Christina Applegate Left Brad Pitt for a Long-Haired Rocker in 1989

Call it a classic case of youthful impulsivity. In her candid new memoir, You With the Sad Eyes, Christina Applegate reflects on a lingering remorse from her teenage years: the night she abandoned her date, a then-rising Brad Pitt, at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards to pursue heavy metal frontman Sebastian Bach.

In the book, which debuted on March 3, the actress recounts how she abruptly pivoted away from her connection with a 25-year-old Pitt—who had been a close friend for some time—to seek out the Skid Row singer. At just 17, Applegate found herself captivated by Bach’s quintessential “bad boy” persona. “I spent the entire evening transfixed by Bach, who was the definitive long-haired heartthrob of the era,” she writes.

Applegate offers a blunt perspective on the social hierarchy of the time, noting that while Pitt was handsome, he hadn’t yet ascended to the legendary status he holds today. “To be honest, Brad was still finding his footing in the industry back then; he wasn’t yet the global icon of everyone’s fantasies,” she explains. Feeling an uncharacteristic surge of empowerment, she made the bold choice to leave the ceremony with the rocker instead of her escort.

Unbeknownst to Applegate at the time, Bach already had a partner and a young child waiting at home. Meanwhile, a jilted Pitt was relegated to the role of a disgruntled chauffeur, tasked with driving Applegate’s mother and her friend, Lori Allison, back from the event. The night allegedly grew even more chaotic when Pitt nearly ended up in a physical altercation at a gas station during the commute—a situation that left him understandably furious.

The fallout from the evening resulted in a cold shoulder that lasted for years. However, Applegate notes that they eventually found common ground. “Ultimately, we made peace with the fact that I was just a kid,” she concludes. “He deserved better, but he eventually forgave the child who ditched him for the lead singer of Skid Row.” She adds a witty observation that while Pitt became a cinematic phenomenon, Bach’s most consistent trait decades later remains his signature mane.

Since that fateful night, Applegate’s life saw marriages to actor Johnathon Schaech and her current husband, Dutch musician Martyn LeNoble. Pitt, of course, became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, navigating high-profile marriages with Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie. As for Bach, his career continues to thrive; coinciding with the release of Applegate’s memoir, it was announced that he will be stepping in to front Twisted Sister for their 50th-anniversary shows in 2026.

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