Brad Pitt has intensified his legal conflict with ex-wife Angelina Jolie by demanding access to private messages related to their shared French winery, Château Miraval. Despite finalizing their divorce in December after an eight-year process, the former couple remains embroiled in a dispute over the ownership and sale of the estate.
The latest development occurred on June 30, when Pitt filed court papers to depose Alexey Oliynik, an executive with Stoli Group’s wine division, Tenute del Mondo, which purchased the winery from Jolie in 2021. Pitt alleges that Oliynik has not provided documents related to the sale, which Pitt contests.
“These requests go directly to key allegations about Pitt’s objections to the sale,”
the court motion said. It supported the deposition, stating it met
“the standard for discoverability given Pitt’s allegations that Jolie acted with malice in selling to Stoli, a counterparty she knew Pitt opposed.”
This filing adds to the prolonged courtroom battle following Pitt’s 2022 lawsuit accusing Jolie of a “vindictive war” in selling the winery without his approval. Jolie responded with a countersuit, claiming the sale occurred after Pitt pressured her to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) that would have restricted her from speaking about a 2016 incident of alleged abuse.
In response to the allegations, Pitt’s attorney said in 2022,
“Brad has owned everything he’s responsible for from day one—unlike the other side—but he’s not going to own anything he didn’t do.”
Previously, Pitt had publicly admitted to struggling with alcohol during the marriage and had since pursued sobriety.
Earlier in the case, Pitt obtained a court order last April for Jolie to release eight years of NDAs. Jolie’s legal team agreed to comply, stating that the documents would demonstrate the severity of Pitt’s NDA demands. Jolie’s lawyer, Paul Murphy, remarked,
“Common NDAs are simply not comparable to Mr. Pitt’s last-second demand to try and cover up his personal misconduct,”
adding they were
“gratified that the Court acknowledged that the only potential relevance is to the unconscionability of Mr. Pitt’s conduct, a now confirmed key issue in this case.”
The Impact of the Château Miraval Dispute on the Former Couple
The continuing litigation over Château Miraval highlights the deep divisions between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, stemming from their complex eight-year divorce and co-parenting arrangement. The winery, a significant business asset and symbol of their former partnership, has become a focal point of legal strife. Their six children—Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne—have remained private observers amid the extended conflict.
The dispute underlines emotional and financial challenges following the dissolution of one of Hollywood’s most high-profile couples. It exposes disagreements over control and ownership of joint assets, complicated by allegations of bad faith in sales and dealings. The Château Miraval case stands as a prominent example of the difficulties celebrities face in managing intertwined personal and business lives after a breakup.
Angelina Jolie’s Children: A Closer Look at Their Lives and Interests
Maddox’s Journey from Cambodia Adoption to Film Production
Angelina Jolie’s eldest son, Maddox, was adopted from Cambodia after she fell in love with the country during filming in 2001. Visiting an orphanage in Battambang, she connected immediately with Maddox, who was then a baby lying in a box suspended from the ceiling. “I cried and cried,” Jolie recalled.
Jolie adopted Maddox as a single mother, and when she later began her relationship with Brad Pitt, he initiated the process to adopt Maddox as well. Maddox has shown a strong connection to his mother’s work, serving as executive producer on her 2017 film First They Killed My Father, based on a Cambodian genocide memoir by Loung Ung. Discussing his role, Maddox said,
“I was trying to help wherever I could,”
and described his mother as
“fun, funny, and easy to work with. She’s a wonder.”
After studying biochemistry at Yonsei University in South Korea, a choice Jolie praised, Maddox attended a White House state dinner in April 2023 when President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee.
Pax’s Early Life and Growing Involvement in Entertainment
Pax, born November 29, 2003, spent much of his early life in an orphanage near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Angelina Jolie described his early years as confined:
“He spent three-and-a-half years of his life in one place, in one room, in this one little iron bed with 20 other kids, and having no choice for himself to do things, having no freedom.”
Transitioning into his new family life with Jolie and Pitt, Pax adapted quickly, described as “wild and free” due to his new freedoms. He has participated in the entertainment world, voicing the character Yoo in Jolie’s 2016 animated film Kung Fu Panda 3 and serving as a set photographer on First They Killed My Father. Pax also attended the 2018 Golden Globes alongside his mother.
His creative interests extended to helping with Atelier Jolie, Angelina’s New York City-based fashion company, as well as working in an assistant director role on the Italian set of Jolie’s upcoming film Without Blood. Jolie noted that working with Pax and Maddox on film projects “felt like a big family” and was natural.
Zahara’s Growth and Advocacy Work
Zahara, born January 8, 2005, joined the family after Jolie visited an orphanage in Hawassa, Ethiopia, with Maddox. Jolie described Zahara’s arrival from Ethiopia as bringing joy to Maddox, who treated her like
“this tiny pet he can just hold and look at.”
Zahara has been active in her mother’s humanitarian causes, including trips to Syrian refugee camps. She also launched her own charitable jewelry line, Zahara Collection, in collaboration with jeweler Robert Procop in 2019. A college student, Zahara enrolled at Spelman College in Atlanta in 2022 and was emotional about the transition, sharing,
“I haven’t started crying yet so…hopefully I can hold it together.”
She became a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority in 2023 and has been involved in advocacy alongside her mother in Washington, D.C., supporting bills such as the Violence Against Women Act and the Justice for All Reauthorization Act.
Shiloh’s Early Film Appearances and Personal Choices
Born in Namibia on May 27, 2006, Shiloh Pitt has been described by Angelina Jolie as “full of light and love” and “very, very funny,” with Jolie predicting
“she’s going to be a little bit of trouble.”
Shiloh made red carpet appearances from a young age, attending events for films like Unbroken, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, The Breadwinner, and Dumbo, as well as high-profile awards ceremonies. Encouraged by her mother, Shiloh has shown an interest in fashion and performance, attending LA’s Millennium Dance Complex.
On her 18th birthday, Shiloh petitioned a Los Angeles court to legally remove “Pitt” from her surname, choosing to be known as Shiloh Nouvel Jolie. According to a source, she undertook this legal process independently, hiring her own lawyer and covering the costs herself.
Life of the Twins: Knox and Vivienne
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s twins, Knox and Vivienne, were born on July 12, 2008, in Nice, France. The family settled at Château Miraval where their older siblings helped care for them.
“It is chaos, but we are managing it and having a wonderful time,”
Jolie said, noting that Shiloh and Zahara enjoyed dressing and caring for the twins.
Knox is named after Brad Pitt’s grandfather, Hal Knox Hillhouse. Jolie mentioned that Knox shares emotional and physical similarities with his father. Like his siblings, Knox took part in Kung Fu Panda 3, voicing a character named Ku Ku. Jolie remarked on their shy nature but expressed that she wanted her children to experience opportunities firsthand.
Vivienne, the fraternal twin, has been described by Jolie as thoughtful and serious about theatre, inspired by her late grandmother Marcheline Bertrand. Although she impressed as a young actress playing a young Aurora in the 2014 film Maleficent, Vivienne has gravitated more toward behind-the-scenes work, including serving as a volunteer assistant to her mother on the Broadway production of The Outsiders. Jolie noted,
“She’ll say, ‘Didn’t you read the memo? We have to do this, we have to go through this.’ She’s been a really tough assistant. She takes it very, very seriously.”
Broader Significance of the Ongoing Disputes
The unfolding legal conflict between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie over the Château Miraval winery and related business matters continues to dominate headlines, reflecting the challenges of resolving asset ownership post-divorce when large estates and businesses are involved. The latest motions demanding private communications and extensive document disclosures demonstrate the depth of mistrust and complexity in their relationship.
As the battle advances, it may influence future negotiations between the ex-spouses concerning their business interests and family privacy. The dispute’s public nature also sheds light on the pressures faced by celebrity families navigating personal and financial struggles under intense media scrutiny.
