Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016. As of 2024, they're still fighting.
Eight years. Six children. Hundreds of millions of dollars in legal fees. And no end in sight.
This is the divorce that will never end.
The Timeline
How it's dragged on:
- September 2016: Angelina files for divorce
- 2017-2019: Custody battles begin
- 2019: Legally single, but divorce not final
- 2020-2022: Continued custody fights
- 2022: Winery lawsuit begins
- 2023-2024: Still fighting
Eight years of litigation. Eight years.
The Plane Incident
The divorce began with an incident on a private plane:
- Brad allegedly got physical with son Maddox
- Angelina filed for divorce days later
- FBI investigated, no charges filed
- The incident remains disputed
What actually happened is still unclear. But it triggered everything.
The Children
Six kids caught in the middle:
- Maddox (adopted from Cambodia)
- Pax (adopted from Vietnam)
- Zahara (adopted from Ethiopia)
- Shiloh (biological)
- Knox and Vivienne (biological twins)
The older children are now adults. The younger ones have spent most of their lives in this divorce.
The Custody Battle
The custody fight has been brutal:
- Angelina wanted sole custody
- Brad wanted 50/50
- Private judge awarded Brad significant custody
- Angelina got that judge disqualified
- Ruling was vacated
- Back to square one
Years of litigation were essentially erased.
The Judge Disqualification
In 2021, Angelina got the private judge removed:
- He failed to disclose business relationships with Brad's attorneys
- The custody ruling was thrown out
- Years of progress lost
- Brad had to start over
It was a massive blow to Brad's case.
The Children's Wishes
As children have aged:
- Maddox reportedly estranged from Brad
- Pax allegedly has difficult relationship
- Other children's positions unclear
- Older kids can choose for themselves
The kids are making their own decisions now.
The Winery Lawsuit
Beyond custody, there's the Château Miraval lawsuit:
- They bought a French winery together
- Angelina sold her share to a Russian oligarch
- Brad sued, claiming she couldn't sell without his approval
- Counter-lawsuits followed
It's another front in the war.
The Money
The financial stakes:
- Combined net worth: $500+ million
- Château Miraval worth tens of millions
- Legal fees in the tens of millions
- Properties worldwide
Money isn't the issue. Control is.
Brad's Position
Brad's apparent strategy:
- Wants equal custody
- Claims Angelina is alienating children
- Pursuing winery rights
- Maintaining public silence (mostly)
He's fighting in court, not in public.
Angelina's Position
Angelina's apparent strategy:
- Prioritizing children's wishes
- Wants Brad to have less custody
- Released FBI documents publicly
- Sold winery share provocatively
She's been more public with allegations.
The FBI Documents
In 2022, Angelina's side released FBI documents:
- Details of the plane incident
- Brad's alleged behavior
- Her account of events
- Previously sealed information
The release was clearly strategic. Brad's team called it manipulative.
The Public Perception
Public opinion has shifted:
- Initially sympathetic to Brad
- FBI documents hurt him
- Children's apparent estrangement hurt more
- Angelina's strategy is working publicly
She's winning the PR battle. Whether that matters is unclear.
The Legal Reality
Despite public perception:
- No criminal charges against Brad
- FBI declined to prosecute
- Family court is different from public opinion
- Legal outcome still uncertain
Courts don't decide based on public sentiment.
The Children Growing Up
The kids are aging out:
- Maddox: Adult, reportedly estranged
- Pax: Adult
- Zahara: Adult
- Shiloh: Nearly adult
- Twins: Teenagers
By the time this ends, custody may be moot.
Why It Won't End
The divorce continues because:
- Neither will concede
- Resources are unlimited
- Ego is involved
- The hurt is deep
- Every issue becomes a battle
When you can afford to fight forever, you fight forever.
The Name Changes
Several children have dropped "Pitt":
- Zahara introduced as "Zahara Jolie" at college
- Shiloh filed to drop "Pitt"
- Others may follow
The symbolism is painful and public.
The Impact on the Kids
What this divorce has meant for the children:
- Their entire adolescence in litigation
- Parents' war is public
- Taking sides (apparently)
- No normal family life
They didn't choose this. They're living it anyway.
Brad's New Life
Brad has moved on in some ways:
- Dating (various women)
- Working consistently
- Art and sculpture
- New projects
But the divorce consumes significant bandwidth.
Angelina's New Life
Angelina has also moved on:
- Focused on humanitarian work
- Directing films
- Raising children
- No serious public relationships
The divorce is clearly exhausting.
The Hollywood Pattern
This follows other endless Hollywood divorces:
- Johnny Depp and Amber Heard
- Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin
- Various others
When money and ego combine, litigation never ends.
What Settlement Would Require
For this to end, someone would need to:
- Accept less than they want
- Let go of being "right"
- Prioritize peace over victory
- Compromise
Neither seems capable of that.
The Lesson
The Brangelina divorce teaches:
- Money doesn't buy peace
- Children suffer in adult wars
- Some wounds don't heal
- Legal systems enable endless fighting
- Pride costs more than money
They have everything—except peace.
The Future
What's likely ahead:
- Continued litigation on various fronts
- Children making their own choices
- Eventual settlement (maybe)
- Permanent damage to family relationships
The divorce will end someday. The damage won't.
The Tragedy
The saddest part of Brad and Angelina's divorce:
- Six children watching their parents at war
- Eight years (and counting) of fighting
- Hundreds of millions in legal fees
- No winners, only losers
They were the biggest couple in the world. Now they're the longest divorce in Hollywood.
And there's still no end in sight.
