Brad Pitt and Angelia Jolie are embroiled in a bitter legal battle over their divorce, custody of their children, and their winery, Château Miraval. Jolie accused Pitt of physical abuse, revealing that there were more instances than the one she had previously alleged in 2016. She also claimed that Pitt had asked her to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) as a way to control her during the negotiations for the sale of Miraval. This led her to sell her stake in the vineyard to Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler in 2021.
In response, Pitt’s lawyers filed a motion asking Jolie to disclose other NDAs she entered into with third parties, including her own personal staff. They argued that if Jolie had conditioned employment on signing an NDA covering what employees witnessed in her home, it would show whether she truly believed that Pitt’s requested NDA was unconscionable. The court was shown letters from Jolie’s legal team, including a draft non-disparagement agreement and a suggestion of a broader NDA as part of her divorce from Pitt.
Jolie’s attorney countered by stating that Pitt’s attempt to equate common NDAs with trying to cover up his history of abuse was shameful. He claimed that Jolie only wanted separation and peace after all the years of legal battles. Meanwhile, Jolie alleged that Pitt was abusive towards her even before the 2016 plane incident that led to their divorce. The ongoing fight over Miraval involved Jolie’s legal team seeking to release communications that they believed would prove Pitt would not let her sell her share of the winery without agreeing to a more onerous NDA.
Amidst the legal battle, a Luxembourg court provisionally stripped Shefler of 10 percent of the shares he bought from Jolie, making Pitt the majority shareholder. Pitt’s team is focused on enforcing an agreement not to sell their interests in the winery and family home without each other’s consent. They argued that the NDA Jolie was asked to sign was a standard business contract meant to protect the asset being sold. The legal momentum has been on Pitt’s side, with a hearing on disclosure scheduled for May 16 and a full trial not expected this year.
The legal saga between Pitt and Jolie continues to unfold, with each side presenting their arguments and claims in court. The battle over Miraval, custody of their children, and the terms of their divorce have led to a series of accusations and legal maneuvers. Pitt’s efforts to enforce their agreement not to sell their interests without consent, and Jolie’s claims of abuse and attempts to dismiss his breach of contract claim, have created a complex and contentious legal dispute that shows no signs of resolution in the near future.