Brad Pitt turns 50: From nineties heartthrob to one half of Brangelina to dad of six the actor celebrates his milestone birthday

As a Hollywood heartthrob, a dad of six and one half of the biggest celeb couples on the planet, Brad Pitt has crammed a lot into his fifty years.

The actor celebrates his milestone birthday today and while he may be the big 5-0 for many it feels like no time has passed since he first burst onto screens and melted hearts with his role as a hitchhiking cowboy in 1991’s Thelma & Louise.

With Brad separated from his fiancée Angelina Jolie for the past few weeks, who has been busy filming her new directorial project in Sydney, as he worked in England on new movie Fury, the actor will no doubt be looking forward to celebrating leaving his 40s behind.

Happy Birthday Brad: Brad Pitt turns 50 on December 18 and with six kids, Angelina Jolie as his fiancee and 25 years in film he's got a lot to celebrate 

Madame Tussauds update figures as Pitt turns 50

Born in Oklahoma, the star  studied journalism at university before kickstarting his acting career with bit roles in major US TV shows including four episodes of Dallas and the ABC sitcom Growing Pains.
It wasn’t until the age of 27 though that he shot to fame as Geena Davis’ sexy hitchhiker in beloved road movie Thelma & Louise.

Breakout star: At the age of 27 Brad achieved worldwide fame and immediate sex symbol status thanks to his role as a hitchhiking cowboy in Thelma & Louise

Brad cemented his status as a nineties heart-throb by dating rising star Gwyneth Paltrow before  meeting Friends star Jennifer Aniston in 1998. The pair married in Malibu in 2000 and for five years were the golden couple of tinseltown, until Brad met Angelina.
The stunning pair came face to face on the set of action movie Mr & Mrs Smith in 2005, with both later admitting that they fell in love on set while playing the husband and wife assassins.

Blonde haired boy: The star has started a number of hair trends over the years including this tousled locks look from 1997

Not his best look: The newly turned 50-year-old has experimented with his look over the years including this bushy beard in 2002

Brangelina was soon born and in January 2006 Angelina confirmed she was pregnant with the couple’s first child Shiloh. With twins Vivienne and Knox following as well as the couples’ adopted children Maddox, Pax and Zahara, Brad has been kept busy as a devoted father of six.

Away from family life the actor has barely stopped working, starring in memorable movies such as 12 Monkeys, Interview with the Vampire and as the enigmatic Tyler Durden in Fight Club.

Action man: The actor has starred in over fifty films in his career playing everything from a vampire to Greek legend Achilles in Troy

He’s also starred opposite pals George Clooney and Matt Damon in the Oceans franchise and played everything from a bed hopping gladiator in Troy to a man who ages backwards in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
While he’s so far missed out on that elusive Oscar, the star has been nominated for four Academy Awards and picked up one Golden Globe out of five nods in his 25 year career.

Everyone's leading man: Brad cemented his heartthrob status by dating a string of beauties in the 90s including Gwyneth Paltrow

Brad has also found success with his production company who’s latest output, this summer’s zombie thriller World War Z, has become the actor’s highest grossing film to date.
Working with Angelina, the actor has devoted himself to charity projects including the ONE campaign which aims to combat AIDS and poverty in the developing world as well as founding Not On Our Watch with his Oceans co-stars, an organisation that focuses global attention on stopping mass atrocities.

Married man: In 2000, the actor wed Friends star Jennifer Aniston in a Malibu beach ceremony only for the couple to split five years later

Pitt is also a supporter of same-sex marriage, declaring in a 2006 interview with Esquire that he would only marry Jolie, who he proposed to last year, when everyone in America is legally able to marry.
The actor has recently been hard at work on his new movie, WW2 epic Fury, shooting scenes in the English countryside over the past few months.

David Ayers’ movie, expected to be released next November, is set in 1945 as the Nazi regime collapses and follows the five-man crew of an American tank called Fury, led by Brad as they attempt a deadly mission behind enemy lines.

All-star films: Brad has starred alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood including Tom Cruise and a young Kirsten Dunst in Interview With the Vampire in 1994

Iconic roles: The actor has earned rave reviews and accolades for movies like David Fincher's Fight Club (1999)

While he might be starring alongside younger counterparts like Shia LaBeouf in his new film, the actor recently told Ann Curry on the Today show that he has no problem with the ageing process:

“So far I haven’t minded a bit. So I have no complaints.”

Brad range: Brad had a star turn in Guy Ritchie's comedy crime movie Snatch in 2000

Asked if he is “cool” with it, Brad said he hadn’t put much thought into turning 50 just yet.

“Cool? … I don’t know. We’ll see … I’m busy right now so I haven’t thought about it,” he laughed.

Meeting his fiancee: Brad fell in love on the set of action film Mr & Mrs Smith in 2005, going on to share six children with his now fiancee Angelina Jolie

Award winner: The star received a Golden Globe in 1996 for his supporting role in 12 Monkeys but so far the star has missed out on an Oscar