If you watched the 2017 Academy Awards, then you know that the Dolby Theater was, as always, packed to the rafters with Hollywood’s best and brightest.
There were the nominees, of course, but there was also the usual laundry list of A-listers, many of whom seem to make the awards show rounds simply because they have the star power to be invited even when they’re not involved with any nominated projects.
One such constant in years past was Brad Pitt, who was noticeably absent from last night’s ceremony.
Pitt’s first wife, Jennifer Aniston, was front and center (okay, second row and center) for the Oscars.
His second wife, Angelina Jolie, has been keeping a relatively low profile since the couple’s highly-publicized divorce, so it came as no surprise that she wasn’t on hand.
But Brad has been in the midst of a sort of low-key redemption tour, and many thought he would continue sending the message that all is well with a stag appearance at the Oscars.
Pitt appeared at the Golden Globes last month, where he handed the night’s top prize to Moonlight, which also won Best Picture at last night’s ceremony.
There would have been a symmetry in Pitt at least being in the audience for the film’s upset victory.
His absence would hardly be cause for concern on its own, but coming as it does on the heels of news that Pitt has been showing signs of emotional wear and tear, it’s being reported by some outlets as the latest in a long line of troubling signs.
The latest report comes from Us Weekly, which claims that the actor has lost a startling amount of weight in recent weeks.
As there were widespread – and unconfirmed – reports about Pitt’s drug use in the wake of his split from Jolie, many took the weight loss as a sign that the 53-year-old had gone off the rails following his split from Jolie.
However, one insider claims that Pitt is actually healthier than he’s been in years, and has been working hard to get himself in optimum shape:
“He’s focusing on himself again, watching what he eats and has a chef making him healthy meals,” a source tells the magazine.
“He’s had a lot of time to focus on himself.”
So perhaps Brad just felt like staying home last night.
Whatever the case, he’s got at least a few more months of the press scrutinizing his every move to endure.
