Brad Pitt and Steve McQueen (R)
Producer and cast member Brad Pitt of the film "12 Years A Slave" stands next to the film's director Steve McQueen (R) as they pose with their best picture awards at the 86th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Calif. March 2, 2014. Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

Brad Pitt, who accepted the Best Picture Oscar award for “12 Years a Slave” Sunday night, later revealed backstage that his day did not begin on a favorable note.

Pitt reportedly told the media backstage after the win: “I cleaned up dog poop today,” he said. “In my bedroom.”

Pitt’s fellow Oscar winner Steve McQueen, the director of "12 Years a Slave," said that he was so excited over getting his hands on the biggest prize that he leaped up in the air. Pitt reportedly spoke about the film saying that it was a labor of love and “It's a heroic story of a man in an inhumane situation trying to get back to his family.”

Pitt, who is a father of six, said the award-winning movie, which also won a Best Picture award at the Golden Globes, is a critical history lesson.

“It's important that we understand our history, not for any kind of guilt, but so we can better understand who we were, so we can better understand who we are.”

"At the end of the day, we just hope this film remains a gentle reminder that we're all equal, we all want the same - we want dignity and opportunity for ourselves and our family," he said. "And that another's freedom is every bit as important as our own."

He also reportedly said that McQueen was his date for the night, but he also planned to meet with Angelina Jolie -- whom he called his “better, other-worldly half” -- as well.

On winning the award, Pitt said: “We're all going to go out together and just enjoy the time. It's been a long run." He added: "It's a very, very, very exciting moment for us. It's a real joy and something to ruminate on and really understand what it all means.”

McQueen reportedly said about the film: "It’s obviously a progression. The background characters are in the foreground and their history and their lives are being recognized." He added: "If we don’t know our past, we’ll never know our future."