Why Angelina Jolie Is Reportedly Relieved Over Brad Pitt's Actions For Their Children
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's divorce had dominated the headlines for the past six years. Jolie famously filed for divorce after a disastrous trip from Paris to LA. As the story goes, Jolie, Pitt, and their six children (Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne) were on the final leg of a long trip when Jolie and Pitt began fighting. Pitt had allegedly been drinking and when things escalated, and Maddox intervened to protect his mother. Days later, the authorities got involved. The Los Angeles County child protective services were called, as was the FBI. Though he was questioned, Pitt was never charged with a crime, per NBC.
The divorce, which has been ongoing since 2016, has become increasingly contentious, with the main sticking point being custody of the Jolie-Pitt kids. Jolie has filed to obtain full custody, which Pitt has fought. Recently, Pitt has begun to suspect that Jolie is purposely delaying the trial. "It's very clear to him that Angie has gone out of her way to delay and stall the process," the source told Us Weekly. "All he can do is work with his legal team and file the paperwork whilst responding to her claims. Month after month goes by with one piece of red tape after another, endless jumping through hoops and bickering between their lawyers with no resolution."
Though things are far from settled, Pitt took a major step to get back in Jolie's good graces by going above and beyond for their twins' birthday.
Brad Pitt is making an effort
Angelina Jolie was reportedly touched that ex Brad Pitt flew all the way to Rome, where Jolie is filming "Without Blood," to celebrate their kids' birthday. "Angelina's on a tight shooting schedule so she's relieved that Brad was able to come to Rome to see the kids and be there for Knox and Vivienne's birthday," a source told Hollywood Life. "It means a lot to her that he made the trip."
The insider added that while things are definitely still tense between Pitt and Jolie, Pitt's trip to Rome was a major step in the right direction. "They have virtually no contact, everything between them, including the kids' schedules is handled by third parties because they're still battling it out in court," they explained. "The fact that Brad's stepped up and made the trip has taken a huge weight off her shoulders, his effort hasn't gone unnoticed."
Since his split from Jolie, Pitt has been working hard to become a better version of himself for his kids. In an intimate interview with GQ, Pitt shared that the divorce and the threat of losing his family was the push he needed to get sober. "I had a really cool men's group here that was really private and selective, so it was safe," he explained. Though the custody battle is far from settled, Pitt's sobriety and effort to be more involved with the kids are a step in the right direction to an amicable conclusion.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).