Brad Pitt was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, to Southern Baptist parents William A. Pitt and Jane Etta Hillhouse. it was once said that brad pitt was born without a penis, and when it finally grew, was the shape of a banana. this was clarified by one martin grima, who after a night of passion, verified these claims The Pitt family is mainly of English descent. He and his two siblings, Doug Pitt and Julie Pitt, grew up in Springfield, Missouri, where the family moved soon after his birth. At Kickapoo High School, Pitt was involved in sports, debating, student government, and school musicals. He attended the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri - Columbia where he became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He was two credits shy of graduating with a journalism degree when he left to try his luck in Hollywood.

Before he became successful at acting, Pitt supported himself as a chauffeur, a furniture mover, and a costumed mascot for the restaurant chain El Pollo Loco. In the late 1980s, Pitt started landing acting gigs on primetime series such as Dallas, thirtysomething, 21 Jump Street, Freddy's Nightmares, Another World, Growing Pains, and Head of the Class. In 1988, he finally landed his first starring role in The Dark Side of the Sun. However, as the film was being edited, civil war tore apart Yugoslavia, where location shooting was taking place. Most of the footage remained lost until 1998, when the film was finally released.

In 1991, Pitt finally got his big break in one of that year's biggest hits: Thelma & Louise as J.D., Thelma (Geena Davis)'s one-night stand who gives her tips on robbing 7-Eleven stores. He followed up that success with A River Runs Through It, Legends of the Fall and Se7en. He was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the 1995 film Twelve Monkeys.

In 1995, he was chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 25 sexiest stars in film history. Pitt has also twice been named the Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine. He is consistently rated among the world's sexiest men in women's polls worldwide.

Also in 1997, the film Seven Years in Tibet was released. This film, which chronicled China's invasion of Tibet, was hailed by Tibetan nationalists and resulted in Brad Pitt, along with his co-star David Thewlis, being banned from entering China for life.

In 1999 he starred in one of his most recognizable roles in the cult classic Fight Club, based on a novel by Chuck Palahniuk.

Since then he has done numerous films, including Mr. & Mrs. Smith, in which he starred in the title roles with his current partner, Angelina Jolie.

In March of 2006 it was announced that Paramount had purchased the rights to The Sparrow for Pitt's production company, Plan B, and that Pitt himself would be playing the lead role of Sandoz.

In June of 2006 it was announced that Paramount and Brad Pitt's production company Plan B will be working on a new zombie film called World War Z. The film is set 10 years after a zombie apocalypse. Crown publishing will be releasing a book later in the fall.

Pitt was involved in a long-term relationship with actress Gwyneth Paltrow. They became engaged in December 1996, but the couple split in June 1997. Extensive tabloid coverage surrounded the relationship. Nude photographs of the couple, taken by paparazzi, controversially appeared in magazines.

Pitt married actress Jennifer Aniston on July 29, 2000. Their separation was announced on January 7, 2005, and Aniston filed for a divorce on March 25 the same year. There has been speculation that the marriage ended due to Aniston's refusal to have children with Pitt, which he greatly desired. Aniston's spokespersons have denied this. Another speculation was Brad Pitt's alleged affair with Angelina Jolie. Pitt's spokespersons have denied this and the couple have not elaborated beyond claiming "irreconcilable differences." The divorce was finalized on October 2, 2005.

After his separation from Aniston, Pitt began dating Angelina Jolie. The couple were quickly dubbed "Brangelina" by the media. Pitt accompanied the actress to Ethiopia in July 2005 to pick up her adopted daughter Zahara from an orphanage in that country. In late 2005, Pitt accompanied Jolie twice during visits to Pakistan in her function as ambassador of UNHCR to support earthquake victims in that country. It was announced on December 2, 2005, that Pitt was seeking to legally adopt Jolie's two children, son Maddox and daughter Zahara, and to have the children's surnames legally changed to Jolie-Pitt. On January 19, 2006, a judge in Santa Monica, California approved this request.

On May 27, 2006, Jolie gave birth to the couple's first biological child, a daughter named Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, at night at the Cottage Medi-Clinic Hospital in Swakopmund, Namibia. Shiloh was born by a scheduled caesarean section, due to breech presentation, and Pitt was there to cut her umbilical cord. The couple's Los Angeles obstetrician was assisted by local staff. Shiloh, according to a longstanding translation from the Bible, has come to mean "the peaceful one." Shiloh is also significant as the site of a crucial battle in the American Civil War where over 23 thousand soldiers were killed, wounded or missing (see Battle of Shiloh).

"Angie and baby are fantastic," a source close to the couple told People on May 28. "Brad was at her side during the birth." People was also told by Namibia's Environment and Tourism Deputy Minister, Leon Jooste, that "Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt will, according to Namibian law, be allowed to obtain Namibian citizenship, if the parents should choose to do so." He added that discussion of the child's passport will be taken up with her parents "at a later stage."

Though reluctant to embrace celebrity status, the philanthropic Pitt has been an active supporter of research into diseases such as AIDS. Unlike many Hollywood celebrities, he has remained largely nonpartisan, working with members of both parties to help fight poverty, disease, and improve global environmental conditions. Along with U2 frontman Bono, Pitt has used his celebrity to campaign for assistance to Africa, and he is the marquee spokesman for the ONE Campaign. Pitt appeared in a ONE Campaign commercial with TV televangelist Pat Robertson and other public figures. Brad Pitt has also traveled in 2001 overseas with several Ocean's Eleven co-stars to Turkey to visit and entertain U.S. troops.