The Jolie-Pitt Kids Are Growing Up Fast

It was the Hollywood power couple to end all power couples, but even the juggernaut that was Brangelina couldn't stand the test of time. Angelina Jolie shocked the movie industry and the world when she filed for divorce from husband Brad Pitt in 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. In a statement (via The Guardian), the actress' attorney said that the "decision was made for the health of the family," which had sadly fallen apart.

Reports of a heated altercation started to emerge (per The Cut), with sources claiming that a family fight had led to Jolie filing for divorce. The rumor was that Pitt had gotten physical with his eldest son, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, after an argument flared up during a flight. The Jolie-Pitt clan was on its way home from France via its private jet when Brad "lunged at the boy and Angelina jumped in between them to block her husband," TMZ sources claimed. "Brad connected in some fashion with his son."

The War Machine star was briefly investigated for child abuse but was soon cleared of all wrongdoing, at least in the eyes of the law. Maddox, on the other hand, doesn't appear to be the forgiving type. He and his five siblings have grown up a lot in the years since their parents announced the split, and some of them are dealing with it better than others. Now that the custody arrangements have finally been agreed upon, let's catch up with the Jolie-Pitt kids.

We'll likely never know exactly what went down on the Pitt-Jolie family jet that day, but even alleged insiders from Brad Pitt's camp admitted that he was in the wrong. "There was a parent-child argument which was not handled in the right way and escalated more than it should have," a source close to the A-list star told People. "[Pitt] is emphatic that it did not reach the level of physical abuse, that no one was physically harmed. He did not hit his child in the face in any way. ... He put his hands on him, yes, because the confrontation was spiraling out of control."

Even if no actual punches were thrown, placing his hands on Maddox was apparently enough for the teen to fall out with his dad big time, and by all accounts they've been drifting apart ever since. The custody battle caused tension among the children according to Us Weekly, whose sources claimed that Brad has now "accepted that he'll likely never be able to repair [his] relationship" with Maddox. The same insider told the publication that Brad's relationship with Angelina was just as strained because of the actress' tough stance on custody. "Angelina hasn't offered any concessions about her actions that have contributed to the situation."

Not long after the story about Brad Pitt never wanting to adopt Pax Jolie-Pitt broke, both the Daily Mail and The Sun claimed that the 15-year-old had wished his dad a happy birthday on Instagram. Brad turned 55 in 2018, and Pax was reported to have posted a throwback pic of the actor along with the caption: "Happy Birthday to this stud. Love you so much! Can't wait to see you later." This would have represented a major win for Brad given the strain his relationship with his son is reportedly under, but according to Gossip Cop, it was all fake. "The teenage boys don't have social media accounts," the outlet reported. "The fake birthday posts were fan-made."

Sources told Us Weekly that five of the six Jolie-Pitt kids stayed with Brad the night before his birthday (eldest Maddox was absent for unknown reasons), but the visit was reportedly monitored. "This is a transition time for the entire family, and it's being done with a lot of input from the therapists," the insider said. It might be some time before Pax and his dad can resume anything like a normal father-son relationship, but when it comes to his mother, it's business as usual. In January 2019, the teen and Angelina were spotted on a day out in Beverly Hills, and In Touch Weekly was blown away by how "grown up" he was looking all of a sudden.

It seems as though Zahara did plenty of birthday shopping with her mom, but according to Hollywood Life sources, she didn't get the chance to celebrate with her dad on her big day, because, according to family insiders, Brad's invite to their daughter's party didn't exactly get lost in the mail. "There's still lingering resentment for Angelina when it comes to Brad, which does not make things easy when considering inviting Brad over for something like a birthday party," a source said. "Other friends and family members are getting together for a small party Angie is planning, but Zahara's dad will have to celebrate with her at a different time." 

Brad and Zahara did see each other a few weeks earlier, on Christmas in 2018, according to Us Weekly. The magazine's insiders learned that Zahara was actually the oldest Jolie-Pitt kid to spent the holidays with their dad. "Maddox refused to go, and Pax didn't go either," one source claimed, adding that it was a pretty "low key" day. "[Brad] has never spoiled the kids for their birthdays or holidays." Just like the visit some of the kids made to mark Brad's birthday, the actor was reportedly monitored by a professional, who is said to have overnighted in a guest room.

While Shiloh Jolie-Pitt quite clearly takes after her dad, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt is definitely more of a mini-Angelina. She and her twin brother, Knox Jolie-Pitt, turned 10 years old in July 2018, meaning the whole Jolie-Pitt brood is now into double figures. Vivienne has already entered the family business, appearing in one of her mom's biggest ever movies. She played the younger version of Elle Fanning's character, Aurora, in 2014's Maleficent, getting the part purely because she was the only kid who wasn't terrified of Angelina in her costume.

Angelina told Entertainment Weekly that it was fun having a young Vivienne on set with her, and they've apparently remained super close ever since. In January 2019, photos of Vivienne on her way to martial arts class emerged (above), and the cries of doppelgänger immediately rang out. "[Angelina] took her daughter to a martial arts class, and we cannot get over how much they look alike in the pics," Hollywood Life's senior editor said. "For the outing Angelina wore a black maxi dress, while Vivienne kept it casual in sweats and a t-shirt for her athletic class, but their faces are identical!"

Vivienne's martial arts class came just days after Angelina and the twins were spotted indoor rock climbing together in Los Angeles. Vivienne and her mom (sporting matching ponytails) were all smiles as they hit the walls together.

Attending a Survivor live reunion is exciting enough if you're a fan of the legendary reality show, but imagine turning up to the event and discovering that Angelina Jolie was also in attendance. The Hollywood star and some of her kids attended the reunion of the 37th season (David vs. Goliath), which friend and colleague Mike White competed in. "They had a great time," a source told People. "The kids really enjoyed it."

White is probably best known for writing and appearing in Jack Black comedy School of Rock, as well as the TV show of the same name. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he and Jolie became friends while working on a Disney project together. "White recently penned an adaptation of the Newbery Medal-winning book The One and Only Ivan for Disney, and Jolie has been voicing one of the characters, which is probably how she ended up at the Survivor show."

On-set sources claim that Jolie "mostly kept to herself" on the night, keeping one eye on the kids she brought along (the exact lineup is unconfirmed, but THR used the term "flock") while enjoying the festivities. Those festivities reportedly carried on at her place, with the actress inviting several of the cast members back for an after party.