Back in 2019, actors Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins sat down together for an interview. In this case, Hopkins was interviewing Pitt for Interview magazine. The topics they talked about included mistakes, movies and one of their common vices, alcohol.

Hopkins and Pitt were talking about fate (they both believe in it) and “missteps” when Hopkins broached the topic of alcohol by saying, “I’ve read you had a struggle with booze and all that.” That comment caused Pitt to open up about why he chose to drink alcohol and also why he chose to get sober.

Pitt described alcohol as an “escape” and said that it was also “a disservice to myself.”

Hopkins seemed to understand exactly what Pitt meant. He said, “It was necessary.”

Pitt agreed, saying, “To some degree, yes.”

Hopkins admitted that he used to feel like he “needed” alcohol “to hide.”

Hopkins and Pitt both worked on the 1998 film “Meet Joe Black.” During the interview, Pitt reminded Hopkins that during the filming of that movie Hopkins that mentioned that he had “dumped” alcohol. Hopkins agreed mentioning that he has been sober for 45 years.

In September 2019, The New York Times revealed the Pitt has also gotten sober. After Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt, he spent a year and a half going through Alcoholics Anonymous. Pitt explained, “I had taken things as far as I could take it, so I removed my drinking privileges.”

Besides getting sober, in the Interview article, Pitt also shared some of this other thoughts on today’s culture. He isn’t a fan of cancel culture. Instead, he’s a fan of finding out “what that person’s next step is.” He thinks not doing so is “extremely judgmental.”

Pitt explained, “I think we’re living in a time where we’re extremely judgmental and quick to treat people as disposable. We’ve always placed great importance on the mistake. But the next move, what you do after the mistake, is what really defines a person. We’re all going to make mistakes. But what is that next step? We don’t, as a culture, seem to stick around to see what that person’s next step is. And that’s the part I find so much more invigorating and interesting.”

Does it surprise you that Hopkins and Pitt both admit that they once had a drinking problem? Does it surprise you that they have both chosen to get and stay sober?