Alex Cracknell
Legal

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie call it quits in epic legal battle

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reportedly chosen to settle their acrimonious legal dispute over their jointly owned French winery, Château Miraval, through mediation rather than pursuing further court battles.

According to recent court filings obtained from TMZ, Jolie, 48, and Pitt, 59, have mutually agreed to attempt mediation as a means to resolve their disagreements concerning the future of Château Miraval.

This development comes in the wake of allegations from Jolie's former investment company, Nouvel, accusing Pitt and other "co-conspirators" of trying to maintain control over Château Miraval by allegedly misusing and depleting its assets.

The court documents claimed that Pitt had mismanaged the company's funds by directing substantial amounts towards personal endeavours, such as extravagant swimming pool renovations, repeated reconstruction of a staircase, and investing millions in restoring a recording studio.

The legal dispute initially arose when Pitt filed a lawsuit against his former wife, claiming that she had sold her share of the winery to a Russian oligarch in 2021.

According to a court filing, Pitt appeared upset over Jolie's decision to sell Nouvel to Stoli instead of him, and he allegedly failed to treat Nouvel as an equal partner in their business dealings.

Furthermore, there were allegations that Pitt attempted to leverage the winery business to silence Jolie regarding the circumstances surrounding their divorce, which included allegations of abuse and disputes over child custody.

Jolie had previously accused Pitt of physical abuse towards her and two of their children during a flight in 2016, leading to their separation later that same year.

According to documents reported by the New York Times in 2022, Jolie's team claimed that Pitt engaged in a prolonged outburst during a flight from France to California in September 2016. The allegations included claims that Pitt had choked one of the children and struck another in the face, and had grabbed Jolie by the head and shaken her.

In response to these accusations, Pitt's lawyer asserted that Pitt took responsibility for his actions but would not accept false claims against him. The actor has faced numerous personal attacks and misrepresentations throughout the legal proceedings.

The former celebrity couple purchased Château Miraval, a picturesque country estate and winery located in the south of France, in 2008. Since then, it has become a focal point of their high-profile divorce.

As they embark on the mediation process, both Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt hope to find common ground and reach an amicable resolution to put an end to their protracted legal battle over Château Miraval.

Images: CNN / Getty 

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Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, legal battle