Did Brad Pitt’s career begin with a lie? (Photo Credit – Facebook)
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Brad Pitt didn’t move to California to attend art school. At least, that’s what he told his parents. In reality, he had no plans for art classes—he wanted to become an actor. Growing up in Springfield, Missouri, Pitt had a normal, small-town childhood.
His parents prioritized education and stability. So, when he chose to leave college just two credits shy of graduating, he had to come up with a solid excuse. Pitt told them he was going to study art in California. However, he had never stepped foot in a classroom once he arrived in Los Angeles. Instead, the young Brad started looking for acting opportunities.
Before he was Brad Pitt, the heartthrob, and Oscar winner, he was just a student, a guy studying advertising and graphic design at the University of Missouri. Acting wasn’t exactly in the plan—at least, not the plan he told his parents. In an interview with Tiger Beat, the Hollywood star said:
“I was in college—I was studying advertising and graphic design at the University of Missouri. I told my parents I was going to California to go to art school. I didn’t tell them I wanted to act. I always wanted to give this a try on my own. When I got out here, I started to check things out, and I never made it to art school.”
So, with a degree nearly in hand (he was only two credits short of graduating), Pitt packed his bags and left Missouri behind. California was calling. Of course, things didn’t go smoothly at first. He was broke, bouncing from one cheap apartment to another, and working odd jobs to survive.
Hollywood wasn’t easy. Pitt had no money, no connections, and no steady job. He spent his first month crashing at a friend’s place. Then, he moved into a shared apartment with several other struggling actors. They had no furniture—just a TV, a toaster oven, and a stereo. Pitt took on odd jobs to survive. He worked as a chauffeur for strippers and even dressed as a giant chicken to promote a restaurant.
The hard work (and odd jobs) paid off. Pitt started landing small roles in TV shows and commercials. Nothing major, but enough to keep the dream alive. His big break came in 1991’s Thelma & Louise, where he played a charming drifter with abs that launched a thousand crushes.
From there, things snowballed. A River Runs Through It, Legends of the Fall, and eventually, Fight Club cemented him as one of the biggest stars of his generation. And to think—it all started with a little white lie about art school.
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