The separation of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston was met with disbelief by their many fans, but as much as they were heartbroken by the news, they were equally intrigued and excited to see how Brad’s on-screen chemistry with Angelina Jolie would translate into real life.
Brad and Angelina’s relationship eventually turned into a high-profile romance and a marriage.
However, in 2016, Jolie filed for divorce following allegations of an incident involving Pitt and their eldest son Maddox on a private jet. The FBI and the Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services investigated, and Pitt was quickly cleared of any child abuse charges, as noted by US Weekly.
The divorce and lengthy custody battle that followed are remembered as one of the most bitter celebrity disputes in recent history.
What’s most, the former couple are still involved in a legal battle. Jolie’s allegations included claims that the actor tried to pressure her into signing an $8.5 million NDA to hide “years of abuse,” US Weekly reports.
The exes share six children together. Shiloh, born in 2006, twins Knox and Vivienne, and their adopted kids Maddox Jolie-Pitt (22), from Cambodia, daughter, Zahara Jolie-Pitt (18), from Ethiopia, and Pax Thien (19) from Vietnam.
During the custody battle, Madox testified against his father. At the time, US Weekly cited a source, “Maddox has already given testimony as [an] adult in the ongoing custody dispute and it wasn’t very flattering toward Brad.”
Further, the source was reported to have said: “He doesn’t use Pitt as his last name on documents that aren’t legal and instead uses Jolie. Maddox wants to legally change his last name to Jolie, which Angelina has said she doesn’t support.”
The couple’s second oldest child, Pax, hasn’t been fond of his father either since the split.
In 2020, Pax posted a photo of Pitt and wrote on the social media, “You time and time again prove yourself to be a terrible and despicable person.” The post which has since been deleted further read, “You have no consideration or empathy towards your four youngest children who tremble in fear when in your presence. You will never understand the damage you have done to my family because you are incapable of doing so.
“You have made the lives of those closest to me a constant hell. You may tell yourself and the world whatever you want but the truth will come to light someday.”
Those close to Pitt said the allegations made by Pax were a “depressing smear,” with one Hollywood star stating that Pitt “has great respect for all of his children and it’s depressing to see this dragged up.
“It’s frustrating to see Brad being painted as some kind of “bad person” when it’s far from the truth. He chooses to keep a dignified silence and that speaks volumes,” the A-lister told The Sun.
Another person who showed they care for Pitt was his ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, who was said to be “hugely concerned” for the Fight Club star after Pax’s deleted post resurfaced on the social media.
Despite the challenges of their split, Aniston and Pitt have preserved a close friendship. Aniston has consistently supported Pitt through various hardships, demonstrating the strong connection they nurture. A person close to the exes said, “Jen cares deeply about Brad and vice versa.”