Molly McPhersonCrisis and Reputation Strategist | Creator of Mollyfi | Host of The PR Breakdown

The writer brings up the wine, not Brad Pitt. One move shows how Esquire profile gets built.

12 Aug 2026 · 1 min

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1:05

In this excerpt, Molly McPherson and a co‑speaker dissect an Esquire profile of Brad Pitt written by D'Agostino. They highlight the reporter’s meticulous visual details—a silver platter, a charcuterie board, swaying palm trees, and a millimetre finger movement—used to convey Pitt’s demeanor. McPherson points out that while the piece obsessively describes these micro‑gestures, it glosses over the alcohol conversation, noting that the reporter, not Pitt, introduces the topic of wine after mentioning Perrier. The discussion underscores how the reporter’s narrative choices shape the reader’s perception, foregrounding aesthetic minutiae while subtly steering the conversation toward drinking.

silver platter. It's like they have a charcuterie board right in front, and then there's another silver platter that comes out that was given by the reporter. What's so interesting is the detail that the reporter notes in this story, down to Brad Pitt giving me the view, you know. Oh yeah, yeah, where the guests— He does.
So the guests get the view. Yeah.
And the swaying of the trees. The trees, the palm trees. And then also when they talk about serious things, um, D'Agostino, the reporter, notes That Brad Pitt puts his hand down on a table and his fingers move a millimeter to show that he's thinking like, oh my God, we are getting into a surgical precision-like detail of Brad Pitt and how he processes things. Yet we are glossing over the drinking. Now, the other piece of the sobriety— they have the Perrier. Perrier. Then it is the reporter Who brings up about— who brings up the wine? Not Brad, but the reporter. So the reporter opens the door to the alcohol conversation.