Angelina Jolie has filed for divorce from husband Brad Pitt after 12 years together, citing irreconcilable differences.
According to a statement from her attorney, “this decision was made for the health of her family.”
“She will not be commenting, and asks that the family be given its privacy at this time,” her attorney Robert Offer said.
“I am very saddened by this, but what matters most now is the wellbeing of our kids,” Brad told CNN in a statement.
Angelina’s attorney has released a statement saying her decision to divorce was “made for the health of her family”.
TMZ reports that the couple, who have been together since 2005 and tied the knot in 2014, listed their date of separation on the divorce filing as September 15.
Sources told the media outlet that the split was sparked by Angelina’s alleged concerns over Brad’s parenting. According to TMZ, the actress and director became “fed up” with Brad’s alleged issues with weed and possibly alcohol, combined with a rumoured anger management issue.
Angelina is reportedly requesting sole physical custody of their six children and for Brad to have only visitation rights.
She is not asking for spousal support, but according to CNN, is requesting to keep “miscellaneous jewellery and other personal effects” as well as any earnings made after the date of separation.
“Angelina will always do what’s in the best interest of taking care of her family,” the star’s long-time manager Geyser Kosinski told E! Online.
The couple pictured in happier times. Photo: Getty
Angelina and Brad have six children together – Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and eight-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.
The Jolie-Pitt kids were an integral part of the couple’s private wedding in France in 2014, serving as ring bearers at the ceremony and even adding their own illustrations to Angelina’s wedding dress (created by Atelier Versace tailor Luigi Massi) and full-length veil.
This was Brad’s second marriage, having previously been wed to Friends star Jennifer Aniston from 2000-2005. Angelina was previously married to British actor Jonny Lee Miller from 1996-1999 and Billy Bob Thornton from 2000-2003.
The couple had weathered plenty of ups and downs during their time together, including Angelina’s health battles. In 2013, Brad supported his wife as she announced she had undergone a double mastectomy as a preventative measure against breast cancer.
Two years later, he was also by her side as she had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed.
Last year, during promotion of their film By The Sea, in which they starred as a couple facing marriage troubles, Angelina said they had fights and problems like any other couple”.
“We have days when we drive each other absolutely mad and want space, but the problems in the movie aren’t our specific problems,” she said at the time.
