Angelina Jolie is reportedly making plans to leave the United States and establish a new home base in Europe, a move insiders claim is driven by a desire for greater privacy for herself and her children away from the intense public scrutiny surrounding her ongoing legal battles with ex-husband Brad Pitt.
The Long-Running Legal Feud
The Academy Award-winning actress, 50, and Pitt, 62, finalised their divorce in 2019 after separating in 2016. However, their split has been followed by a protracted and bitter legal dispute, primarily centred on their co-owned French winery, Chateau Miraval. The former couple purchased the estate in 2011 for approximately $60 million.
At the heart of the conflict is an alleged agreement that neither party would sell their share without the other's consent. Pitt has accused Jolie of breaching this pact by selling her stake to a company linked to the Stoli Group. Jolie has consistently denied that such a binding agreement existed.
Seeking Sanctuary Across the Atlantic
According to her long-time friend, actor Jae Benjamin, Jolie now feels the need to distance herself from the relentless "drama." Speaking to PageSix, Benjamin stated, "She can’t get far enough away from the drama … the only way to take a break is to get out." He added that the plan is for her to split her time between Europe and New York, focusing only on passion projects.
This potential relocation aligns with previous comments from Jolie herself. She told The Hollywood Reporter that she was in Los Angeles due to divorce-related obligations but intended to leave once her youngest children turned 18. Her twins, Knox and Vivienne, will reach that milestone in July of this year. She had previously stated she moved to LA so her children could be closer to their father.
Latest Court Rulings and Ongoing Battles
The legal wrangling shows no sign of abating. In a significant development in December, a Los Angeles court ruled in Pitt's favour, ordering Jolie to hand over a series of previously withheld private, non-legal communications related to the Miraval sale. The court gave her 45 days to provide un-redacted versions of these messages.
Pitt's legal team believes these communications could challenge Jolie's account of her intentions when she sold her stake. This ruling marked the latest victory for Pitt in the long-running case, which has also seen him reportedly sue his ex-wife for $35 million. Jolie previously countersued, accusing Pitt of acting vindictively to inflict financial harm.
The former couple, who met on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2005, share six children: Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 20, Shiloh, 19, and 17-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. As the twins approach adulthood, it appears Jolie is preparing for a significant life change, seeking a fresh start and sanctuary far from the Hollywood spotlight that has documented every chapter of her turbulent past decade.
