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The couple first met in 2004 and exchanged vows in 2014
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, arguably one of the biggest A-list couples of the modern era, were married for two years but took eight years to finalize their divorce. What caused this delay, lasting four times longer than their marriage?
One reason is the messy divorce proceedings, tangled in bitter legal disputes over their children and a French vineyard they co-owned.
Some unresolved issues remain, as Jolie’s lawyer described it as “an ongoing process.”
Celebrity lawyer Chris Melcher noted that this divorce settlement has taken an unusually long time.
“This is much longer than typical divorce cases,” he said.
“Initially, custody disputes were a point of contention, which later shifted to their shared winery, becoming the focal point of their legal battles in recent years.”
Melcher explained that many celebrities prefer quick divorces to move on swiftly, making an eight-year process unusual.
“The prolonged duration indicates deeper issues at play, an inability to let go, and a desire to inflict harm on the other party,” he added.
Kate Daly, co-founder of online divorce company Amicable, emphasized that such cases are vastly different from average divorces.
“It’s an industry where they can afford expensive lawyers,” she said. “Most people couldn’t endure an eight-year divorce process. We need to distance ordinary people from such narratives.”
Romantic Start
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Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, began their relationship after meeting on the set of the film Mr & Mrs Smith, released in 2005.
“We ended up being brought together for various projects because of the film, and we developed a unique friendship and partnership that developed unexpectedly,” Jolie told Vogue in 2007.
Both had previous marriages – Pitt to Jennifer Aniston and Jolie to Jonny Lee Miller (1996 to 2000) and Billy Bob Thornton (2000 to 2003).
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The couple with two of their children, Maddox and Zahara, in 2006
Jolie and Pitt have six children together.
Jolie adopted Maddox from Cambodia in 2002 shortly after his birth, with Pitt later adopting him after they started their relationship.
In 2005, they adopted daughter Zahara from Ethiopia when she was an infant.
Their first biological child, Shiloh, was born in Namibia in 2006. Recently, Shiloh requested to remove Pitt from her name.
Their son Pax was adopted from Vietnam at the age of three in 2007, and twins Knox and Vivienne were born in 2008.
The End Begins
The couple’s last public appearance together was in November 2015 for their film By the Sea, where they played an unhappily married couple. The film was written and directed by Jolie.
Although the couple rarely discussed their relationship, Jolie mentioned during the film’s promotion that they had their own issues.
The news of Jolie filing for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, came as a surprise in September 2016.
‘Acrimonious Separation’
Reports revealed that Jolie filed for divorce the day after an incident on a private plane.
Initially, Pitt was accused of an altercation with son Maddox, then 15, during a flight. Investigations did not lead to any action, with Pitt denying the allegations.
In 2022, legal documents from the vineyard dispute disclosed Jolie’s claims of Pitt drunkenly attacking her and their children during the flight.
Pitt’s camp refuted these allegations at the time.
Speaking to Vogue in 2020, Jolie stated that she left Pitt for her family’s well-being.
“It was the right decision,” she said. “I continue to focus on their healing.”
In a 2017 interview with GQ, Pitt discussed quitting drinking and marijuana, attributing the split as a catalyst for positive change.
Regarding the divorce, Pitt emphasized moving away from animosity and resolving matters amicably and privately with Jolie.
Custody Struggles
Negotiations over the divorce and child custody proved to be contentious and prolonged.
In 2019, a judge declared the couple officially single, though the divorce was pending.
While a custody agreement was reached in 2018, it appeared to unravel. Pitt was granted joint custody in 2021 after a legal battle, but the overseeing judge was removed due to undisclosed ties to Pitt’s attorneys.
This raised the possibility of a new custody trial, but details remain private.
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Pitt and Jolie reportedly paid about 25 million euros (£21.3m) for Chateau Miraval
While the divorce saga may be nearing its end, a legal dispute over the vineyard continues.
The couple purchased Chateau Miraval together in 2008, marrying in its chapel in 2014.
Jolie sold her stake to a spirits company owned by a Russian oligarch, as per Pitt’s lawsuit. Getty Images Está demandando a su ex esposa por vender su participación en la finca, diciendo que acordaron no vender sus acciones sin el permiso del otro. Jolie no ha comentado públicamente.
Secuelas emocionales
Pocos detalles de los procedimientos de divorcio han sido revelados. A menudo se contratan jueces privados en los EE. UU. para mediar en disputas entre celebridades divorciadas por razones de privacidad.
Sus hijos ahora tienen edades entre 16 y 23 años, y la periodista del espectáculo Jeanne Wolf enfatizó las secuelas emocionales.
“Ha sido un acuerdo de divorcio muy emocional y complicado. Ha tenido un gran impacto en los niños y la pareja involucrada,” dijo.
“Han intentado mucho no dejar saber demasiados detalles sobre lo que ocurrió en ese matrimonio.”
El abogado de Jolie destacó el paso del tiempo en su declaración del lunes. “Esto es solo una parte de un largo proceso en curso que comenzó hace ocho años,” dijo.
“Francamente, Angelina está exhausta, pero está aliviada de que esta parte haya terminado.”
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