Brad Pitt Says He Got Sober Because of Bradley Cooper, Has Been Happier 'Every Day' Since

While accepting a Best Supporting Actor award at the National Board of Review annual awards gala, Brad Pitt said he “got sober because of” Bradley Cooper, who presented his award. While Pitt has spoken about his struggles with sobriety previously, admitting that his drinking played a large role in his split from Angelina Jolie, this is the first time we’re learning that friend Cooper played such an important part in helping Pitt get sober.

Pitt received the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood, for which he also snagged a Golden Globe. The father-of-six took to the stage to accept the award from Cooper, giving his buddy a big hug and praising the actor for making it to the gala at all.

“Bradley just put his daughter to bed and rushed over here to do this,” Pitt told the crowd. “He’s a sweetheart. I got sober because of this guy and every day have been happier ever since. I love you and I thank you.”

Cooper shares 2-year-old daughter Lea de Seine with ex Irina Shayk, and it sounds like he’s doing his best to spend time with his daughter amid awards season duties as an A-list celeb. Cooper is also sober and told The Hollywood Reporter in 2012 that he quit drinking when he was 29 because alcohol and drugs were “taking a toll” on his life.

This is no doubt a struggle Pitt can relate to since his separation from Jolie, and it seems sobriety has brought these two friends closer together. It’s heartwarming to know they’ve found a support system in each other — and, that Pitt is able to talk about his newfound sobriety so openly. When celebs publicly talk about their sobriety they help de-stigmatize addiction struggles across the world.

Cheers to Pitt for cleaning up his act — and delivering an award-winning performance along the way.