The Real Reason Brad Pitt Changed His Name

Brad Pitt is such a well-known Hollywood actor and household name that it’s unlikely that many people wouldn’t recognize him on the street. And it’s not just because he’s been dubbed People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” on several occasions, or because of his legendary appearances in films like “Meet Joe Black,” “Seven,” and “Legends of the Fall,” but also because his personal life has always piqued people’s curiosity.

He’s previously been married to Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie, as well as dating Gwyneth Paltrow, Christina Applegate, and a slew of other A-listers. Pitt admitted in a 1990 interview with Siskel & Ebert that his midwestern boy next door looks helped him get a head start in his career. “, he explained “The whole ‘looks’ topic makes me uneasy, because it’s true that looks do open doors, you know? They don’t lock you in, but they do open doors.”

While Pitt’s appearance has evolved over the years, some of his admirers are unaware that he also changed his name at the start of his career. In fact, unlike the rest of the world, it’s likely that his Missouri friends and family don’t refer to him as Brad at all.

Brad Pitt has been dubbed many things during his life, from “Sexiest Man Alive” to “Best Supporting Actor,” and possibly even “Angelina Jolie’s spouse,” but when he returns to Springfield, Missouri, the people may refer to him as William (and only William). That’s true, according to Biography, Pitt’s real name is William Bradley Pitt. His father, William Alvin Pitt, was his inspiration. When Pitt initially arrived in Los Angeles, he apparently decided to give his name a Hollywood makeover. According to Glamour, he thought the name “Brad Pitt” was short, charming, and to the point.

While many Hollywood stars have altered their names over the years (such as Thomas Cruise Mapother), Pitt’s true first name isn’t the only thing he left behind in the Show-Me state. In fact, he has many fond recollections of the location that helped mold him into the person he is today. That, and William had to say his goodbyes to a certain someone before he became Brad.

While he may have spent the majority of his adult life in Los Angeles, Brad Pitt’s passion for his home state of Missouri is undeniable. Pitt revealed in a 2017 interview with GQ that he spent a lot of time in the great outdoors as a kid growing up in Springfield. He explained to the publication, “We grew up in the middle of a cornfield, which is strange because we always ate canned veggies. That’s one I’ve never been able to solve! Anyway, ten minutes outside of town, you’re in the Ozark Mountains, surrounded by forests and rivers. This is a beautiful country.”

But it wasn’t just the breathtaking scenery that he adored about his city. Pitt also acknowledged to Parade in September 2007 that the year he departed for Los Angeles, he left a particular someone in Missouri. Pitt recounted, without giving her name, “She was the daughter of a Methodist pastor. Despite the fact that we were dating for a semester, she wasn’t really into me. She was a firm believer in reality. She called me out on a lot of nonsense, including any romantic notions I had about life as a kid. It was the start of my freshman year of college.”

In other words, it appears that this ex-girlfriend was not only uninterested in William, but was also burying her heels in the mud when she realized she had missed out on Brad.

Source: nickiswift.com