Angelina Jolie seeks $33k from Brad Pitt as she opens up on ‘emotionally difficult’ split

Angelina Jolie has opened up about the deep emotional toll of her divorce from Brad Pitt, describing it as an “emotionally difficult” experience for both herself and their six children in new court filings related to their ongoing legal battle over their French estate, Château Miraval.

In a declaration submitted to the Los Angeles Superior Court, Jolie addressed her ex-husband’s demand that she turn over private messages linked to their dispute over the château. “The events leading to my need to separate from my ex-husband were emotionally difficult for me and our children,” she said in the filing obtained by Page Six.

Jolie, who has previously accused Pitt of abuse — explained that when she filed for divorce, she “left him control (and full residency) of our family homes in Los Angeles and at Miraval, without compensation, which I hoped would make him calmer in his dealings with me after a difficult and traumatic period.”

The actress revealed that she and her children, Maddox (24), Pax (21), Zahara (20), Shiloh (19), and twins Knox and Vivienne (17), “have never again set foot” at Miraval due to “its connection to the painful events leading to the divorce.” She added, “Post-separation, I immediately began to look for a new house for me and our children, initially renting a home while looking for a more stable solution.”

Pitt, 61, has sued Jolie over her sale of her stake in the vineyard to the Stoli Group’s wine division, claiming she did so without his consent. Jolie countered that she did not need his permission to sell her share. She explained in her declaration that “my savings were tied up in Miraval, and I had not asked Brad for alimony or any other financial support, so I needed the funds from the château.”

The “Maleficent” star also revealed the personal sacrifices she made following the separation. “I was very concerned about the health of our children, and so, for approximately two years, I declined work so that I could focus my attention on caring for our children and their recovery,” she stated.

She described the emotional and financial challenges that followed. Jolie claimed she was so financially strained that she could not afford to buy a home “outright” for herself and her children in Los Angeles, saying Pitt “agreed to loan her money, with interest.”

Jolie said she had considered selling her Miraval stake to Pitt in early 2017 but found those talks “always difficult” because of her emotional ties to the property. “Miraval was one of the first major investments we made together, and it was a focal point of our family life,” she explained. “We were married there, I spent part of my pregnancy there, and I brought our twin children home there from the hospital. To have such a sudden break from my home and memories has been hard, and it was especially difficult for the children to have their lives so disrupted.”

The actress is now requesting that Pitt pay $33,000 to cover the legal fees she incurred responding to his motion. Her attorneys argued, “Jolie, through counsel, repeatedly asked Pitt to withdraw the motion. She even warned him numerous times that if the Court denied Pitt’s motion, Jolie would ask the Court to order Pitt to pay Jolie’s attorneys’ fees opposing the motion. Pitt still refused to withdraw it. Jolie thus requests that the Court order Pitt to reimburse her for the substantial attorneys’ fees she was forced to incur.”

Pitt, for his part, has maintained that the case is a commercial dispute separate from their divorce. His team has argued that Jolie’s side has failed to share requested communications during discovery.

Jolie and Pitt married in 2014 and separated in 2016, though their divorce was not finalised until 2024. Despite the long legal battle, Jolie’s filing reflects that the emotional and financial fallout from the marriage’s collapse continues to affect her and their children deeply.

A source close to Pitt told Page Six, “This is a commercial business dispute that is not a part of the divorce,” calling Jolie’s statements “unfortunate but not surprising.” Another insider added, “Brad’s motivation is to ensure that his kids can maximise the benefit of this asset. Once it was sold, that’s no longer the case, and it significantly decreased their inheritance.”