Brad Pitt pushes to see his six children as often as possible despite how ‘hostile’ it has been with his ex-wife Angelina Jolie, it has been claimed.
The former couple, whose marriage collapsed in 2016, share Maddox, 21, Pax, 18, Zahara, 17, Shiloh, 16, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 14.
A source told Us Weekly that in July Brad ‘flew to Italy for the twins’ birthday and that meant a lot to them.’ This comes after he made a ‘big fuss’ of Shiloh on her 16th birthday in May, the site added.
Making it work: Brad Pitt ‘pushes to see’ his six children ‘as often as possible’ despite ‘how hostile it’s been with’ his ex-wife Angelina Jolie, it is claimed; seen on August 2 in LA
The twins turned 14 on July 12. Shiloh turned 16 on May 27.
Italy is where Angelina has been directing her new movie Without Blood, starring her friend and Eternals co-star Salma Hayek.
Although Angelina reportedly still has custody of the children, Brad ‘pushes to see them as often as possible wherever they all are in the world,’ the insider said.
‘Brad cherishes every moment he gets with the kids. He loves being a parent and has tried to make the best of a tricky situation given how hostile it’s been with Angelina.’
Angelina and Brad have been tied up in legal battles for nearly six years, ever since she made global headlines by filing for divorce in September 2016.
Early in the divorce, the FBI looked into allegations that Brad became ‘physical’ with Maddox on a private plane – but the investigation was closed with no charges filed.
Angelina en famille: The former couple share Maddox, 21, Pax, 18, Zahara, 17, Shiloh, 16, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 14; pictured in 2019 with their mother
When his marriage disintegrated, Brad quit drinking, and shortly thereafter he told GQ that before he dried out ‘I can’t remember a day since I got out of college where I wasn’t boozing or had a spliff, or something.’
Although they became legally single in 2019, their custody battle has raged on, in addition to which they are also fighting over the winery they co-owned in France.
Since Brad and Angelina began squabbling over custody, Pax and Maddox have reached adulthood, and Zahara will join them in January.
Brad has gushed in public about his children growing up, rhapsodizing to Vanity Fair about how ‘proud’ he was of Zahara entering Spelman College.
Throwback: Brad and Angelina became a couple in 2005 (pictured) when he infamously left his first wife Jennifer Aniston for her in a scandal that riveted the world
‘She’s so smart. She’s going to flourish even more at college. It’s an exciting and beautiful time to find her own way and pursue her interests.’
Meanwhile an Us Weekly insider claimed he has privately ‘been lamenting to pals’ about how long the legal battle has dragged on and suspects Angelia ‘will never agree to joint custody and is going to run out the clock until the kids are 18.’
He is said to believe Angelina is plotting for the children to ‘want nothing to do with’ their father as adults – but per the source: ‘Brad will not give up the fight.’
An insider has alleged to the New York Post: ‘It appears that Angelina is determined that Brad should never get 50/50 custody. And there are some who say that she won’t rest until the kids are legally adults, so Brad will never have shared custody.’
Battle: An insider has told the New York Post : ‘It appears that Angelina is determined that Brad should never get 50/50 custody’; Angelina is pictured with some of the children last year
Brad and Angelina became a couple in 2005 when he infamously left his first wife Jennifer Aniston for her in a scandal that riveted the world.
They waited nearly a decade before they tied the knot in 2014 at the Chateau Miraval in France – the site of the winery they are locked in a court battle over at present.
Three of their children are adopted from abroad – Zahara from Ethiopia, Pax from Vietnam and Maddox from Cambodia – and Angelina gave birth to the other three.
Angelina and Brad went to Namibia for Shiloh’s birth and had the government enforce a no-fly zone over the area they were in.
Throwback: Angelina is pictured in London in 2011 with her twins Knox and Vivienne, whom Brad is said to have visited in Italy last month for their 14th birthday
An official at Namibia’s Washington embassy divulged at that time: ‘The government has decided that it will issue visas to journalists to go to Namibia and cover Angelina and Brad if they have consent from the parties.’
Police reportedly went door to door in Langstrand – a seaside town near the resort where Brad and Angelina were staying – looking for foreign or local media.
Angelina stayed closer to home for the next births, delivering Knox and Vivienne in Nice, less than 200km from the Chateau Miraval.