Brad’s weight loss has friends worried sick.
There are serious concerns for his health, after he’s been spotted visiting a Beverly Hills clinic
Brad Pitt’s sudden, dramatic weight loss has prompted much concern in Hollywood circles, with many assuming he is struggling emotionally after his messy split with Angelina Jolie.
However, Woman’s Day can reveal the secret, more sinister reason behind the megastar’s health crisis – and it has his friends fearing the worst.
Late last year, a US publication reported the 53-year-old actor was seen making repeated private visits to the Beverly Hills office of a prominent infectious diseases specialist.
According to witnesses, Brad would often arrive at the clinic in the early hours, before the facility opened to the public.
This aroused suspicion among his inner circle at the time. Now, in the wake of his shockingly thin frame in recent weeks, many fear Brad really is suffering from a mystery illness.
“Brad doesn’t deny he’s been there [to the clinic],” says a source. “But he is being very secretive. He said they were carrying out tests and looking at a few things. Now some of his nearest and dearest are worried sick that he is seriously ill.”
It’s believed Brad has dropped around 18kg since his devastating marriage breakdown in September last year, during which he was investigated for child abuse after an alleged altercation with his 15-year-old son Maddox.
Sadly, as the bitter custody battle between him and Ange continues, Brad has not been seen publicly with his children for seven months.
Angelina, 41, has retained custody of Maddox, 13-year-old Pax, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 10, and eight-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, taking them on holidays, as well as on a trip to Cambodia to promote her film First They Killed My Father.
Meanwhile, a sombre and gaunt-looking Brad has taken to spending long days at an LA art studio, where he’s said to be working on a sculpture. He has been shunning Hollywood parties and even skipped out on the Oscars, where Moonlight, the film on which he was executive producer, won Best Picture.
“His weight loss seems so dramatic, you have to wonder if he has caught some terrible disease on one of his jaunts overseas,” our source says.
There’s good cause to believe Brad may be hiding an illness, and there’s no denying the secretive star has had health issues in the past. He was hospitalised with viral meningitis during a trip to Ethiopia in 2005, and late last year he cancelled several appearances in connection with his film Allied with no explanation.
“At the time, everyone assumed it was because of all he was going through with Angelina and the kids,” the source explains.
“But now you have to wonder if it was down to health issues. Word is he’s been visiting that clinic for the past six months – in fact, ever since the weight started dropping off him.”
In November, a source revealed the lengths Brad has been going to in order remain unnoticed at the clinic.
“Brad arrives very early in the morning,” the source said at the time. “It’s before the office opens to receive other patients, likely so Brad won’t be recognised or seen by anyone. He comes in by 7.30am and a staffer lets him in.
“But one morning, no one had come downstairs yet to allow Brad into the building’s closed parking lot. It was very early, and the clinic wasn’t open for business yet.
“Brad waited outside in his car until a staffer pulled up, and used a card key. When the security gate opened to let her in, Brad raced in behind her.”
The mysterious visits have only heightened concern for Brad’s wellbeing.
“Friends are really worried now, and they are telling Brad to stay strong and take good care of his health,” our source adds. “They are just praying that everything is OK.”
‘Brad’s nearest and dearest are worried sick that he is seriously ill’