Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have finally settled their long and contentious divorce battle after eight years of negotiations, legal disputes, and public revelations.
“More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt. She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time, she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family,” Jolie’s lawyer, James Simon, shared in a statement.
“This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over.”
The couple’s story began in 2005 when they starred in the film Mr. & Mrs. Smith. At the time, Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston, who filed for divorce that same year. Meanwhile, Jolie was a single mother to Maddox, whom she had adopted from Cambodia in 2002.
In 2005, Pitt accompanied Jolie to Ethiopia to adopt daughter Zahara, and the following year, he legally adopted both Maddox and Zahara. Shortly after, the couple welcomed their first biological child, Shiloh. Over the next few years, their family continued to grow. In 2007, they also adopted Pax from Vietnam, and in 2008, Jolie gave birth to twins, Knox and Vivienne.
The couple seemed to solidify their union by purchasing the French estate Château Miraval, where they launched the Miraval Wines brand. They announced their engagement in April 2012 and married at the estate in August 2014.
However, their marital bliss was short-lived. In September 2016, just two years after their wedding, Jolie filed for divorce. Days before her filing, an incident on a private plane would later surface as a key point of contention.
Pitt, reportedly intoxicated, allegedly became physically and verbally abusive toward Jolie and their children. Pitt has always denied the allegations, and investigations by both the FBI and Child Services cleared him of wrongdoing.
Despite being declared legally single in 2019, the pair spent several more years battling over custody arrangements and financial disputes. In May 2021, Pitt was initially awarded joint custody of their children, but this ruling was overturned due to a conflict of interest involving the presiding judge.
Adding to the acrimony, Jolie sold her 50% share of Château Miraval to Tenute del Mondo in October 2021, sparking a lawsuit from Pitt, who accused her of violating their prior agreement. Jolie countersued in 2022, extending the legal fight.
Now, with the divorce finalized, this marks the conclusion of one of Hollywood’s most publicized and tumultuous breakups.
