How Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie’s divorce became Hollywood’s nastiest EVER as she ‘cuts him out of $164M French chateau’
The divorce between Hollywood icons Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt is on track to becoming the nastiest and costliest ever.
The long drawn out battle which has been ongoing since 2016, has seen the former lovebirds trade barbs in divorce court, costing them millions of dollars in fees.
Angelina, 46, and Brad, 57, stared dating in 2005, tied the knot in 2014 and split suddenly two years later in 2016.
Their divorce was finalized in 2019 but the custody battle and fight over financial assets is still rumbling on.
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 and requested sole physical custody of their six children.
Since then their split has been embroiled in bitterness, with the pair currently locking horns in a nasty custody dispute over five of their six kids; Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15 and twins Vivienne and Knox, 13. Son Maddox is now 20.
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The Human rights advocate has been fighting Brad in court since .
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.
It was claimed at the time that the Troy actor had been drinking got into a fight with Angelina. Their son Maddox stepped in to stop it and got into an altercation with Brad.
In November 2016, Brad was cleared by the LA County Department of Children and Family Services.
The conclusion reached was there was “not inappropriate physical contact” between them.
Later that month a temporary custody arrangement was put into place and the duo volunteered to individual counseling. Brad also agreed to undergo drug and alcohol testing, though he was not required to.
In December 2016 a judge approved a custody agreement which granted Angelina sole custody and Brad "agreed-upon therapeutic visitations with the kids".
It was reported in July 2020 that Brad and Maddox still do not have contact with each other.
“That relationship continues to be nonexistent” a source said at the time.
In March this year Maddox testified in court against his dad in the child custody case. 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 toldthat 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."
Another source for Angelina told ET that the actress was not trying to make brad look bad.
Angelina's team is not opposed to sealing the documents," a source said at the time.
"There have been many reports that Angelina wants to keep these documents public to make Brad look bad, that is false. As the document states, their custody agreement was already legally binding. The only reason to formally file it with a court would be to enforce the agreement because one of the parties was trying to change it and that is what was happening.
"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."
Relations seemed to have improved in January 2017 when they shared their first joint statement about the proceedings and agreeing to keep court documents private.
"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," the statement read.
"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.
A court filing said Angelina was planning to get a court order mandating that he pay it.
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 response read.
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".
Around the same time Angelina begged a judge to finalize her divorce from the actor and make her a single woman again.
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 . "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 continued. "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.
In May, Brad was granted joint custody of the couple's kids, a move which Angelina vowed to challenge.
The Salt actress claimed that three of their children wanted to testify against Brad but were blocked from doing so by Judge John Ouderkirk.
A source told : “ 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.”
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 back in 2014.
Weeks later, a California appeals court disqualified Judge Ouderkirk because he had allegedly not sufficiently disclosed matters involving lawyers for the Seven Years in Tibet actor.
The lower courts reportedly ruled in Angelina's favor to remove Judge Ouderkirk and dropped his ruling from the custody case.
The attorneys for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood actor argued the error made by Judge Ouderkirk was minor and was apparently not worth pulling out of 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 the .
A spokesperson for Brad told The Sun: “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's last month, she said her 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."
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 on their high-profile custody battle.
CHATEAU MIRAVAL
In a , 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.
The pair has 50-50 shares in the mansion and vineyard, which used to hold a special meaning for the couple as it's where they married in 2014.
The $164million estate is reportedly owned by the company Quimicum, which is part owned by Brad through his company Mondo Bongo and by Angelina via her company 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.
The documents claimed: "It is worth mentioning that, for the last four years, Nouvel did not act in the best interest of Quimicum by systematically delaying the approval of the annual accounts and the renewal of the manager.
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"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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