With Brad Pitt turning FIFTY-FIVE today, we thought we'd do a quick rundown of just how cool the man is. Having forged a career and looked amazing while doing it, Pitt's never been far from the spotlight or from the gossip pages. Here's nine reasons why Brad Pitt is still cool as shit...
9. HE RECOVERED FROM THAT CHANEL AD
Look, we've all done things for money that we're not exactly proud of. It's just when Pitt does it, it's on a huge scale and it can be a little embarrassing for everyone to see. The Chanel ad was cringey as hell, but the guy recovered from it easily enough. He hasn't made one since and he's no reason to do it again, we hope. Jesus, though. What a shit commercial. Does he think he's Don Draper or something?
8. HE STARTED OFF WITH NOTHING
Literally, nothing. He worked in a fast-food restaurant place as one of those chicken mascot thingys you sometimes see. Also, did you know he was going to be a journalist? That's right, he almost graduated from college with a degree in journalism – two weeks from graduating, in fact – and headed straight to Hollywood.
7. HIM AND ROBERT REDFORD ARE LIKE FATHER AND SON
Since Redford cast him in A River Runs Through It all the way back in 1992, the two have drawn all sorts of comparisons in terms of career and the fact they could be father and son. This father-son relationship thing was used to its advantage in the underrated thriller, Spy Game.
6. HE REFUSED TO MARRY ANGELIA JOLIE UNTIL GAY MARRIAGE WAS LEGAL
Pitt was a vocal supporter for gay marriage, even donating $100,000 to support the campaign against Proposition 8, the initiative to overturn legalised gay marriage in California. In an interview with Esquire in 2008, he said he wouldn't marry Jolie until it was legal for all Americans to do so. Which is nice. Granted, the divorce seemed like it was acrimonious, but y'know, good that he did that.
5. HIS HUMANITARIAN WORK AND SUPPORT
He's openly supported stem-cell research. He's involved with George Clooney's anti-genocide campaign. He's donated to thousands of environmental charities, foundations and whatnot.
4. HE'S BANNED FROM CHINA
After starring in the controversial film, 'Seven Years In Tibet', the Chinese government didn't really dig him or his performance. The film covered, amongst other things, China's invasion of the mountain country and their eventual occupation. So, in a real dick move by the Communist totalitarian state, they banned him from entering China because of his involvement with the film. Indefinitely. Not cool, China. Not cool at all.
3. HE'S DONE THE MOST CONVINCING IRISH ACCENT WE'VE EVER HEARD
You've all seen 'Snatch', right? His accent in that is, for our money, the most convincing Irish accent we've ever heard. He's put pretty much every other Irish accent we've heard to shame. Tom Cruise? Cameron Diaz? Nope. Pitt's the best. You like dags?
2. HE HUNG OUT WITH THE 'JACKASS' CREW BACK WHEN THEY WERE COOL
Pitt was such a fan of 'Jackass' that he went out with them for a couple of their skits. You've got to hand it to him – most A-listers are so uptight about their image and maintaining it. Not Brad Pitt. He went all-out with 'Jackass'. Check it out:
1. WELL, LOOK AT HIM!
He's a slick-looking git with or without a beard. And to be honest, we should all only hope to look that good at 55.
