Angelina Jolie is attempting to delay her court date with ex-husband Brad Pitt by nine months, moving their legal showdown from February to November next year. The delay relates to their ongoing dispute over the French vineyard Chateau Miraval, which has become a central issue in their decade-long legal battle.
The move comes as Jolie, 50, appeared at a Tom Ford event in Shanghai last weekend, where photographs showed her looking pale and gaunt. Fans expressed concern, with one commenting, 'She looks tired and unwell,' and another noting, 'I know she has health issues but she really looks like she is struggling.' Some speculated about possible surgery or a return of Bell's palsy, which she has suffered from previously.
A source close to the actress says the stress of the divorce is taking a heavy toll. 'Angelina has been very open about how much stress she's been under and how much it's affected her health,' the insider said. 'When she and Brad first split up it got so bad that she actually ended up with Bell's palsy and a lot of people around her are concerned about it coming back again.'
The source added, 'She simply cannot move forward or properly recover while this [court case] is still hanging over her. Everyone can see the toll it's taking on her and fear the stress is making her sick. She looks so frail; all the vitality has been drained from her.'
Brad Pitt's team opposes the delay, citing concerns about losing key witnesses due to death or illness, following the passing of Jolie's former business manager Terry Bird. They also claim the dispute prevents Pitt from 'the quiet enjoyment of his home in France' after what he calls a 'hostile takeover' by the Russian billionaire to whom Jolie sold her share.
The source says the court move has left Jolie feeling 'exhausted,' as she perceives Pitt's actions as an attempt to destroy her reputation. 'It's not as though this is something she can just hand off to her lawyers, she's constantly got to weigh in, it seems like there's something she needs to handle every day, it's beyond exhausting for her,' the insider said.
