Brad Pitt is celebrating his 50th birthday today. While he initially rose to fame because of his devastatingly good looks, the actor has managed to use his celebrity as a platform for helping others. Here's a look at five ways William Bradley Pitt (yup, that's his real name) has shown he's so much more than a genetically-blessed guy throughout the years.

His post-Katrina work in New Orleans

Pitt fell in love with New Orleans while filming Interview with the Vampire in 1994 and calls it "the most interesting city in America." After seeing the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina—specifically in the city's Lower 9th Ward, Pitt's Make It Right Foundation commissioned the construction of affordable, eco-friendly houses on the exact spot where the levee breached. To date, the nonprofit has spent over $30 million on the project.

The reason he's not married to Angelina Jolie

Pitt famously stated that he and Jolie are holding out on tying the knot because they want to wait until everyone has the right to get married. "It is each American's constitutional right to marry the person they love, no matter what state they inhabit," Pitt said in 2011.

He inspires his friends to help

Pitt co-founded Not On Our Watch, an organization focused on stopping mass atrocities worldwide, with George Clooney, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, David Pressman, and Jerry Weintraub. He also support's Wyclef Jean's Yéle Haiti charity, and has established the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which aids humanitarian efforts around the world, with Angelina.

He's protecting New Yorkers from another Sandy

Make It Right is building a $50,000 storm-resistant home in the Rockaways in Queens, which were ravaged by Hurricane Sandy. Specifically designed to remain livable in the event of another storm, the house can sustain power loss and needs minimal heating or cooling.

His unwavering support of his partner

After Jolie revealed that she had undergone a preventative double mastectomy earlier this year, Pitt told London's Evening Standard that, "Having witnessed this decision firsthand, I find Angie's choice, as well as so many others like her, absolutely heroic. I thank our medical team for their care and focus. All I want for is for her to have a long and healthy life, with myself and our children. This is a happy day for our family."

Happy birthday, Brad... here's to 50 more amazing years!

Sources: nola.com; celebuzz.com; nydailynews.com; digitalspy.com; wsj.com; notonourwatchproject.org; mjpasia.org