Your Move

Brad Pitt Is Making a Careful Return to the Spotlight

The actor has chosen his public appearances in the last four months wisely.
Image may contain Human Person Musical Instrument Musician Sting Guitar Leisure Activities Crowd and Music Band
By Kevin Winter/Getty Images.

Both Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have kept a low profile throughout their divorce proceedings, which began nearly four months ago. And while Jolie has yet to make a public appearance (she has released several statements through her reps instead), Pitt—who in the fall skipped promotional duties on his films Voyage of Time and Allied to focus “on my family situation”—is now making a careful return to the public eye.

First, Pitt introduced critical darling Moonlight at the Golden Globes, a very public appearance that also served as a reminder that he is the beloved film’s executive producer. His presence at the Globes was a surprise. He didn’t walk the red carpet, which minimized some of the fanfare and protected him from red-carpet questions that could not be scripted like his speech was. As far as public appearances go, it was splashy, but not too splashy; even his speech was a well-calibrated moment that was not about him or his current situation.

And on Saturday night, he attended a private charity benefit in Malibu with Sting (official name: the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation’s annual ROCK4EB! charity event). Again, he was there to introduce another artist—Chris Cornell of Soundgarden—not be the main event.

Jolie has developed a reputation for smart press plays throughout her career, especially surrounding her personal life—for example, her 2005 interview with Vanity Fair after rumors of her relationship with Pitt began circulating in tabloids. Pitt appears to be taking a page from the master’s book, limiting his time in the spotlight relegated to scripted moments in service of other artists and charity.

Vanity Fair has reached out to Pitt’s team for comment.