We were shocked when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie announced they were getting divorced last year because we’d all thought they had the perfect family life.
But as it would soon emerge, life in the Jolie-Pitt household was far from happy.
And in the wake of their announcement rumours were rife that Brad had been verbally abusive in some way to their kids, which was subsequently proved inaccurate.
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But now Brad Pitt has opened up about the past year and has admitted that the breakdown of his marriage was mainly due to his problem with alcohol.
In an interview with American GQ, he said that he couldn’t recall a day without drink or cannabis since college and that he could “drink a Russian under the table”.
He also admitted that his break-up with Angelina felt like a “death” and admitted that in spite of the bitter split he didn’t want to hate her.
Brad confessed: “I was boozing too much. It’s just become a problem.
“I can’t remember a day since I got out of college when I wasn’t boozing, or had a spliff, or something.
“I mean, we have a winery. I enjoy wine very, very much, but I just ran it to the ground. I had to step away for a minute.
“Truthfully, I could drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka. I was a professional. I was good.”
Luckily now, he has learned his lesson and has quit booze, admitting, “I didn’t want to live that way any more.”
Much of this new way of life has come from the help of a therapist.
“I just started therapy. I love it. I love it,” he explained.
“I went through two therapists to get the right one.
“For me this period has really been about looking at my weaknesses and failures and owning my side of the street.”
Last year Brad was under investigation following a supposedly vicious spat with his 15-year old son Maddox on a private jet.
The probe into the incident was eventually dismissed and he and Angelina vowed to try and work out their differences out of court.
“We’re doing our best,” he said of maintaining a friendly relationship with Ange.
“I was really on my back and chained to a system when Child Services was called.
“And you know, after that, we’ve been able to work together to sort this out. We’re both doing our best. I heard one lawyer say, ‘No one wins in court, it’s just a matter of who gets hurt worse’.”
He added that he refuses to let anger and hatred spoil what they have now, especially for the kids.
“You spend a year just focused on building a case to prove your point and it’s just an investment in vitriolic hatred. I just refuse. And fortunately my partner in this agrees,” he told the magazine.
“It’s just very, very jarring for the kids to suddenly have their family ripped apart.”
He added: “I see it happen to friends. I see where the one spouse literally can’t tell their own part in it.
“It’s still competing with the other in some way and wants to destroy them, and needs vindication by destruction and wasting years on that hatred. I don’t want to live that way.
Brad says he and Angelina have been sensitive to the children’s feelings during this difficult time.
He said: “Kids are so delicate. They absorb everything. They need to have their hand held and things explained.
“They need to be listened to. When I get in that busy work mode, I’m not hearing. I want to be better at that.
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“I come from a place where, if we get a bruise or cut or ailment, we don’t discuss it.
“I’m very retarded when it comes to taking inventory of my emotions. I’m much better at covering up.
“And it’s hit me smack in the face with our divorce. I’ve got to be more for them. I have to show them — I haven’t been great at it.”