Brad Pitt opens up about surviving his 'darker days' and 'suffering losses and pain' - following bitter Angelina Jolie divorce

Brad Pitt has opened up about surviving his 'darker days' and 'suffering losses and pain' – following his bitter and long divorce from his ex-wife Angelina Jolie.

The actor, 62, detailed how he coped with some of the more challenging times of his life as he promoted his latest film Heart of the Beast.

In the movie, Brad stars as retired Special Forces officer James Belmont, who is accompanied by his retired combat dog Odin when their plane crashes in the remote Alaskan wilderness. 

The two survive the crash but they're forced to fight for survival in bitter conditions while hoping to be rescued.

Brad worked with survival experts on the project which he says opened his eyes to what he had been through. 

He said: 'When I think of the darker days, it was certainly my close relationships that I relied heavily on. Friends, dear close friends a handful of close family, and was very open about my struggle.'

Brad Pitt has opened up about surviving his 'darker days' and 'suffering losses and pain' – following his bitter and long divorce from his ex-wife Angelina Jolie

Brad and Angelina, 51, split back in September 2016 following just two years of marriage. Their divorce wasn't finalised until 2024 however

Brad added according to The Sun: 'And being able to be that free with people who love you and have your back, and that you love back, is everything. It's everything.'

'The survivalists would tell us it's all about little wins. You're going to suffer losses, you're going to suffer pain, but it's just getting to the next little win. 

'I thought that equated to life in that way, in the sense of when we are struggling and going through many challenges, just getting to that next little win, not thinking about the big picture, just that next little win.'

Last month friends revealed how his marriage to Angelina sent his life 'spiraling'.

An exclusive Daily Mail report detailed his friends revealing the 'worst thing that ever happened to him' after marriage sent his life 'spiraling'.

A source close to Brad told us: 'He never had a drink problem, he had an Angelina problem. He's worked hard on himself and he's now, finally, in a really good place.'

You can read the in-depth report here. 

Brad and Angelina, 51, split back in September 2016 following just two years of marriage. Their divorce wasn't finalised until 2024 however after an eight-year-long legal battle. 

It comes as in an interview with L'Officiel USA published on September 9, Angelina stated that she's ready to leave the United States and 'be a bit nomadic' now that her two youngest children, twins Vivienne and Knox, have turned 18.

The star, who listed her Los Feliz mansion for $29.85million earlier this year, admitted she is experiencing 'the end of a certain time' in her life.

The actor, 62, detailed how he coped with some of the more challenging times of his life as he promoted his latest film Heart of the Beast 

Last month friends revealed how his marriage to Angelina sent his life 'spiraling' (seen together in 2014) 

Asked if she's going to be swapping Los Angeles for New York, she told the publication: 'Out of the States more, I think.

'I don't really plan to have a base. I'd like to have a home base for my family, a place where some of the mom stuff and the family photos are. And then I'd like to be a bit nomadic for a while.'

She no longer needs to stay in Los Angeles to satisfy the rules of her custody agreement with Brad, which required her minor children to remain near their father until they turned 18.

All six of her children with the star are now adults and four of them, including Maddox, 25, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20 and Vivienne, have taken legal steps to change their last names from Pitt to Jolie.

Knox and Pax, 22, have not filed a formal legal name-change petition.

While Brad increasingly steps out in public with girlfriend of nearly four years, Ines de Ramon, 33, the Maleficent actress is keen to continue the global expansion of her Atelier Jolie creative house.