The divorce between Hollywood icons Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt is on track to becoming the nastiest and costliest ever.
The lengthy battle between the ex-lovebirds has been ongoing since 2016. It has cost them millions of dollars in legal fees.
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Angelina, 46, and Brad, 57, stared dating in 2005, tied the knot in 2014 and split suddenly two years later in 2016.
While their divorce was finalized on January 1, 2019, the custody battles and fight for financial assets are still ongoing.
Just this week Brad blasted Angelina as “vindictive” in a new lawsuit which alleged she was working to cut Brad out of a deal to sell her shares of their $164million property in France.
SHOCK SPLIT
After over a decade together and two years married, Angelina and Brad split in 2016, with the separation seemingly coming out of nowhere.
The actress cited “irreconcilable differences” on the divorce papers and requested sole physical custody of their six children.
The couple split was bitterly fought ever since. They are currently fighting over custody of five of their six children. Shiloh, 15, Pax, 16 and Pax, 17 respectively. Knox, 13 and Vivienne, 13, are the twins. Son Maddox is now twenty-one.
The Human rights advocate has been fighting Brad in court since they split in September 2016.
PRIVATE JET INCIDENT
At the time of the separation, a rep for the actress said at the time: “This decision was made for the health of the family,”
It soon emerged that an incident on the couple’s private jet led to a child abuse investigation into Brad.
According to reports, the actor from Troy had been drinking and got into an altercation with Angelina. Their son Maddox intervened and started an altercation.
The LA County Department of Children and Family Services cleared Brad.
The conclusion reached was there was “not inappropriate physical contact” between them.
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Later that month a temporary custody arrangement was put into place and the duo volunteered to individual counseling. Brad also agreed that he would undergo alcohol and drug testing.
In December 2016 a judge approved a custody agreement which granted Angelina sole custody and Brad “agreed-upon therapeutic visitations with the kids”.
According to reports, Brad and Maddox have not had contact since July 2020.
“That relationship continues to be nonexistent” According to a source, the two were not in contact at that time.
Maddox, a father of Maddox, testified against him in court in March 2016 in the case regarding child custody. A source told UsWeekly it “wasn’t very flattering toward Brad.”
VERY PUBLIC DIVORCE
In December 2016 Brad request for an emergency hearing to seal all documents related to his custody case was denied.
A source at the time told ET that the Fight Club actor filed the motion to seal the documents “because he wants to keep this custody battle out of the public eye to protect his children.”
Angelina was also told ET by another source that Angelina wasn’t trying to make Brad look bad.
Angelina’s team isn’t opposed to sealing these documents,” a source stated at the time.
There have been numerous reports that Angelina wanted to make Brad look bad by keeping these documents public. This is false. According to the document, their custody agreement was legally binding. You would only need to file it with the court if one of the parties tried to modify it.
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“Brad was attempting to set up his own schedule with the children,” the source further claimed. “He was not relying on the advice of the healthcare professionals [as to] what should be done. In order to keep everything in line with the custody agreement, it had to be reinforced in court. Therefore that forced Angelina’s side to file it within the courts.”
Their relationship seemed to have improved when they shared their first jointly written statement on the proceedings and agreed to keep confidential court documents.
“The parties and their counsel have signed agreements to preserve the privacy rights of their children and family by keeping all court documents confidential and engaging a private judge to make any necessary legal decisions and to facilitate the expeditious resolution of any remaining issues,” This is the statement.
“The parents are committed to act as a united front to effectuate recovery and reunification.”
CHILD SUPPORT DISAGREEMENT
In August 2018 Brad was hit with accusations from Angelina that he had not been paying any “meaningful” child support for a year and a half.
Angelina had filed a court document stating that she was going to order him to pay the child support.
Brad’s lawyer responded denying he hadn’t paid significant child support and claimed he’d paid Angelina over $9 million since their September 2016 split.
“Petitioner’s Request is unnecessary, omits material information and is a thinly-veiled effort to manipulate media coverage,” Brad’s reply was this.
Furthermore, Brad’s lawyers said Angelina’s claims in court papers that the actor hasn’t paid enough child support were “calculated to increase the conflict”.
Angelina asked for a judge’s approval to end her separation from the actor.
AMICABLE AGREEMENT
Around the two-year anniversary of their split, a source revealed Angelina and Brad had been working on their co-parenting relationship.
“Brad and Angelina actually set up a secret meeting at her house,” a source told ET. “It’s the first time they have truly gotten together to make things work since their group therapy with the children. Brad and Angie’s meeting was a success. They are going to stay with the plan set forth through the courts.”
“Angelina decided it was time to try to make things work and Brad was relieved and very ready for the offer,” The source said that the source was continuing. “Brad has been dedicated to making peace throughout the process and now it finally seems like they are at a point where they can create a calmer situation for the kids.”
CUSTODY BATTLE
While the couple officially divorced and declared single in 2019, the custody battle still wages on as Brad has requested more time with his children.
Angelina threatened to challenge the decision that granted Brad joint custody of their children in May.
According to the Salt actress, three of their children wanted testify against Brad but Judge John Ouderkirk prevented them.
A source toldUs Weekly: “Angelina feels it’s extremely important that the kids’ feelings about who they want to essentially spend time with are heard.
“She isn’t forcing the kids to testify. She has taken the advice of the children’s therapists. She is hopeful that going forward, with an impartial and fair judge, the children will be able to testify.”
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Ouderkirk is the private judge the pair initially agreed on to keep their divorce details sealed.
Ouderkirk – who supposedly has history with the two – had reportedly married Brad and Angelina back in 2014.
A California appeals court dismissed Judge Ouderkirk after he allegedly failed to disclose matters involving lawyers for Seven Years in Tibet actor.
Angelina won the case and Judge Ouderkirk was removed by the lower courts.
Once Upon a Time In Hollywood actor’s lawyers argued that Judge Ouderkirk’s error was minor and not worth removing from his custody ruling.
The lawyers claimed the actress was allegedly looking for any reason to get the judge removed from the case.
In the statement from Brad’s lawyers: “We are seeking review in the California Supreme Court because the temporary judge, who had been appointed and repeatedly renewed by both sides, was improperly disqualified after providing a detailed, fact-based custodial decision, following a lengthy legal process with multiple witnesses and experts.”
‘WHAT’S BEST FOR THE CHILDREN’
In July, the court ruled: “Judge Ouderkirk’s ethical breach, considered together with the information disclosed concerning his recent professional relationships with Pitts counsel, might cause an objective person, aware of all the facts, reasonably to entertain a doubt as to the judge’s ability to be impartial. Disqualification is required,” according to theAssociated Press.
A spokesperson for Brad told Central Recorder following the court’s decision: “The appeals court ruling was based on a technical procedural issue. The facts haven’t changed.
“There is an extraordinary amount of factual evidence which led the judge—and the many experts who testified—to reach their clear conclusion about what is in the children’s best interests. We will continue to do what’s necessary legally based on the detailed findings of what’s best for the children.”
ANGIE OPENS UP ABOUT TRAUMA
In an emotional interview with the UK’sGuardian last month, she said her traumatic experiences left her “broken.”
She told the publication her hurt had spanned longer than the five years since her split with Brad, and said: “I mean, in some ways it’s been the last decade.
“There’s a lot I can’t say.”
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She added: “I think at the end of the day, even if you and a few people you love are the only people who know the truth of your life, what you fight for, or what you sacrifice, or what you’ve suffered, you come to be at peace with that, regardless of everything going on around you.”
The high-profile exes, previously dubbed Brangelina, have already spent millions on their high-profile custody battle.
CHATEAU MIRAVAL
In a lawsuit made public this week, Brad accused the Maleficent actress of “systematic obstruction” for allegedly working to cut Brad out of a deal to sell her shares of their $164million property in France.
They have 50-50 shares each in the mansion, vineyard and winery. It was where they got married in 2014.
The $164million estate is part of the Quimicum company, which Brad owns through Mondo Bongo. Angelina is also part owner via Nouvel.
The lawsuit alleged Angelina is trying to sell her shares without allowing Brad his “right of first refusal and profit,” despite the “incredible amount of work, time and money” that he has claimed to put into it.
According to the documents, Nouvel allegedly failed Quimicum’s best interests by delaying approval of annual accounts and manager renewals for four years.
“We understand that behind this systematic obstruction, the real purpose of Nouvel and its shareholder [Jolie] is to sell its stake in Chateau Miraval SA in a way that would circumvent Mondo Bongo’s right of first refusal.
“Taking, as a result, a capital gain raised thanks to Mondo Bongo’s investment and to which Nouvel did not contribute.”
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