Brad Pitt: Career in Pictures

Take a look back at the Oscar nominee's scene-stealing, and mostly sizzling, on-screen moments

Thelma & Louise - 1991

Brad Pitt's first major film role was in this cult girl classic, where he made an unforgettable appearance as charming robber J.D. We still get in a hot flush just thinking about it.

Thelma & Louise - 1991

Brad Pitt's first major film role was in this cult girl classic, where he made an unforgettable appearance as charming robber J.D. We still get in a hot flush just thinking about it.

A River Runs Through It - 1992

Pitt plays rebellious fly-fisher Paul McLean in this atmospheric film about two brothers in Montana, directed by actor-turned-director Robert Redford.

Legends of the Fall - 1994

The actor stars alongside Aiden Quinn and Anthony Hopkins in this epic tale of three brothers living in the 1900s wilderness. More importantly, he proves that even with that long mane, he can still cause heart palpitations.

Interview with the Vampire - 1994

Vampires always looked as good as Edward Cullen. Long before Twilight, Brad Pitt was 200-year-old Louis de Pointe du Lac, a vampire with a conscience. He has since said that filming Interview with the Vampire was one of his least famous movie-making experiences.

12 Monkeys - 1995

Pitt's turn as Jeffrey Goines, a fanatical mental patient in a post-apocalyptic future world, earned the actor his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe. Brad had finally made his mark.

Se7en - 1995

As Pitt's roles start to get grittier and grittier, he seems to get hotter and hotter. In Se7en, he plays a rookie cop hunting a serial killer obsessed by the seven deadly sins. Gwyneth Paltrow plays his pregnant wife and off-screen the pair became romantically involved and later engaged.

Seven Years In Tibet - 1997

The actor plays Austrian mountain climber Heinrich Harrer, who befriended the young Dalai Lama. When the film was released the Chinese government criticised the plot and argued that the Communist Chinese military officers were intentionally shown as impolite and arrogant. They were so angry that director Jean-Jacques Annaud and stars Brad Pitt and David Thewlis were banned from ever entering China.

Meet Joe Black - 1998

Pitt reunites with Anthony Hopkins (who plays his dad in Legends of the Fall) as a sharp-suited personification of Death in this 1998 film co-starring Claire Forlani. If you're fan of Pitt's aesthetics, you'll love this film as it contains some particularly raunchy sex scenes and lots of close-ups of his beautiful face.

Fight Club - 1999

We're sure we're not the only ones who made good use of the pause button during the Fight Club scenes where Pitt is sans shirt. Not only does he show off his acting prowess in this cult film that explores one of the more physical ways of coping with aggression, he also displays those washboard abs that made him the envy of every man - and the fantasy of every woman.

Snatch - 2000

We couldn't understand a word he said, but Brad Pitt's witty performance as Mickey the boxer stole every scene in Guy Ritchie's Snatch. It didn't hurt that we got to see him with his shirt off, too.

The Mexican - 2001

Pitt went the romcom route as a criminal in The Mexican, co-starring with America's sweetheart, Julia Roberts. While it may not be Pitt's finest cinematic moment, he sure looked good doing it.

Ocean's 11 - 2001

Pitt teams up with best bud (and fellow 2012 Oscar nominee) George Clooney for Ocean's 11, which follows a group of cons trying to pull off the biggest heist of their careers. The film spawned two sequels and had an all-star cast including Julia Roberts and Matt Damon.

Troy - 2004

He armours up for his role as the warrior Achilles in this epic based on Homer's Iliad. While the movie got panned, the star's torso got rave reviews (from us, at least).

Mr. & Mrs. Smith - 2005

Sometimes life really does imitate art. Pitt fell for co-star Angelina Jolie on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, where they played a couple of bored, married assassins. The real-life drama that unfolded between the two - and their on-screen chemistry - couldn't have been more fascinating and we're still talking about the Pitt-Jolie-Aniston love triangle to this day.

Babel - 2006

Pitt tackles the issue of communicating (or being unable to) as a husband whose wife (played by Cate Blanchett) gets shot while on holiday in Morocco. Although not received very well by critics, Pitt gives an undoubtedly good performance.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 2008

This movie was a dream come true for Pitt fans who got to see the actor get younger and more attractive as the film progressed. His performance earned him an Academy Award nomination.

Burn After Reading - 2008

Pitt shows off his funny side in Burn After Reading (is there anything he can't do?), in which he stars as a gym employee who happens upon a CIA agent's memoirs. The all-star cast includes Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton and Pitt's BFF George Clooney.

Inglourious Basterds - 2009

As Lt. Aldo Raine in Quentin Tarantino's WWII-based flick, Pitt has one goal: Kill the Nazis. It's brutal and brilliant.

The Tree of Life - 2011

Terrence Malick's ambitious film sees Pitt as a 1950s father of three sons. Playing a family man isn't too much of a stretch for the father of six.

Moneyball - 2011

Pitt earns his third Oscar nomination for the biographical film Moneyball, in which he plays Oakland Athletics manager Billy Beane. Will 2012 be the actor's year to take home a statue?