Christina Applegate's Memoir Reveals Regrettable Date Night with Brad Pitt
In a candid revelation from her newly released memoir, "You With the Sad Eyes," actress Christina Applegate recounts a memorable yet regrettable evening from 1989 when she brought Brad Pitt as her date to the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles, only to leave him for rocker Sebastian Bach. The "Dead to Me" star, now 54, shares this personal anecdote that highlights a pivotal moment in both their early careers.
A Budding Friendship and Missed Romantic Opportunity
Applegate describes Pitt as a "platonic pal" she had known for some time before the awards show. At 17, she was already a Hollywood sensation thanks to her role as Kelly Bundy on "Married...With Children." Shortly before the event, she reconsidered their friendship, thinking he could be boyfriend material, and he agreed to accompany her. However, her attention quickly shifted during the ceremony where she was presenting.
"I had spent all night staring at Bach, who was then a long-haired hunk fronting the band Skid Row," Applegate wrote, according to multiple reports. She explained that while Pitt was still establishing himself as an actor, he wasn't yet the iconic heartthrob he would become. "Brad back then was still making his way as an actor, and he wasn't yet THE Brad Pitt, the man of so many people's dreams."
The Fateful Decision and Its Aftermath
Feeling confident in a Ceil Chapman gown that made her feel "incredible," Applegate made a snap decision after the show. "I left with Sebastian Bach, not Brad Pitt," she admitted. The situation worsened as Pitt was left to drive her mother home, nearly got into a fight with gang members, and was understandably furious with her.
Applegate's impulsive choice backfired almost immediately. At an afterparty, she discovered Bach was already in a relationship and had a child, leading her to reflect, "What a dick." The fallout was significant: Pitt didn't speak to her for years and even complained about the disastrous date to two of his subsequent movie star girlfriends.
Reconciliation and Reflection
Years later, those same women approached Applegate to ask if she was "the girl who left Brad behind at the MTV Video Music Awards." Fortunately, time healed the rift. "Eventually, we agreed that I'd been a kid, and though he deserved much better, it was time to forgive the child who dumped him for the lead singer of Skid Row," she wrote.
Applegate humorously noted the irony of their careers: "Of course, Brad is now THE Brad Pitt, and Sebastian Bach ... well, he still has long hair, I guess." She went on to marry Johnathon Schaech in 2001, divorce in 2007, and later marry Martyn LeNoble in 2013 after welcoming their daughter Sadie in 2011.
Meanwhile, Pitt married Jennifer Aniston from 2000 to 2005, then Angelina Jolie from 2014 to 2019, and is currently dating jewelry executive Ines de Ramon since late 2022. This story from Applegate's memoir offers a glimpse into Hollywood's past, showcasing how youthful decisions can have lasting impacts, even among future stars.
