Brad Pitt On Why ‘War Machine’ Was Almost Scrapped: ‘I Was Boozing Too Much’

Brad Pitt proves that both war and divorce are hell, as he opens up about the personal challenges he faced while also trying to a launch a second leg of his acting career with War Machine. In the new film, Pitt plays a vain army general in a satirical look at the results of living with too much pride and lust for power. Previously, Brad has admitted that he connected with these themes on a personal level, though he was reluctant to reveal the specifics. More recently, however, Pitt has opened up about the effects his divorce from Angelina Jolie has had on him and how the entire ordeal almost prevented War Machine from seeing the light of day.

Bad PR Surrounding Brad Pitt Almost Sabotaged War Machine

It may not be a well-guarded secret that Brad Pitt faced alcoholism problems in recent months, as he tried to cope with his divorce from Ms. Jolie, but, as USA Today shares, the War Machine actor tried to limit public exposure. When Allied was released in November, Pitt kept a low profile, smiling and waving but keeping his comments down to a minimum. Brad used that same strategy with the premiere of The Lost City of Z months later.

Since then, Brad has followed in the footsteps of the likes of Demi Lovato and Miley Cyrus, coming clean about his alcohol dependency and his efforts to get clean.

“I was boozing too much,” Pitt confessed without trying to shift blame onto ex Angelina Jolie. “It’s just become a problem. And I’m really happy it’s been half a year now, which is bittersweet, but I’ve got my feelings in my fingertips again.”

It has been a humbling experience for Pitt, which is also something new for the father of Maddox, 15; Pax, 13; Zahara, 12; Shiloh, 10; and twins Vivienne and Knox, 8. Brad recalls growing up in what he calls the “father knows best” era, when the patriarch was rarely, if ever, questioned or called to answer for his mistakes. Times have changed and the War Machine star says he’s struggling to catch up to the new family dynamic.

It’s not all bad. Brad Pitt has cleaned up his act, returned to the big screen, and found more joy in life, living as a clean and sober dad.

“There’s still much beauty in the world and a lot of love. And a lot of love to be given,” says the War Machine star. “It’s all right. It’s just life.”

Brad Pitt Joins The Great Netflix Debate

Are streaming services, like Netflix, destroying the film industry? That’s the big question facing this year’s assembly of film festivals, and already the Cannes organizers have decided that Netflix and similar services will be barred from competing in next year’s festival. ABS-CBN News reports that Brad is jumping into this debate, and, as War Machine is a Netflix-produced film, it’s not difficult to guess which side of the fence Pitt lands on.

While many actors are taking on Netflix projects, some critics of the streaming service expressed the feeling that drawing a big-name star like Pitt is Netflix’s way of declaring war on more traditional film producers. That may be a valid point, but Brad has a different view.

Mr. Pitt sees the advent of streaming services as something that can only serve to benefit everyone within the filmmaking business.

“There’s more content being made, there’s more risk out there. There are more films, there are more stories being told, there are more filmmakers getting shots. I think this is nothing but a fantastic moment for all of us,” says Brad Pitt.

Brad says War Machine wasn’t attracting the attention of the big studios, so going through Netflix enabled him and director David Michod to get the ball rolling, where it might have otherwise been scrapped.

“Quite honestly, without a delivery system like Netflix, this movie wouldn’t have been made,” shared Pitt. “Or if it did get made, it would have been at one-sixth of the budget only… there is a great degree of difficulty to pull off.”

War Machine producer Dede Gardner shares Pitt’s views, adding that Netflix is more courageous in backing risky film projects. She adds that Netflix has the money to back good yet uncertain film projects, making it an attractive alternative for filmmakers.

Traditional studios have a hard and fast business model when it comes to choosing which films it will back, whereas Netflix will make decisions based on the merits of each project. That’s not to say filmmakers are abandoning traditional movie production companies in droves. They still go to studios like Paramount, Universal, and Warner Bros. with their ideas, but, when all else fails, Netflix provides a viable solution.

War Machine, starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hayes, and John Magaro, hits theaters on May 26.

[Featured Image by Paul Drinkwater/Getty Images]