the harms linked to misuse. It also stressed that abstinence remains the safest option for some groups. Psychology professor Katie Witkiewitz, who was quoted by NIAAA, said research shows that reductions in drinking can reduce risks and alcohol-related harm, even when a person does not achieve complete abstinence.

Pitt's comments have consequently become part of a wider discussion rather than a simple question of whether someone can or cannot drink after sobriety. His own experience, however, remains personal and cannot establish what approach is safe for others. For people with alcohol use disorder, decisions about drinking, abstinence, or treatment are best made with qualified professionals rather than based on a celebrity's experience.