Philanthropist, Photog, Politician, Actor: Who Is Brad Pitt?

Oct. 15, 2008 — -- There was a time when Brad Pitt was the platonic ideal of the alpha male, all-American actor. Blond hair, blue eyes, buff body: Whether rolling with the punches in "Fight Club" or making 'em swoon in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," the screen was his domain. His forte. His raison d'être.

Today? It seems Pitt's passion has shifted from the bright lights and the big screen to ... just about everywhere else. One day he's building homes for people displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The next, he's donating $100,000 to support gay marriage in California. After that, he's snapping magazine pictorials of his picture-perfect partner, Angelina Jolie. And sometimes, in between, he acts.

As the old saying goes, Jack of all trades, master of none. So, what's up with Pitt? With so much on his plate and such a diverse palate, can he really be on top of all his endeavors?

Trevor Neilson, Pitt's philanthropic and political advisor of three years, says yes. Neilson, who also works with Jolie on her outside-of-Hollywood projects, paints Pitt as a kind of Superman-meets-Robin Hood, though perhaps without the tights.

"Brad is somebody who is passionate about promoting justice. Whether it's dealing with the injustice of a poor family in New Orleans being left behind by their government or the injustice of this ballot proposition, which would strip legally granted rights away from gay couples in California, he wants to use his influence the best he can," Neilson said. "He doesn't think that he alone can solve these things, but if he can play some small role, he wants to."

Lots of small roles seem to be Pitt's MO these days. When he's not in France with the fam or in Hollywood with his famous friends, he's often in New Orleans working on Make It Right, his rebuilding project that aims to finance and construct 150 affordable, environmentally sustainable homes in the Katrina-wrecked city's Ninth Ward. The first six homes welcomed new residents last week. According to Neilson, Pitt has raised more than $30 million toward rebuilding efforts, including $5 million of his own money. But he's not just signing checks -- he's also getting his hands dirty.

Case Study #13 no. 13, 2005; shot by Steven Klein

According to Steven Klein, who shot Pitt and Jolie for a 2005 W magazine spread (two of his black-and-white portraits of Pitt and Jolie are being auctioned tomorrow by Phillips de Pury & Company), Pitt has natural knack for the art of photography.

"Brad has a sixth sense," he said. And talking about Pitt as a subject, he added, "He intuitively gives me what I need. This process is unspoken between us but understood." Klein noted that Pitt wanted the spread with Jolie to be one "of substance, something to remember," and the couple was willing to put in the time to make that happen.