Does Brad Pitt Drink? What Really Happened with His Sobriety

Does Brad Pitt Drink? What Really Happened with His Sobriety

If you’ve seen a photo of Brad Pitt lately, he looks annoyingly good for a guy in his 60s. The jawline is still there, and that relaxed, "I just woke up in the French Riviera" energy hasn't faded. But for years, people have been asking the same thing: does Brad Pitt drink anymore?

It’s not just a gossip question. For Pitt, the answer basically redefined his entire life after 2016.

Honestly, he used to be a "professional" at it. His words, not mine. In some of his most candid interviews, he admitted he could drink a Russian under the table with their own vodka. He was "all in" on the lifestyle. But today? The answer is a hard no. He’s been sober for nearly a decade, and the story of how he got there is way more intense than just "quitting the booze."

The Moment He Removed His "Drinking Privileges"

Everything changed after that infamous plane ride in 2016. You probably remember the headlines. It was the split heard 'round the world—Brad and Angelina were done. Behind the scenes, the catalyst was a messy mix of family tension and, as Pitt later admitted, way too much alcohol.

He didn't just slow down. He stopped.

"I had taken things as far as I could take it, so I removed my drinking privileges," he told The New York Times in 2019. It’s a weirdly specific way to put it, right? Like he was his own strict parent. Most people say they "quit," but Pitt framed it as losing a right he’d abused for too long.

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He didn't do it alone, though.

In a 2020 awards speech, he gave a massive shout-out to Bradley Cooper, saying, "I got sober because of this guy." Apparently, Cooper—who has been sober for about 20 years himself—was a huge part of Pitt’s support system during those first shaky months.

AA and the "Men’s Group"

One of the most surprising things about Pitt’s recovery was how he handled the anonymity part. He spent about a year and a half in Alcoholics Anonymous.

Think about that for a second.

One of the most famous humans on the planet, sitting in a circle of guys, "spilling his guts." He was terrified of being recorded. He’d seen it happen to other celebrities, and he called it "atrocious." But he found a private, all-male group that he actually grew to love.

Just last year, in June 2025, he went on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast and got really deep about it. He told Dax that he was "pretty much on his knees" when he started. He needed a "reboot." He loved the humor in those meetings—the way guys could laugh at their own "foibles" and "aches." It gave him a safe place to be "ugly," which is something you don't get to do often when you're a Hollywood A-lister.

What He Drinks Now (It’s Not Chardonnay)

So, if he’s not hitting the wine at his French estate, Château Miraval, what's in his glass?

He’s basically the king of "fizzy water" now. Early in his sobriety, he joked that he had the "cleanest urinary tract in all of L.A." because he was chugging so much cranberry juice and Perrier.

Interestingly, his business ventures have followed his lifestyle. He’s a co-founder of Enroot, which is a line of organic, cold-brewed sparkling teas. It’s a "farm-to-bottle" thing he started with Cristina Patwa. Instead of launching a new tequila brand like every other celebrity, he’s selling hibiscus and jasmine tea.

He also launched Le Domaine, a high-end skincare line. It’s funny because the products actually use "grape pomace" from his winery—the seeds and skins left over from winemaking. It’s like he’s found a way to use the grapes for his face instead of his liver.

Does He Still Own the Winery?

This is where it gets legally complicated. Even though does Brad Pitt drink is a "no," he’s still deeply tied to the wine world through Château Miraval. He’s been in a massive legal war with Angelina Jolie over her selling her share of the estate to a Russian oligarch’s company.

The irony isn't lost on anyone. He owns one of the most famous Rosé producers in the world, yet he doesn't touch the stuff.

The "Stoner" Days and the Final Chapter

Pitt hasn't just struggled with booze. In the 90s, he was a massive "stoner." He told GQ he spent years hiding out from the "celebrity thing" by sitting on his couch and "turning into a doughnut." He was numbing himself to sleep every night.

He eventually realized that avoidance of pain was a "real mistake."

He’s 62 now. He talks about being on the "last leg" of his career—the "last trimester," as he calls it. He seems much more interested in architecture, sculpting, and being present than he ever was during his peak "party" years. He’s even quit smoking cigarettes. He realized during the pandemic that he couldn't just have one or two. He’s an "all-in" kind of guy, so he had to cut them out entirely.

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What We Can Learn from Brad’s Journey

It’s easy to look at a celebrity and think their problems are "rich person problems." But addiction is a pretty great equalizer.

  • Accountability matters: He didn't blame the industry or the stress. He said, "I am those mistakes."
  • Community is key: Even Brad Pitt needed a "men's group" and a friend like Bradley Cooper to make it stick.
  • Replacement helps: Moving from vodka to sparkling tea or Enroot wasn't just a health choice; it was a ritual change.

If you’re looking at your own habits, maybe take a page out of his book. You don't have to wait for a "calamitous" event to revoke your own privileges. Sometimes, just being "really sick" of yourself is enough to start the reboot.

Brad seems to have found a version of himself that can carry "real pain and real joy simultaneously." That’s maturity. And honestly? It looks a lot better on him than a hangover.

Next Steps for You

If you're curious about the alcohol-free lifestyle Pitt leads, start by exploring "sophisticated" non-alcoholic alternatives like cold-brewed sparkling teas or high-quality mineral waters to replace the evening ritual. If you feel like your "drinking privileges" are becoming a problem, consider looking into local support groups or 12-step programs, which Pitt credits as the "safe space" that finally made his sobriety stick.