Angelina Jolie has opened up about the emotional turmoil surrounding her split from Brad Pitt, revealing the deep impact it had on her and their six children since her 2016 divorce filing. The Oscar-winning actress is currently engaged in a legal dispute with Pitt over the sale of her shares in their former French winery, Château Miraval, a place the family has not visited since the separation.
Emotional Struggles Tied to Family Home and Winery
In a personal declaration submitted to a California court on October 9, Jolie described the events that led to her separation as profoundly difficult for both herself and their children—Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Vivienne and Knox. She explained that after filing for divorce, she left Pitt in control and residency of their family homes in Los Angeles and at Miraval, without compensation, hoping it would ease his interactions with her during a traumatic time.
The events leading to my need to separate from my ex-husband were emotionally difficult for me and our children,
Jolie wrote.
Upon filing for divorce, I left him control (and full residency) of our family homes in Los Angeles and at Miraval, without compensation, which I hoped would make him calmer in his dealings with me after a difficult and traumatic period.
Jolie added that neither she nor her children have returned to the winery property, associating it closely with the pain caused by the divorce.
To this day, the children and I have never again set foot on the property, given its connection to the painful events leading to the divorce.
Though she did not specify details of the incidents, Jolie filed for divorce after a transatlantic flight during which she alleged Pitt verbally and physically assaulted her and one of their children, claims that Pitt denies.
Challenging Negotiations Over Miraval Shares
Jolie noted that Pitt and she began intermittent talks in early 2017 about him purchasing her shares in Château Miraval, one of their earliest joint investments and an important family site. She expressed how difficult the discussions were due to her strong emotional attachment.
These discussions were always difficult for me, due to my deep emotional ties to our family home there and how our relationship ended,
Jolie explained.
Miraval was one of the first major investments we made together, and it was a focal point of our family life. We were married there, I spent part of my pregnancy there and I brought our twin children home there from the hospital.
To have such a sudden break from my home and memories has been hard,
she added,
and it was especially difficult for the children to have their lives so disrupted.
Pitt later offered to buy Jolie’s shares on the condition she agree to broaden a non-disclosure agreement that would restrict her from discussing the events leading up to their divorce. Jolie found this demand especially painful given her roles as both mother and advocate for victims of violence worldwide.
As the mother of our children, as well as an advocate for victims of violence around the world,
Jolie said,
I found his demand extremely painful.
Rejecting this condition, she informed Pitt that she intended to sell her shares to a third party instead, finalizing a deal with Stoli Group’s Tenute del Mondo in 2021. The following year, Pitt filed a lawsuit accusing Jolie of selling her stake without his consent, to which she responded with a countersuit that remains unresolved.
Legal Battle Intensifies Over Private Communications
Pitt has sought to obtain private messages between Jolie and her attorneys, alleging that they reveal malicious intent in the winery shares sale—a claim Jolie denies. She maintains that these communications are protected by attorney-client privilege and intended to be confidential.
I understand that Brad has filed a motion where he seeks to compel me to produce emails and documents discussing legal advice or legal strategy from my attorneys,
Jolie stated, adding they were
intended to be a confidential communication.
Portrait of the Children: From Adoption to Individual Paths
While the legalities between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt unfold, the actress’s children have carved diverse lives shaped by their unique histories and shared family experiences, many reflecting their mother’s philanthropic and artistic pursuits.
Discovering Maddox: Jolie’s First Adopted Son
Maddox, born August 5, 2001, became Angelina Jolie’s first child following her visit to an orphanage in Battambang, Cambodia during filming for the 2001 movie Tomb Raider. She recalled not feeling a connection with any child until she saw him lying in a box suspended from the ceiling, which deeply moved her.
I didn’t feel a connection with any of them,
Jolie shared with Vanity Fair, revealing that upon seeing Maddox she “cried and cried.”
After adopting him as a single mother, Maddox was later adopted by Brad Pitt as their relationship progressed. His interest in his mother’s work showed when he took on the role of executive producer for Jolie’s 2017 film First They Killed My Father, based on Loung Ung’s memoir about surviving the Cambodian genocide.
I was trying to help wherever I could,
Maddox told People. He described his mother as
fun, funny, and easy to work with
, calling her “a wonder.”
Following his studies in biochemistry at Yonsei University in South Korea, Maddox attended a White House state dinner in April 2023, hosted by President Joe Biden for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee.
Pax’s Journey: From Vietnam Orphanage to Artistic Roles
Born on November 29, 2003, Pax spent his early years in an orphanage outside Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Jolie recounted his difficult childhood in 2007, describing the confined circumstances and lack of freedom he endured before joining their family.
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,
Jolie said.
Adjusting to his new life with siblings and parents brought freedom but also a wild spirit, which Jolie described as both loving and lively. Pax contributed his voice to Jolie’s 2016 animated film Kung Fu Panda 3 as the character Yoo and supported production work on First They Killed My Father. He attended the 2018 Golden Globes with Angelina and helped with her New York fashion company Atelier Jolie as well as worked in assistant director roles on the Italian set of her upcoming film Without Blood.
When a film crew is at its best, it feels like a big family, so it felt natural,
Jolie said about working with Pax and Maddox.
Zahara’s Growth: Balancing Charity and Campus Life
Zahara, born January 8, 2005, was adopted from an orphanage in Hawassa, Ethiopia, with Angelina’s son Maddox accompanying her at the time. Jolie described Maddox’s affectionate feelings toward Zahara, seeing her as a tiny pet to cherish.
When Z came home she was older, she was seven months old, so for Mad it’s like having this tiny pet he can just hold and look at,
Jolie told Anderson Cooper.
Zahara has engaged deeply with her mother’s work, launching a jewelry line called the Zahara Collection in partnership with jeweler Robert Procop in 2019 and participating in charitable trips to Syrian refugee camps alongside Angelina’s UNHCR efforts. In August 2022, an emotional Jolie shared her feelings when dropping Zahara off at Atlanta’s Spelman College, an HBCU where Zahara later joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She has also stood beside her mother in Washington, D.C., during influential advocacy moments, including promoting violence prevention laws.
Shiloh’s Beginnings and Emerging Artistic Interests
Born on May 27, 2006, in Swakopmund, Namibia, Shiloh has been described by her mother as bright, loving, and funny, with hints of a mischievous streak. She made her red carpet debut in 2014 and has since attended numerous film events, including for movies Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and Dumbo, often appearing alongside Angelina.
Shi’s so full of light and love, she’s just a little honey, and very, very funny,
Jolie said, adding,
I think I’m recognizing some of myself in that one—she’s going to be a little bit of trouble!
Shiloh has taken steps into dance and the entertainment world, frequenting L.A.’s Millennium Dance Complex. In 2024, she petitioned a Los Angeles court to remove Pitt from her surname, requesting to be known as Shiloh Nouvel Jolie, reportedly hiring her own legal representation.
I’m like, ‘Oh my god, wear it and wear it better than me!
Jolie told E!’s Daily Pop about encouraging her children to borrow from her wardrobe.
And take it, and it’s your turn, anything.’ I’m that mom.
Twins Knox and Vivienne: Contrasting Personalities and Creative Pursuits
Knox and Vivienne, born July 12, 2008, in Nice, France, spent their earliest months at the family’s Château Miraval estate. Jolie described the household as chaotic but joyous, with older siblings helping dress and care for the twins. Named after Pitt’s grandfather Hal Knox Hillhouse, Knox physically and emotionally resembles his father and played a small role voicing Ku Ku in Kung Fu Panda 3, along with his twin sister.
Knox is a lot like Brad, emotionally and physically.
Angelina observed, noting the twins’ shyness about acting but their enjoyment of the opportunity.
Vivienne, who has a serious and thoughtful nature reminiscent of Jolie’s late mother Marcheline Bertrand, has gravitated toward behind-the-scenes film roles rather than acting. Angelina credited Vivienne with initiating the family’s support to bring Francis Ford Coppola’s film The Outsiders to Broadway, where the teen served as a volunteer assistant.
She’ll correct me,
Jolie said,
She’ll say, ‘Didn’t you read the memo? We have to do this, we have to go through this,’
adding,
She’s been a really tough assistant. She takes it very, very seriously.
The Intersection of Family, Fame, and Legal Challenges
Angelina Jolie’s revelations illuminate the intense personal struggles entwined with her high-profile divorce from Brad Pitt and the ongoing disputes over their shared assets. The court battles, including demands for confidential legal communications and allegations exchanged between the parties, underscore the complexities faced by families in the public eye.
The emotional weight carried by Jolie and her children, evident in their avoidance of family properties and diverse individual paths, highlights the ripple effects of their family breakup. As the legal proceedings continue, the case may set precedents on privacy rights, non-disclosure agreements, and asset management in celebrity divorces.
Ultimately, Angelina Jolie’s account offers a window into the pain behind celebrity headlines, revealing how deeply intertwined family memories and business interests can compound the challenges of separation and coping.
