Brad Pitt Dishes on Fatherhood

Megastar Brad Pitt showed up on NBC's Today show on Monday, gushing about fatherhood. He talked to Ann Curry about the devastation of New Orleans, environmentally friendly development, and the joys of his new role as a dad.

MSNBC quoted Pitt as saying " Man, I got kids now. It completely changes your perspective. And certainly takes the focus off yourself, which I'm really grateful for." Forbes went on to quote Brad as gushing " Best thing I ever did. You know, you can write a book, you can make a movie, you can draw, paint a painting, but having kids is really the most extraordinary thing I've ever taken on. And, man, if I can get a burp out of that (baby), that little thing, I'll feel such a sense of accomplishment."

CBS News reports that Brad Pitt has been "working with Global Green USA, a national environmental organization, on a competition to choose ecologically sound designs for rebuilding neighborhoods in post-Katrina New Orleans." After championing the process, Pitt got his first close-up view of the devastation brought by Hurricane Katrina when he visited New Orleans last week. Piit said "I've had my day. I made some films and I've really had a very fortunate life. And it's time for me to share that a bit."

E Online quoted Pitt as continuing "I'm so tired of thinking about myself. I'm sick of myself. I can't do justice to it anymore than any other parent can. You feel that you want to be there and you don't want to miss out on anything. It's a true joy."

30 year old Angelina Jolie, star of such movies as Mr. And Mrs. Smith, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Alexander, has been in the public eye quite frequently as of late, following her pairing up with Brad Pitt after his divorce from Jennifer Aniston. Brad Pitt, 42, has been the star of such hits as Fight Club, Troy, Ocean's Twelve, and is set to star in the up-coming movie, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Brad and Angelina's child, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt was born on May 27th in Namibia.

Brad Pitt's partner, Angelina Jolie, the Academy Award winning actress who has acted in movies such as Girl, Interrupted, has recently adopted two children. On March 10th, 2002, Angelina adopted her first child, Maddox Chivan Jolie, when he was 7 months old. Jolie met the child in a Cambodian orphanage while filming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Then, on July 5th, 2005, People Magazine reported that Angelina Jolie was attempting to adopt an Ethiopian girl that had been orphaned, as her mother had died from AIDS. After a woman claiming to be the baby's mother was proven not to be, Jolie eventually gained custody of Zahara Marley Jolie. On January 19th, 2006, both of Angelina Jolie's babies were also adopted by Brad Pitt, giving the children the surname Jolie-Pitt.

[Additional Sources: MSNBC, Forbes, CBS News, E Online]