Angelina Jolie has described her divorce from Brad Pitt as "emotionally difficult" in new court documents filed as part of their ongoing legal battle over Château Miraval, their French winery. The couple, who were declared legally single in 2019, finalized their divorce in December 2024 after an eight-year legal fight. However, the dispute over the winery continues to fuel tensions between the former couple.
In the recent filings, Jolie stated that the "events leading to my need to separate from my ex-husband were emotionally difficult for me and our children". She revealed that since filing for divorce in 2016, neither she nor their children have returned to the Miraval estate. Jolie also said she left Pitt in control of their homes in Los Angeles and France without compensation, hoping to ease tensions after what she described as a traumatic period. She added that she made efforts to stay close to Pitt by purchasing a new home near his residence to ensure he remained part of their children's lives.
The Château Miraval dispute arose after Jolie sold her stake in the winery to Tenute del Mondo, a company under the Stoli Group, in 2021. Pitt filed a lawsuit in 2022, claiming Jolie made the sale without his consent, violating their agreement that neither would sell their shares without approval from the other. Jolie responded by accusing Pitt of attempting to silence her through a non-disclosure agreement that she refused to sign.
Jolie is now seeking approximately Rs 29 lakh ($33,000) from Pitt to cover legal fees she incurred after he filed a motion for her to turn over records of her communications with the Stoli Group. Jolie claims the communication was protected by attorney-client privilege.
In her recent filing, Jolie described Miraval as one of the couple's earliest and most meaningful investments, recalling their wedding there and moments of family life. She wrote that the property holds painful memories, particularly due to events surrounding the divorce. Jolie's lawyer, James Simon, told CNN that Jolie is exhausted but relieved that one part of the process is over and that she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family since leaving all of the properties they had shared with Pitt.
A source close to Pitt has dismissed Jolie's statements as an excuse for failing to produce evidence in discovery, maintaining that the dispute is purely commercial and unrelated to their personal split. A source close to Jolie told People that she hoped Pitt would "move on," and that "until he drops his lawsuit, this family will not have the peace and healing they so very much desire and deserve". At the same time, a source close to Pitt said that Jolie's actions in their ongoing legal battle have caused "tremendous collateral damage to those in and around the family".
Pitt has reportedly spent US$10 million ($16m) on legal fees in his fight with Jolie over their French vineyard. He is suing his ex for alleged breach of contract after she sold her share of the estate to Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler, allegedly without the actor's agreement.
Jolie and Pitt share six children: Maddox, 24, Pax, 21, Zahara, 20, Shiloh, 19, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 17. While the divorce itself has been settled, the continuing legal fight over Miraval suggests tensions remain.
