Brad Pitt Reflects on Regret, Healing, and Holding On to What Really Matters

There wasn’t a red carpet big enough in Mexico City to hold all the emotional baggage that’s followed Brad Pitt for nearly a decade. But that didn’t stop the Hollywood icon from opening up with an unusual mix of calm and candor.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the premiere of the much-hyped Formula 1 film, Pitt dropped a rare comment about the long, bruising divorce saga with Angelina Jolie. His message? Life goes on, even when it doesn’t go as planned.

A Long Road to “Moving On”

It’s been nearly nine years since Jolie filed for divorce, and just six months since the legal dust finally settled. For Pitt, the process wasn’t just public — it was painfully prolonged.

In a short, striking quote, Pitt summed up what’s perhaps been years of reflection:
“No matter the mistake, you know, you just learn from [it] and move on.”

That’s not something he would’ve said ten years ago. This version of Brad Pitt isn’t peddling perfection or Hollywood charm. He sounds like someone who’s been through the wringer and figured out a few things.

“It’ll lead to the next success,” he said, without elaborating much. But you didn’t need more.

Eight Years, Six Kids, One Bitter Divorce

The Pitt-Jolie divorce has been one of Hollywood’s longest-running and most emotionally charged breakups. Filed back in September 2016, it dragged on until December 2024.

During those years, the spotlight wasn’t kind. Accusations flew, custody battles raged, and headlines painted a family in turmoil. The couple, who famously met while filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith, share six children:

• Maddox (23)

• Pax (21)

• Zahara (20)

• Shiloh (19)

• Knox and Vivienne (16)

Jolie’s legal team revealed in court filings that she had waived her right to spousal support. That detail, quietly stated in black and white, seemed to signal more than just a legal choice — maybe an emotional one, too.

Jolie’s Silence Speaks Loud

Jolie has mostly avoided public comment, letting lawyers do the talking. In December, her attorney James Simon told Page Six that Angelina and the children had left the shared properties back in 2016. Since then, her focus has been “finding peace and healing.”

“She is exhausted,” the statement said. “But she is relieved this one part is over.”

That exhaustion? You could almost feel it seeping through the paper. It wasn’t just legal fatigue — it sounded deeply personal.

And yet, her quiet resolve stands in contrast to Pitt’s more relaxed reflections.

New Love, Old Wounds

While Angelina appears to be single, Brad is dating Ines de Ramon, a 34-year-old jewelry executive. The two were first spotted together in 2022, and by most accounts, things are steady.

There hasn’t been a whirlwind media circus around this relationship. No big declarations. No red carpet PDA. Just… calm.

Which, for Pitt, might be the point.

At the premiere, he was asked what keeps him grounded these days. His response? Less fame, more heart.

“At this age, you see how important it is to surround yourself with the people you know, the people you love, the people that love you back,” he said.

Keeping It Simple in a Complicated Life

If there’s a theme here — and there almost always is — it’s simplicity. That’s what Pitt keeps coming back to.

“Friends, family, and that’s it,” he told ET. “From there, we get to go make things.”

That’s it. That’s the whole thing. Friends. Family. Make things. Repeat.

This isn’t a man trying to reinvent himself. It’s someone finally content with who he is — even if it took a hell of a long time to get there.

Here’s a quick snapshot of where things stand:

For a guy who’s made a living out of playing complicated roles, Brad Pitt seems ready to live a simpler story offscreen. No grand speeches. No sweeping conclusions.

Just lessons. And maybe a little peace.