William Alvin Pitt Wanted to Give His Son a Better Life – Facts about Brad Pitt's Father

William Alvin Pitt is a conservative and reserved man known as the father of the renowned actor Brad Pitt. Back then, before his children became adults, all he wanted for his family was for them to have a better life than he had.

Brad Pitt is one of the most successful actors in Hollywood. Still, he has shown his dedication to his work and commitment to his own family, primarily due to his influential father — William Alvin Pitt.

While William Alvin Pitt imparted certain traditional parenting practices to his son, the actor — who learned from his father's imperfect parenting — aspires to adopt a more progressive approach to his family.

William Alvin Pitt Worked in a Trucking Company for over Three Decades

William has had a remarkable dedication as a parent. In an interview in 2019, his son, Brad, shared memories of his commitment to their family. The actor said:

"My dad always said he wanted to give me a better life than he had coming from extreme poverty, and he did it. And it makes me think, as a dad, what do I have to offer that's better than I had, to my kids?"

Despite Brad's success, his father's tireless work back in the day is a humbling reminder for the accomplished movie star. For 36 years, William ran, managed, and worked for his trucking company.

William Alvin Pitt Is an Influential Figure in Brad Pitt's Life

Brad Pitt is the eldest of William and his wife Jane Pitt's three children. The actor and his younger siblings, Doug and Julie, were raised in Springfield, Missouri, where he learned to embody strength rather than weakness.

Brad Pitt seemed to believe that he emulated William Alvin Pitt's ways in certain aspects of his own life.

When reflecting on his father's upbringing, Brad described it as a "father-knows-best/war mentality." His father was seen as an authoritative figure rather than someone with vulnerabilities and challenges.

William exudes a reserved personality. Although strong, he is one of the silent types who chooses words with care and speaks sparingly. Brad's sister, Julie, once described William as her "silent source of strength." Like Julie, Brad also experienced William's calm attitude.

Brad recalled when he struggled to pay his rent and took up various odd jobs, such as wearing an animal mascot costume at a fast-food establishment.

When he finally secured an acting role, Brad opened up to his parents about his hardships, and William calmly responded to Brad, "Yeah, I thought so." In part, William's reserved nature can be attributed to his religious upbringing as a Midwestern Baptist, which he imparted to Brad, Julie, and Doug.

Brad Pitt Believes He Copied William Alvin Pitt's Ways

Brad Pitt seemed to believe that he emulated his father's ways in certain aspects of his own life. Eventually, he reached a point where he could see his father's influence resonating in every performance he gave.

However, despite William's influence, Brad aspires to break away from his father's traditional parenting methods and strives to be a more modern father to his children.

Brad shares six children with his ex-wife, actress Angelina Jolie: Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt, Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt, as well as twins Knox and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt.

Brad and Angelina divorced in 2019 after five years of marriage. Despite their breakup, Brad remains committed to his role as a father, just as his father was committed to raising him and his siblings.