Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt finalized their divorce on Dec. 30, according to Jolie’s lawyers. The actress originally filed for divorce in 2016, citing irreconcilable differences, but it has taken over eight years to reach a settlement.
“More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt,” Jolie’s lawyer James Simon told People in a statement. “She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over.”
Jolie and Pitt signed off on a default declaration filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, which confirmed they have entered into a written agreement on their marital and property rights, including that they give up the right to any future spousal financial support. The filing does not include Château Miraval, the French estate and winery that the pair shared that has been the source of a separate lawsuit Pitt brought against Jolie in 2022.
Jolie and Pitt were together for 12 years and married for two. She filed for divorce on Sept. 19, 2016 after a private jet flight from Europe during which she said Pitt was abusive toward her and their children. Although the FBI and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services investigated Pitt’s actions, they concluded that no action needed to be taken against him.
In early 2017, the couple released a joint statement saying they agreed to work together to handle the divorce proceedings privately. “The parties and their counsel have signed agreements to preserve the privacy rights of their children and family by keeping all court documents confidential and engaging a private judge to make any necessary legal decisions and to facilitate the expeditious resolution of any remaining issues,” the statement noted. “The parents are committed to act as a united front to effectuate recovery and reunification.”
In the years since, however, the divorce has become notably contentious despite the pair using a private judge. The use of a private judge has meant that the details of the divorces have been kept relatively under wraps. The Associated Press notes that there have been no official court actions in the case in nearly a year. There has also been no indication that the final settlement was coming.
Jolie and Pitt share six children, four of which are now adults. The former couple’s 16-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne are still minors. In June, their daughter Shiloh Nouvel Jolie successfully petitioned to remove Pitt’s name from hers when she turned 18.
In 2023, Jolie told Vogue that she began taking less roles during the ongoing divorce. She added, “I feel a bit down these days. I don’t feel like I’ve been myself for a decade, in a way, which I don’t want to get into.”
