In the glittering annals of Hollywood romance, few stories captivated the world like that of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Once dubbed “Brangelina,” the duo’s whirlwind affair on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2005 ignited a media frenzy, blending passion, philanthropy, and six children into a seemingly unbreakable bond. By 2014, their French chateau wedding symbolized eternal love, with Jolie donning a veil embroidered with the coordinates of their kids’ birthplaces. Pitt, the rugged heartthrob, and Jolie, the humanitarian powerhouse, appeared as the ultimate power couple – jet-setting for refugee causes while building a $500 million empire, anchored by their luxurious Château Miraval winery in Provence. Fans devoured every red-carpet moment, envisioning a legacy of glamour and goodwill.

But beneath the veneer of perfection, cracks were forming. Fast-forward to September 2016: a private jet from France to Los Angeles became the flashpoint. Jolie alleged a harrowing altercation where Pitt, in a fit of rage, verbally and physically assaulted her and one of their children – grabbing her by the head, shaking her, and even pouring alcohol on the minors aboard. The incident, witnessed by their six kids (Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox), shattered the family. Jolie filed for divorce just two days later, citing irreconcilable differences but hinting at deeper trauma. The FBI investigated, and child services cleared Pitt of abuse charges, but the damage was irreparable. Jolie described the flight as making her feel “like a hostage,” a sentiment that echoed through years of sealed court documents.

What followed was no clean break but a labyrinthine legal odyssey spanning nearly a decade, transforming their fairy tale into a tabloid nightmare. Declared legally single in 2019, the exes battled over custody – Pitt securing joint rights in 2021 after Jolie initially sought sole – and, more viciously, their shared assets. The crown jewel? Château Miraval, the vine-draped estate where they wed, now a $500 million battleground. Pitt poured millions into revitalizing it, envisioning a wine dynasty. Jolie, however, sold her 50% stake in 2021 to the Stoli Group for a staggering sum, a move Pitt decried as a “secret betrayal” that violated an alleged verbal pact requiring mutual consent for any sale.

Pitt fired back with a 2022 lawsuit, accusing Jolie of malice – claiming she offloaded the shares to a “stranger” to inflict maximum harm, damaging the winery’s reputation and his personal fortune. He demanded her private messages, emails, and texts, alleging they would expose her “years of cover-up” and vengeful intent. Jolie countersued, painting a darker picture: She revealed that Pitt conditioned buying her out on an ironclad NDA, one that would muzzle her forever about the plane incident and any alleged abuse. “He wanted to silence me,” she declared in a 2025 court filing, recounting how neither she nor the children have set foot on Miraval since 2016, haunted by its ties to “painful events.” Recent documents from October 2025 expose an email chain where Pitt’s lawyers accused Jolie of leaking abuse claims to the press – a charge her team dismissed as deflection, while hinting at Pitt’s own history of aggressive outbursts.

At the heart of this maelstrom lies the burning question: Who betrayed whom first? Jolie’s camp whispers of Pitt’s pre-divorce infidelities and emotional volatility, fueling rumors of a hidden affair that eroded trust long before the skies turned turbulent. Pitt’s allies counter that Jolie’s unilateral sale was the ultimate stab, a calculated ploy to seize profits and rewrite their shared legacy. Insiders describe a war of attrition, with legal fees eclipsing $33,000 in recent motions alone, and family bonds fraying – adult children like Maddox and Pax reportedly siding with Jolie, boycotting Pitt’s overtures.

As of late 2025, the dust has barely settled. Their divorce finalized in December 2024 after eight grueling years, but the winery suit drags on, a testament to unresolved rage. Jolie, now a reclusive force in indie cinema and global aid, has spoken vaguely of feeling “betrayed a lot,” her once-radiant smile dimmed by the ordeal. Pitt, channeling fury into projects like his Formula 1 epic F1, maintains a stoic facade but sources say the betrayal cuts deep, turning Provence’s sun-kissed hills into a symbol of lost dreams.

This isn’t just a celebrity split; it’s a cautionary epic of love’s fragility under fortune’s glare. Will hidden truths – perhaps a long-buried affair or explosive texts – finally surface to claim a victor? For Brangelina, the real tragedy isn’t the billions at stake, but the fairy tale that turned to ash, leaving two icons forever scarred in the court of public opinion.