Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's divorce, announced in 2016, has lasted nearly eight years due to custody disputes and shared asset conflicts.
**The Protracted Divorce of Jolie and Pitt: What Took So Long?**
**The Protracted Divorce of Jolie and Pitt: What Took So Long?**
An examination of the lengthy and contentious divorce settlement between Hollywood's former power couple.
The dissolution of the marriage between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, hailed as a quintessential A-list couple, has dragged on for an astonishing eight years since Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016. Despite being married for merely two years, their legal battles have been both complex and fiercely contested, primarily over child custody and their jointly owned French winery, Chateau Miraval.
Celebrity attorney Chris Melcher described the protracted nature of the case as highly unusual for high-profile divorces. "Typically, we see settlements in six months to a year for divorces of this magnitude," he explained to BBC News. However, initial confrontations over custody matters quickly morphed into disputes surrounding their winery, complicating the already tense situation.
Jolie and Pitt’s relationship began on the set of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" in 2005, and they married in 2014. At the heart of their ongoing disputes are their six children. Jolie adopted Maddox from Cambodia and Zahara from Ethiopia, while they later had biological children Shiloh, Pax, and twins Knox and Vivienne together. Reports indicate that their daughter Shiloh has expressed her wish to change her last name, further highlighting the emotional complexities involved in their separation.
The couple’s well-documented custody battles have been arduous, with an initial settlement in 2018 falling through and Pitt receiving joint custody after lengthy litigation in 2021. This tumultuous history reflects their struggles with personal issues, including allegations from Jolie of alleged drunken misconduct by Pitt, which he has vehemently denied.
Another critical aspect of their divorce is the ownership of Chateau Miraval, purchased in 2008. Jolie sold her share to a spirits manufacturer linked to a Russian oligarch without Pitt's consent, prompting him to file a lawsuit claiming violation of their prior agreement not to sell without mutual consent.
As the couple’s children grow older, the emotional toll of the divorce on them is significant, with journalist Jeanne Wolf commenting on the complicated fallout. Jolie's lawyer has acknowledged the exhausting nature of these proceedings, expressing relief that this chapter is finally concluding, although some disputes, particularly regarding the vineyard, remain unresolved.
The eight-year saga ultimately serves as a complex commentary on high-profile divorces, showcasing the emotional strain not only on the involved parties but particularly on their children caught in between.
