Brad Pitt Opens up on Surviving 'Darker Days' Following Angelina Jolie Divorce

Brad Pitt's heavily publicised divorce from Angelina Jolie prompted him to reflect on survival following the release of his latest film.

As the actor revisited the painful period of his separation from Jolie, he credited the people who helped him endure it.

Filming a wilderness survival thriller informed his perspective on navigating personal upheaval, readjusting and taking life one small victory at a time.

Brad Pitt Found Solace in His Closest Supporters During Difficult Times

For Pitt, enduring life's hardest moments was not about maintaining a polished public image or pretending he could take care of everything alone. The actor explained that allowing trusted people into his struggles gave him the freedom to be vulnerable without fearing judgement.

'When I think of the darker days, it was certainly my close relationships that I relied heavily on. Friends, dear close friends — a handful — close family, and was very open about my struggle,' Pitt said, according to The Sun.

Pitt emphasised that having people who genuinely cared about him made a difference when life became difficult. Rather than isolating himself, he had the support of a small circle of friends and relatives who could support him without demanding he keep his struggles to himself.

'And being able to be that free with people who love you and have your back, and that you love back, is everything. It's everything,' the 62-year-old said.

Pitt's statements were a rare personal reflection in the years since his separation from Angelina Jolie. The couple had spent 12 years together before splitting in 2016 following an incident aboard a private plane involving their six children.

Pitt Learned Life Lessons During the Production of 'Heart of the Beast'

Pitt found an unexpected connection between his latest film, Heart of the Beast, and his personal experiences. The actor portrays James Belmont, a retired Special Forces veteran whose survival skills are tested after a plane crash leaves him stranded in the Alaskan wilderness.

Belmont is thrust into the unforgiving landscape with Odin, his traumatised former combat dog. Stranded and unable to get help, the pair must endure punishing conditions as they try to survive and find rescue.

Pitt was put in contact with survival experts while preparing for the role. Their advice extended beyond his work on the film.

Their perspective helped him recognise how lessons about enduring hardship can be applied to other challenges people face outside the wilderness.

'The survivalists would tell us it's all about little wins,' Pitt recalled.

The survival experts encouraged the Fight Club star to approach hardship as a series of manageable challenges rather than being overwhelmed by everything as a whole.

'You're going to suffer losses, you're going to suffer pain, but it's just getting to the next little win,' he said.

Pitt recognised that the philosophy extended beyond his character's struggle to survive. He applied it to his own life by focusing on the next achievable step rather than trying to solve every problem at once.

In his words, 'I thought that equated to life in that way, in the sense of when we are struggling and going through many challenges, just getting to that next little win, not thinking about the big picture, just that next little win.'

Pitt Is Still Attempting To Reconnect With His Children Despite Them Changing Contact Details

Beyond the production of the film, Pitt is still trying to reconnect with his children, although it seems like a long shot.

Recently, sources close to the actor told the Daily Mail that his estranged children had changed their contact information, making his efforts to reach them more difficult.

'Angie now intends to live out of the States more and Brad's hearing it doesn't appear any of them plan to relocate with their mother,' said one source.

The insider said Pitt intended to 'give it his best shot', potentially with help from friends who refused to take sides during the breakup.

Another claimed that the Hollywood star had previously attempted to contact his children but believed communication was being blocked.

'What he's found out is they've all changed their contact info. That's not going to stop him though,' said the source. The same insider described the children's decisions to change their surnames as 'a huge slap in the face', while adding that Pitt 'saw it coming.'