The long ongoing ‘War of Rose’ over the winemaking estate of Chateau Miraval which the Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had purchased jointly in 2008 during their marriage has seen its most recent series of developments, with Pitt emerging having an upper hand. Below are more contextual details to understand the messy legal feud better!
Table of Contents
Angelina and Brad: Early Relationship Timeline
2003: Sparks Fly on Set:
While filming “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” sparks ignited between Jolie and Pitt, despite Pitt’s marriage to Jennifer Aniston. Rumors swirled, fueling speculation about their relationship. The Once Upon A Time in Hollywood star was still married to Jennifer Aniston,and Angelina had been twice divorced, first being hitched to British actor Jonny Lee Miller, and then Billy Bob.
Thecouple denied the affair, with Angelina saying,
“To be intimate with a married man, when my own father cheated on my mother, is not something I could forgive,” Angelina said. “I could not look at myself in the morning if I did that. I wouldn’t be attracted to a man who would cheat on his wife.”
Angelina Jolie
2005: Building a Family:
Pitt and Aniston announced their separation, followed by Jolie adopting Zahara. Pitt’s involvement in the adoption solidified their growing bond.
2006-2008: Family Expansion & Global Focus:
Jolie and Pitt welcomed biological daughter Shiloh In January 2006. Both of the children’s surnames were changed from “Jolie” to “Jolie-Pitt”. Angelina gave birth to daughter Shiloh Nouvel in Namibia, in May 2006.
They went onto adopt three-year-old Pax Thien from an orphanage in Vietnam. At the Cannes Film Festival in 2008, Angelina confirmed that she was expecting twins, and Knox Léon and daughter Vivienne Marcheline were born in July that year. They became known for their red carpet appearances and humanitarian work, gaining global recognition.
2012: Engagement & Commitment:
After years of speculation, they announced their engagement, solidifying their commitment with a stunning diamond ring designed by Robert Procop.
2014: A Fairytale Wedding:
Jolie and Pitt exchanged vows in a private ceremony attended by close friends and family at the chapel of their French home and vineyard, Chateau Miraval, which they had purchased jointly, in southeast France.
The Divorce
In September 2016, Angelina filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The FBI and the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services then confirmed they were investigating Brad for alleged child abuse following an incident on the family’s private jet.
The details of the child abuse allegations against Brad Pitt were murky, but he had publicly spoken about his alcohol dependence and substance abuse. They were both declared legally single in 2019, three years after Jolie filed for divorce. In December 2020, court proceedings began in Los Angeles over child custody for the five youngest children, as Maddox was already over 18 and therefore an adult in the eyes of the law. Pax is now 19, while Zahara is 18, Shiloh, 17 and twins Vivienne and Knox are 14. Brad was granted joint custody of his children with Angelina.
Ownership Of Chateau Miraval: The Vineyard Dispute
The battle for custody was simultaneously accompanied by the ongoing legal battle regarding the French vineyard and estate, Chateau Miraval that they had bought together for $60 million.
Brad owned 60% of the shares, while Angelina owned 40%. When they got married, Brad decided to give about 10% of his shares to Jolie as a gift, officially making them fifty-fifty partners on paperwork. Thay had gotten married on the property and were deeply attached to it, but sentiments that were once sweet had now soured after the separation.
Aftwe the divorce, while they had been dividing their assets, Jolie had decided to sell her half of the property without any legal discussions with Pitt. She had sold her stake in their co-owned vineyard to a Luxembourg-based spirits manufacturer controlled by Russian oligarch and owner of Vodka giant Stoli Yuri Shefler without his knowledge.
Brad decided to sue his wife with a lawsuit claiming that Angelina intentionally “sought to inflict harm on” him by selling her stake in the business. The Meet Joe Black actor claimed that they had agreed in prior discussions to never sell their respective interests without the other’s consent. He also claimed to still retain a 60% ownership, and that the wine company grew “into a multimillion-dollar global business and one of the world’s most highly regarded producers of rosé wine” through his work and that Jolie had contributed “nothing to Miraval’s success.”
Eventually, Jolie’s company went on to counter sue Pitt for $350 million in damages. in the countersuit, the legal team representing Jolie back in October 2022, responded that negotiations to sell her business interest went south when Pitt made her sign a non-disclosure agreement that would bar her from publicly discussing his alleged emotional and physical abuse of her and their children. The countersuit alleges that during a 2016 incident, “Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face” and “grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her.”
Latest Developments In The ‘War of the Rosé’
The “Moneyball” star. now 60, has been in the Luxembourg court in California for this matter, and has finally gained a upper hand and legal advantage in it. The court awarded the previously gifted 10% of the stakes over the ownership of the 13,00 acre French winemaking estate to Brad Pitt, making him the owner of 60% of the shares once again. This has allowed him to have greater control over the winery compared to Angelina Jolie
A source close to him claimed,
“He owned 60 [percent] (Brad Pitt) and she owned 40 [percent](Angelina Jolie). When they got married, it was a conversation where everything was all roses [at the time]. The agreement was for her to get 10 percent from him, a 50/50 agreement that they reached for one euro. It was symbolic of their partnership.”
The legal battle is yet to see a definitive end.
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