Brad Pitt turns 48 years old on Sunday, which to us underscores two things: One, the guy looks good for his age; and two, he's been at this Hollywood superstar thing for a long time.
The Oklahoma native's career is as strong as ever. He earned his fourth Golden Globe nomination on Thursday for his work in "Moneyball," an honor that is a major addition to the critics and festival awards he's been receiving for both that role and his turn in "The Tree of Life." But because birthdays are a day to reflect, we'd rather concentrate on the major roles that brought him to this illustrious point.
Pitt began taking guest turns and small parts in TV series and movies in 1987 after moving out to Hollywood. His first substantial break came when he starred in an arc on the soap opera "Dallas" as Randy, Charlie's tempting boyfriend. Check out his high-pitched voice:
That begat a series of other TV arcs, including spots in "Growing Pains" (with Leo DiCaprio!) and "21 Jump Street" (with Johnny Depp!).
A short-lived starring role on the show "Glory Days" came in 1990, and then his big break, in 1991: "Thelma & Louise."
Fame knocked and Pitt answered. He would go on to star in classics like "Se7en," "A River Runs Through It," "12 Monkeys," "Fight Club," "Snatch," the "Oceans" series, "Burn After Reading," "Inglourious Basterds" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," amongst many others. He'll soon star in "World War Z," "Cogans Bluff" and "Twelve Years A Slave," all of which promise to be hits.
Check out some of his best roles below, and vote for your favorite.