Brad Pitt Returns to New Orleans to Mark the Fifth Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

Brad Pitt

Aceshowbiz :    On the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Brad Pitt went back to New Orleans on Friday, August 27.

Without the accompany of Angelina Jolie and their kids, the "Inglourious Basterds" actor, in a blue shirt and jeans, greeted a crowd of locals and shared his biggest smile.

Beside meeting with the locals, Pitt also took a look around of some eco-friendly houses which have been built through his Make It Right Foundation, a project he and Jolie founded in 2007 to help residents who lost their homes in the 2005 disaster. The foundation has so far built 50 homes and Pitt wants 150 more.

In the Louisiana state, Pitt also spent his time to conduct an interview with Brian Williams for NBC's "Nightly News". Recalling what he saw when he visited the country after the hurricane, Pitt said, "It was unfathomable. I mean, just.. you had no idea that there were families and here. It was just wiped clean. Except for the occasional pile up of homes and.. on top of homes."

"People build their lives here. And.. and.. I mean, New Orleans is a unique place to begin with. And I say.. a cultural treasure trove for.. for America to begin with," Pitt shared when asked what made him come up with an idea of Make It Right Foundation.

"But the thing that struck me was that these people were trying to.. you know, these people were trying to get home," Pitt added. "And.. and were having a very difficult time doing so. And as I got into and started studying it."

And locals are grateful with what Pitt has done in their lives. Baxter Barnes, who received a home from Make It Right and has previously spent time with both Pitt and Jolie, told Radar Online, "They are both genuine and down-to-earth people and if were not for them we, like a lot of other people, would not have homes back in New Orleans."