All The Drama Surrounding Brad Pitt And Angelina Jolie's Relationship
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been in and out of court ever since Jolie filed to end their two-year marriage in 2016. The pair's timeline dates back all the way to 2003 when they met on the set of their 2005 film "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." In the years that followed, they added six children to their family, purchased a massive winery in France, and got married — and then everything fell apart.
In 2016, Pitt and Jolie were involved in an incident on a plane that ultimately led to the end of the pair's marriage. Jolie has since alleged that Pitt physically abused both her and at least some of their children, allegations that Pitt has denied. During this same time period, Jolie made plans to sell her stake in the pair's French winery and was sued by her ex-husband for doing so (via The Guardian).
Pitt and Jolie have been declared legally single since 2019, but as of 2022, they have made no real headway toward ultimately ending their marriage once and for all. Here is a look at the allegations and lawsuits Pitt and Jolie have exchanged over the years.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie met in 2003 while he was still married
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were first introduced when they were both hired on to the 2005 film "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." Filming for the movie began in 2003, when Pitt was still very much married to Jennifer Aniston — a fact that would go on to plague both Pitt and Jolie as their relationship developed. Jolie later told People that when they met, "I didn't know much about exactly where Brad was in his personal life. But it was clear he was with his best friend, someone he loves and respects." On top of that, she insisted they were each happy with their own lives and neither was looking to begin a relationship with anyone else.
Jolie added that the nature of the movie brought the pair together "to do all these crazy things" and a friendship developed organically between them. She noted that they still didn't press forward into any kind of relationship as the film's production concluded, and instead were "very, very good friends" from that point in 2004, until Aniston and Pitt separated in 2005.
Suddenly, things seemed to click into place. As Jolie said, "And then life developed in a way where we could be together, where it felt like something we would do, we should do" (via People).
They announced their first pregnancy in 2006
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt confirmed the news that they were expecting their first biological child together in January 2006. At the time, Jolie and Pitt were both the legal parents of their son Maddox, and Jolie had adopted her daughter Zahara, whom Pitt would go on to adopt in that same year. A friend of Jolie's told People that the actress was over the moon about the developments, and explained, "This is a woman who values her relationships with her children more than anything. Now she is creating a family in the context of an adult relationship."
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt was born on May 27, 2006, in Namibia. The couple was initially protective of information surrounding Shiloh's birth, simply confirming that it happened but withholding the details. At the time of her birth, her older siblings Maddox and Zahara were 4 years and 16 months old, respectively (via People).
Jolie and Pitt added to their family again a year later when they began the process of adopting their son Pax from Vietnam. His adoption was finalized and approved by a judge in Los Angeles in February 2008.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt welcomed twins in 2008
The family that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt created together continued to expand when the actress gave birth to twins in 2008. Fraternal twins Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline joined the family in August of that year, completing the family of eight. At the time, Jolie told People that her oldest daughters had already taken to the twins, and said, "[Shiloh] and Z pick out [the twins'] clothes and help change and hold them. It's sweet — they are little mommies" (via "Today").
Jolie and Pitt also made the decision to sell photos of their new babies to People in exchange for a rumored $14 million, according to a source that spoke to the Associated Press. People reportedly shared the deal with Hello! Magazine, with each publication taking half of the payout in exchange for the exclusive coverage and details about the youngest Jolie-Pitts. The family donated the money to a foundation established by Jolie and Pitt that helps children around the world (per "Today").
They got engaged in 2012 and married in 2014
Once their family appeared to be complete, many wanted to know if Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt would ever get married. The couple dodged the question repeatedly through the years until they finally announced their engagement in 2012. Pitt's manager Cynthia Pett-Dante confirmed the news and told CNN, "Yes, it's confirmed. It is a promise for the future and their kids are very happy. There's no date set at this time. Brad designed the ring."
Rumors that the two were getting married had steadily grown in the weeks preceding the announcement, especially after Jolie was photographed wearing what appeared to be an engagement ring. A representative for jeweler Robert Procop also confirmed the news to Us Weekly, and stated, "I can confirm that, yes, Robert Procop did indeed design an engagement ring for Angelina Jolie, designed in collaboration with Brad Pitt."
Pitt and Jolie tied the knot in August 2014 in their home Château Miraval in France. All six of their children attended the wedding, and Jolie had previously told People that the kids played a big role in designing the day. As she put it, "We talk about [the wedding] occasionally, and the kids talk about it with us. Which is verging on hysterical, how kids envision a wedding. They will in a way be the wedding planners. It's going to be Disney or paintball — one or the other!"
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie announced their divorce in 2016
Fans and foes alike were surprised when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie announced their intention to divorce in 2016. At the time, it was impossible to know that the divorce itself would take years. Jolie was emotional when asked about what led up to their split in 2017, and while discussing an "incident" that reportedly built up to the decision, she told Us Weekly, "I don't want to say very much about [the incident] except to say that it was a very difficult time and we are a family. And we'll always be a family. And we'll get through this time and hopefully be a stronger family for it."
The incident in question took place on a private plane in late 2016. Pitt was ultimately accused of child abuse in connection with the trip, though it would be several years before the full details of what took place were revealed. At the time, there were reports that Pitt and then-15-year-old Maddox had engaged in a physical altercation with one another. The FBI eventually reported finding no evidence to support the claim and the agency closed the case in November 2016 (via Us Weekly).
Angelina Jolie filed for sole physical custody of their children
It soon became clear that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had a lot to fight for when Jolie filed for divorce and requested sole physical custody of all six of their children in September 2016. A representative for Jolie simply noted, "This decision was made for the health of the family. She will not be commenting at this time, and asks that the family be given their privacy during this difficult time" (via Us Weekly).
Jolie cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the separation. In addition to asking for physical custody, Jolie requested that Pitt only be awarded joint legal custody of all of their children. She declined to request spousal support, but did ask her ex-husband to allow her to keep "miscellaneous jewelry and other personal effects" and all earnings she made from the point of separation.
A friend of the couple told Us Weekly that Jolie and Pitt had decided to divorce about a week before she filed. The source cryptically explained, "An incident took place and prompted [Angelina] to act and file," in an apparent reference to the 2016 plane episode.
Angelina and Brad's bitter custody battle began
Brad Pitt soon filed his own legal response to Angelina Jolie's request for a divorce. In his paperwork, Pitt requested that he be awarded joint legal and physical custody of all six of the pair's children and listed their date of separation as September 15, 2022. Per Us Weekly, this news came as the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services admitted the bureau was still investigating claims of child abuse against Pitt.
It also became clear that the pair's oldest son, Maddox, wasn't interested in pursuing a relationship with Pitt. When the rest of his siblings had a visit with their father following the divorce filing, Maddox stayed home with his mom (via Us Weekly). Jolie and Pitt initially agreed to a custody deal presented by the Department of Children and Family Services that temporarily granted Jolie full legal custody and Pitt visitation rights. The agreement was meant to be in place for three weeks and was to be replaced by something more long-term once both parties could come to a mutually agreeable conclusion.
A source told Us Weekly that Jolie was happy with the arrangement, and noted, "Now she wants to do what's best for the kids. Yes, she is still upset, but focused on family right now and got most of what she asked for."
They began co-parenting in 2017
After reports surfaced that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt didn't speak for six months following their custody agreement, Us Weekly reported that the two were back on speaking terms in March 2017. A source close to Jolie told Us Weekly that both she and her ex-husband were prepared to move into new phases of their lives, noting that "they are in a place where they can put anger or hurt aside to focus on their children and how they plan to co-parent."
However, another source allegedly close to the issues between Pitt and Jolie revealed that things weren't quite that rosy. According to this second source, the two were "still in the process of working things out" (per Us Weekly). The source added that Jolie and Pitt were aiming to be cordial with one another for the sake of their children.
A judge ordered that their children have a relationship with Brad Pitt in 2018
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were back in the news ahead of summer 2018, when the two again readjusted their custody agreement and a judge ruled that it would cause harm for their six children to not have a relationship with Pitt, per court documents. The court also declared that each of the children would not be in harm's way in custody of their father, and added that it was the court's belief that it was important for all of them to have the opportunity to foster a positive relationship with both of their parents (via Us Weekly).
The court also ordered both parties to set up a summer schedule that would have the children with both parents. The agreed-upon schedule was that Pitt would have the pair's five youngest children for four hours a day from June 8 to June 17, 2018 in London, where Jolie was filming. Pitt was also ordered to have a psychologist present during that 10-day time span, and Jolie was ordered to not be present while the children were with Pitt.
The order was extended further, allowing Pitt 10 hours a day with the children from June 27 to July 1, and four hours a day from July 8 to July 14. Pitt took the children to Los Angeles from July 21 to July 29, and was obligated to make sure they went back to Jolie in London on July 29 (per Us Weekly).
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie began to fight over a property in 2019
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt shared more than children while they were married, and in 2019 the pair began to wage war over the French home where they were wed. The home, known as Miraval, is attached to a vineyard that spans more than 1,200 acres, and it quickly became clear that both parties wanted to hang onto the property without the other involved. As a source told Us Weekly, "The sticking point is the value of Miraval. Angelina wants to be awarded the property as hers entirely because it was her idea to purchase the property to begin with."
Pitt began to fight for the property based on his belief that he had already allocated an ample amount in the financial agreements between the two. The source added that Pitt reportedly offered Jolie a one-time payment of $10 million for her share in the home, but the actress refused.
In 2022, Pitt made it clear he wasn't giving up the fight when he announced the launch of his own skincare line that's also produced at the estate. In an interview with Vogue, he explained the property's draw: "Through the ages, Château Miraval has always been this hub of creativity; it has so many places within it where you want to sit and think and expand and explore and make beautiful things."
In August 2022, new details emerged about the 2016 plane incident
The divorce between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt was still not finalized in August 2022 when new, and possibly damning, details of the family's 2016 plane incident were released. A redacted report performed by the FBI was circulated among several outlets. It revealed that Jolie had accused her ex-husband of physical assault and a number of violent acts. According to Entertainment Weekly, these acts included punching the plane's ceiling several times, grabbing Jolie by her head and shoulders and yelling at her, and pouring beer on her while she hid under a blanket with their children.
Additionally, several outlets noted that it was believed Jolie was the Jane Doe who filed a Freedom of Information lawsuit against the FBI in early 2022 in an attempt to access the FBI report. A source close to Pitt dismissed the FBI report as old news, and told Entertainment Weekly that Jolie was using the information against Pitt on purpose. As the source said, "Both parties have had this information for nearly six years and it was even used in previous legal proceedings. There is no purpose that this serves other than it being a media stunt intended to inflict pain."
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt continued their legal battle in October 2022
In an October 2022 piece about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's ongoing divorce arguments, The Cut made several revelations and points that explained why the divorce has yet to be finalized. At the time of the writing, the most contentious issue between the pair was their ongoing conflict over Château Miraval. Jolie sold her stake in the home in 2021 and Pitt sued her in response, claiming she didn't have the right to sell her stake in the first place. His filing stated in part, "Jolie pursued and then consummated the purported sale in secret, purposely keeping Pitt in the dark, and knowingly violating Pitt's contractual rights" (via People).
Another issue between Jolie and Pitt is her accusation of physical violence and abuse at the hands of Pitt. Jolie has claimed that these acts were performed against her and against at least some of the pair's children, and has stated that Pitt physically attacked one of their children and poured beer and wine on others. Pitt's team denied the allegations with a statement that said in part, "Brad has accepted responsibility for what he did but will not for things he didn't do. These new allegations are completely untrue" (per The Cut).