Brad Pitt Reportedly Still ‘Reeling’ After Chris Cornell’s Suicide, Could It Affect His Sobriety?

Brad Pitt was completely devastated by Chris Cornell’s suicide last month, and his close friends are worried he will turn to alcohol to deal with the loss. Pitt has been sober ever since his nasty divorce with Angelina Jolie last year, but is he on the verge of relapsing once again?

An inside source told Radar Online that Pitt and Cornell were very close friends and his death blindsided the World War Z star. Cornell was part of the Seattle-based band Soundgarden and was found dead in a hotel room in Detroit on May 17. The cause of death was suicide by hanging. Cornell dealt with a lot of addictions in his career and went to rehab 15 years ago to turn things around.

“Brad and Chris were almost like brothers,” the insider shared. “Brad’s taking his loss very hard, like it’s a death in the family. Now, friends fear that Brad will fall off the wagon – hard!”

Pitt has been a vocal fan of Soundgarden over the years. In fact, his first public appearance after the divorce was a charity event with the band. Their bond ran so deep that Cornell even helped Pitt get sober over the past few months.

“It was a friendship that was honest, loyal and sparked by a mutual understanding,” the insider explained. “When Brad came to terms with his demons, Chris was right there for him. He helped Brad live a happy, sober life.”

BE Entertainment reports that Brad Pitt recently opened up about his alcohol problems and admitted that his addiction contributed to his divorce. He has been sober for over six months, but his friends are now worried that he will relapse because of Cornell’s suicide. To make matters worse, Pitt is also dealing with the deal of another close friend, Brad Grey, who was the chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures.

Grey helped Pitt found his production company, Plan B, when he still married to Jennifer Aniston. While Pitt mourned Grey’s death, Cornell’s suicide couldn’t have come at a worse time. The actor is currently working out a custody arrangement with Jolie following months of court battles.

Meanwhile, Pitt is also dealing with rumors surrounding his dating life. Although he is still in the middle of his divorce with Jolie, the Allied star has been linked to a number of different women over the past few months, including Gwyneth Paltrow. Although many fans would love to see them get back together, Marie Claire reports that Paltrow doesn’t think they have a future together.

Brad Pitt has not commented on Cornell’s passing.

[Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images]