Hollywood's emblematic rivals and former couple Brad Pitt (62) and Angelina Jolie (51) have once again sharply escalated their legal battle over income and financial records. As Pitt's side pressed hard, demanding Jolie's past income records, Jolie's side fiercely pushed back, calling it a "distortion of context and invasion of privacy."
According to foreign media reports, Pitt recently asked the court to order Jolie to submit her income and revenue distribution records from 2017 through 2019.
Earlier, Jolie claimed that after divorcing Pitt in 2016 she "put her career on hold for a while and had to forgo compensation (money) for years," and argued that because Pitt tried to control her by using his financial advantage she had to sell her stake in the Chateau Miraval (Miraval) winery in 2019 to achieve "financial independence."
Pitt's lawyer pointed out, "Jolie agreed to submit financial records from 2017 to 2021 but suddenly changed her position and submitted only records for 2020 and 2021." Pitt's side says it is necessary to verify the authenticity of Jolie's claim that she "forwent compensation for years" and the winery sale by checking her actual income and film revenue distribution records from 2017 through 2019.
Jolie's side, meanwhile, strongly denied that Pitt maliciously edited and distorted her remarks. In court documents Jolie's side drew a line, saying, "She never made claims of general financial hardship or that 'the money stopped and she was driven to the brink.' She merely sought to settle financial ties with her ex-husband."
They added, "Pitt demanded a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) to cover up his assault, and Jolie sought only to break free from that pressure and settle financial ties," and took a hard line, saying, "Requesting records earlier than 2020 and 2021, even though those tax returns and revenue records have already been provided, is a clear invasion of privacy."
The two became lovers through the 2005 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith, married in 2014 and split after an in-flight assault and altercation in 2016. Their bitter struggle has dragged on for years, continuing from a custody battle over their six children to litigation over the sale of the jointly owned French winery stake.
Global fans' bitterness is deepening over the pair's "endless war," which, after years without a clear conclusion, has left them sharpening legal attacks against each other.
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