Angelina Jolie claims Brad Pitt’s physical abuse ‘started well before’ 2016 plane incident: documents

Angelina Jolie’s legal team have made a bombshell claim in the actor’s ongoing legal war with ex-husband Brad Pitt.

Vanessa Serna – Page Six

3 min read

April 6, 2024 - 6:46AM

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt split in 2016. Picture: Mark Ralston/AFP

Angelina Jolie is alleging that her ex-husband Brad Pitt’s physical abuse toward her “started well before” the 2016 plane incident that resulted in her filing for divorce, per documents obtained by Page Six.

On Thursday, the Maleficent actor’ legal team made the bombshell claims in an attempt to release communications that would prove the Fight Club star refused to allow his ex-wife to sell her portion of their Chateau Miraval French winery unless she signed an “onerous” and “expansive” NDA.

“While Pitt’s history of physical abuse of Jolie started well before the family’s September 2016 plane trip from France to Los Angeles, this flight marked the first time he turned his physical abuse on the children as well. Jolie then immediately left him,” the document reads.

According to the filing, the NDA Pitt, 60, allegedly proposed to Jolie, 48, would cover his “personal misconduct, whether related to Miraval or not,” in an attempt to prevent her from speaking on his alleged abuse.

The former couple have been locked in legal battles since their split. Picture: Rune hellestad/Corbis via Getty Images

Jolie’s lawyers also alleged Pitt wanted her to “contractually bind herself” to silence after he discovered in 2021 that she submitted a sealed filing, consisting of “emails, summaries of the family’s expected testimony and other evidence” to help settle their child custody dispute.

At the time, Pitt agreed to purchase Jolie’s shares of the French winery but allegedly backed out as he feared his ex’s sealed documents “could eventually become public,” the documents continue.

“Mr Pitt refused to purchase Ms. Jolie’s interest when she would not be silenced by his NDA,” the Salt actor’ lawyer Paul Murphy said in a statement to Page Six.

“By refusing to buy her interest but then suing her, Mr. Pitt put directly at issue why that NDA was so important to him and what he hoped it would bury: his abuse of Ms. Jolie and their family,” he continued, referencing Pitt’s 2022 lawsuit against Jolie for selling her shares of the winery to another party.

Thursday’s filing also claims Jolie “never pressed charges” against her Mr. & Mrs. Smith co-star because “she believed the best course was for Pitt to accept responsibility and help the family recover from the post-traumatic stress he caused.”

A rep for Pitt wasn’t immediately available for comment.

Their winery has been at the centre of the dispute. Picture: Mark Ralston/AFP

However, a source familiar with the Moneyball actor told Page Six that Jolie “continually tries to distract from legal losses by offering irrelevant or inaccurate information” in further court filings.

“There’s a pattern that every time she loses, she continues to come back to this … there’s nothing new here,” the insider added.

Per documents previously obtained by Page Six in June 2023, Pitt alleged his “vindictive” ex-wife sold her shares of Château Miraval despite him after he was granted joint custody of their six children, though the decision was later overturned.

The filing also alleged Jolie was the one to present “an even broader” NDA agreement while Pitt’s team presented a “standard” NDA, solely intended to “intended to protect the business.

“The clause also made clear that there would be no limitation on Jolie’s ability to speak in connection with Pitt and Jolie’s divorce or custody proceedings,” the documents read.

“It specifically provided: This commitment shall however not limit the ability, for any Party, to make any claims, filings or testimony in any legal proceedings.”

The former A-list power couple purchased Château Miraval together in 2008. The property serves as a vineyard known for its award-winning sparkling rosé wine.