Kyle Rover/startraksphoto.comUpdate: The newspaper now says that it has "verified" that Brad Pitt's mother is indeed the author of this letter.
_____
Mama mia!
Brad Pitt has been a vocal advocate for gay rights, publicly championing marriage equality and even throwing his massive star power behind a star-studded reading of the Prop 8–themed play 8. But did his mom just fire off an anti-gay missive to a Missouri newspaper?
False alarm!
Despite an earlier confirmation to E! News from Springfield's News-Leader that a letter from Jane Pitt—which supported Mitt Romney's conservative views on homosexuality—was indeed written by the superstar's mom, the paper has now reversed itself, clarifying that this Jane Pitt is actually a different woman altogether.
The woman, who so happens to share Pitt's mom's name, was responding to an earlier letter published by Springfield's News-Leader, in which a reader urged voters to shut out Romney's presidential bid because of his Mormon beliefs.
In her response, which was published on Tuesday and which seemed to defend Romney, she wrote:
"I think any Christian should spend much time in prayer before refusing to vote for a family man with high morals, business experience, who is against abortion, and shares Christian conviction concerning homosexuality just because he is a Mormon."
It's certainly a complete 180 from the views shared by Brad and fiancée Angelina Jolie, who've been ardent proponents of gay rights.
Last year, following the passage of marriage-equality laws in New York, Brad told People, "No state should decide who can marry and who cannot," adding that "thanks to the tireless work of so many, someday soon this discrimination will end and every American will be able to enjoy their equal right to marriage."
In other Pitt family news, Brad's brother Doug has become a spokesman for Virgin Mobile Australia, revealing his views on sports, woodworking and classic rock in the process.
(Originally published on July 5, 2012 at 11:43 a.m. PT)