Brad Pitt: I only take roles that will make my children proud of me

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Brad Pitt says he only accepts roles his children will be proud of him for — because he is “painfully aware” they will watch his films.

The Hollywood star, 55, has six children with his ex-wife Angelina Jolie: Maddox, 18, Pax, 15, Zahara, 14, Shiloh, 13, and 11-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

He told Red Bulletin: “Now that I’m a dad, I’m clearer about the work I want to do. I’m now painfully aware that my kids are going to be seeing my movies as they grow up.

“I think of how movies affected me when I was a kid, the ones that told me something, honed me a little bit, left that indelible mark. It’s important to me that I leave something they’ll be proud of.”

Family: Pitt pictured with children Pax, Shiloh and Maddox in 2014
ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

The actor has been promoting his latest film, Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, with co-stars Margot Robbie and Leonardo DiCaprio. Pitt and DiCaprio, 44, gave a joint interview to Red Bulletin, in which they also addressed the issue of longevity in Hollywood.

DiCaprio began acting in adverts as a child and had his breakout role at 19, in 1993 film What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood UK premiere

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He said: “You need to be prepared, but also you need to have that one stroke of luck. I have actor friends who are still searching for those opportunities. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time when I was younger.”

New issue: The interview with Pitt appears in the September issue of The Red Bulletin

Pitt, who found fame at 21 with a supporting role in 1991 film Thelma And Louise, said: “I feel like we won the lottery. There are many talented people out there, but the trick is: Once you get in the door you have to stand in the room.” He added: “There is a shelf life to what we do, and we’re aware of that. It makes us more appreciative of the time we’ve had. As long as you find meaning in what you do, it’ll transition into something else.”

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is in cinemas from Wednesday.

Read the full interview in the September issue of The Red Bulletin, out with the Standard tomorrow

Relationship Retrospective: Brad Pitt

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