Brad Pitt’s first visit with the kids didn’t go well, Maddox didn’t even go

us weekly brange

Late last week, People Magazine and other sites breathlessly reported that Brad Pitt had “finally” seen his kids for the first time since Angelina Jolie bolted and filed for divorce in September. While there were reports that Brad had a supervised visit with the kids before last week, I think those reports were crap? So it probably happened for the first time last week. People Mag said that a therapist oversaw the visit, per DCFS rules and the temporary custody arrangement already put in place. Now Us Weekly has some dirt on what was happening behind-the-scenes. As in, Maddox didn’t want to see his dad.

For 19 long days, Brad Pitt patiently waited to be reunited with his six children. He stood by as Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne underwent counseling to help them prep for the visit. As a Pitt insider explains in the new issue of Us Weekly, “He wanted to make sure the meeting would be the most productive for the kids.”

But when the group finally gathered October 8 at one of the L.A.-area homes Pitt, 52, once shared with estranged wife Angelina Jolie, the result was awkward at best. With Maddox refusing to attend — “He chose not to go and stayed with Angie,” says a Jolie confidante — and a therapist monitoring close by, the get-together was anything but a picture-perfect, hug-filled homecoming. Says a source, “It wasn’t full of joy and happiness.”

Determined to do everything by the book, Pitt waited nearly a month after Jolie, 41, blindsided him by filing for divorce and requesting full physical custody of the kids September 19 to set up a meeting with his children. Per the voluntary agreement he and Jolie signed off on in late September — based on recommendations from the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services — all six of the kids had to undergo sessions with a therapist before the visit.

“He and Angie agreed on steps that needed to be completed,” says a source. “He wanted to wait until the timing was best.”

But for all his efforts, the War Machine star couldn’t make the visit run smoothly. “It was emotional for him,” says a source. Maddox’s snub wasn’t taken lightly. A Jolie source says the teen, who argued with Pitt during a September 14 flight on a private jet, was effectively choosing sides. (Because he’s older than 14, by California law he can decide which parent he’d prefer to live with.) Adopted by Jolie in 2002, two years before she fell for Pitt, “Maddox is very close with Angie,” explains the source. Jolie insiders deny Maddox has made up his mind about custody — however, one source does say that if Jolie is done with Pitt, Maddox is too. “He doesn’t really see himself as Brad’s son,” a source says of the Cambodia native, legally adopted by Pitt in 2006. Another Jolie source is more blunt: “Maddox never wants to see Brad again.”

Pitt isn’t even sure when he’ll get the chance to try. While the parenting agreement, in place until October 20, gives the exes shared legal custody, Jolie continues to have sole physical custody. A Jolie insider says the actress “is not trying to poison the kids against Brad. … She wants them to have a relationship with him once their health and safety is assured.” But, says a source, “no other visitations have been scheduled.”

[From Us Weekly]

The tabloids have theorized before that the two older boys, Maddox and Pax, are protective of Angelina. I’ve always believed that Maddox and Angelina have a special bond, but that doesn’t mean she’s turning Maddox against Brad. Isn’t it more than possible that Maddox made up his mind the second Brad went nose-to-nose with him? It’s it more than possible that Maddox stepped in to defend his mom during Brad and Angelina’s fight because he’s been Team Jolie for a while? As for the rest of it… I want to respect their privacy for the kids’ sakes. But I would also love to know what Zahara thinks of all of this.

AES-114724

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, PR Photos.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

162 Responses to “Brad Pitt’s first visit with the kids didn’t go well, Maddox didn’t even go”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Alleycat says:

    I find all of this bs. No one was there except brad and the therapist, so who is leaking the information that it wasn’t all smiles and love at the reunion? Maddox could have stayed home, but I highly doubt he doesn’t see brad as his dad. I don’t know, I feel icky even discussing this, since it’s such a difficult time for all of them I’m sure.

    • CoKatie says:

      I’m with you, Alleycat. I call BS.

    • Jellybean says:

      The story suggests that the therapist is a source, if so, that is shocking. All that time waiting to see their dad, being kept isolated, interviews with child services, sessions with therapists and only an hour or so before they are separated again – was this supposed to be a joyous event, because I imagine it must have been traumatic for all of them. And now ‘sources’ are sharing their distress with the tabloids. What utterly vile people.

      • Gwen says:

        The therapist would lose his job.

      • paranormalgirl says:

        Confidentiality is part of a therapists code of ethics (and part of the Hippocratic Oath for those of us with medical licenses). While HIPAA and some billing practices make total confidentiality impossible (between care providers and billing agents), we are are certainly not supposed to be running around discussing therapy issues with the press.

      • ain't a saint says:

        Sorry, no way in hell any certified mental health professional would be saying ANYTHING about the Jolie-Pitts…not if he/she wants to avoid a potential lawsuit and also keep his or her professional license and job. I’ve worked a few higher profile DCYF custody cases over the years for my state, and as a therapist you DO NOT talk about what is going on and break that crucial bond of confidentiality (no matter how high or low profile the case, of course). Whenever confidentiality was broken, it was always one of the parents who was going around releasing info they shouldn’t.

        In this case, all of these alleged details which came from some rando “Jolie confidante” are clearly once again straight from the horses mouth herself. St. Angie has been floating bits of info to the press since day one of the airplane debacle. This is simply more of the same, it’s just too bad she’s not listening to her lawyers or that expensive fixer she hired and keeping her big mouth shut.

        The focus should be on the children’s privacy and not her continual dragging of Brad in the press complete with leaked info about those kids. Whatever happened or whatever is going on will come out and be determined in family court. That is where it is important, that is where the truth will count. Angie needs to reel in the bitterness, quit calling the press, and stop worrying about the court of public opinion…focus on REAL court matters.

      • SaraR. says:

        @ ain’t a saint

        First of all, you are calling her St. Angie, so there goes your bias.
        How is she dragging Brad in press? All the press is completely in Brad’s favor. Do you think the same thing would be if Angelina was drunk and aggressive on that plane ride?

      • PunkyMomma says:

        Another BS call.

      • Jellybean says:

        I really don’t believe the therapist leaked anything, but someone seems to be suggesting it in order to discredit Pitt further. These ‘sources’, whoever they are and whatever side they seem to represent, are contemptible.

      • Carmen says:

        As a licensed CSW I can tell you with absolute certainty that any therapist who violated his clients’ confidentiality by talking to the tabloids would lose his license and his job.

      • Fa says:

        Did you read properly the story? because these suppose angelina sources are saying negative staffs about her how that help her image? And no way angelina sources will talk with Us weekly after their last 2 negative covers about her

      • Carmen says:

        @aint a saint: You have got to be kidding if you think any of this came from Angie. After the hatchet job that magazine has been doing on her ever since the separation, you can bet your last centavo she would never tell them anything. Why would she give them any more ammunition?

    • Vizia says:

      At Mad’s age, many adopted kids start feeling like one/both parents aren’t their “real” parents, particularly when there’s conflict. The fact that he was with Angie alone for his early years may have meant that he never attached to Brad in that way in the first place.

      • Algernon says:

        Yeah, he could see Brad as something more like a step-father.

      • Radley says:

        Since Brad’s been in his life since ’04, does he even remember him not being his father figure/dad?? I don’t think so.

      • Ana says:

        of course not . He sees him as his father. But he also know that Angie adopted him alone, he knows that she gave him a new life and even saved his life. He will be forever gratefull to her and be on her side. We cant blame him for that.

      • Em says:

        This. Once kids reach puberty, the rose tinted glasses fall off and they start seeing their parents as the fallible human beings that they are. Maddox has taken Angelina’s side physically and seems to view himself as her protector. Same dynamic played out in my family when my brother turned 15 or 16 and realised he could literally stand up to our Father.

        It doesn’t mean the relationship is beyond repair – I don’t think that’s at all true – but it does alter the dynamic of the relationship in a way that can’t be taken back, ever. These incidents tend to leave a lasting imprint on kids.

      • Seraphina says:

        I agree with Randley. But I have to also add that my son remembers brief details of my sister’s ex husband she divorced when he was 4. So it could happen.

    • Abby says:

      My first thought was who the heck shared this private info??? That is awful for the family.

      • SaraR. says:

        The anonymous “sources” and their stories are mostly invented by tabloids to fit the narrative they are currently going for.

      • SpecialK says:

        Sara -I JUST wrote that under you. Great minds….. lol

      • Sarah says:

        I used to work for a child protection agency in the legal department and there are plenty of possible sources. Someone in the agency itself including possible support staff (a report would have been sent to the social worker, his/her supervisor and to the lawyer handling the file plus his/her law clerk who sees everything the lawyer sees anyway). Or someone who is support staff at the therapist’s office – those reports don’t type or fax themselves, you know. Someone passes along a bit of gossip to someone they trust to keep quiet and then it goes from there. A bit of gossip here, a bit of gossip there and it all adds up.

    • SpecialK says:

      I wrote for several gossip sites in the past. As long as you don’t name who said what and quote from a “source” you can make whatever BS you want. Also, people will contact you under anonymity and say just about anything to make sure their narrative gets out. Both sides to every story do this and the site or mag chooses what angle they want to cover. No celebrity is innocent of this….their name is their brand so they all want to control how things are covered which is why one little leak can set off a sh!tstorm of info from both sides. Sometimes the leak came from neither party and the mag just made up a “source” to get clicks and it starts a battle. Happens ALL the time!
      One Blind Gossip site I wrote for did this ALL the time: Hit the nail on the head with blind gossip they made up and created a big mess between the split couple because they thought someone leaked it.

      • Human2.0 says:

        Lots of rags probably do make up stuff but major gossip mags like People rarely do because they want to be on good relations with celebs for the big scoops. That’s why I don’t think this is from thin air but a solid leak.

  2. paolanqar says:

    I do feel sorry for Brad despite what the tabloids say.

    • AbrarAk says:

      Why? All this happened because of his erratic behavior. The tabloids didn’t make it all up.

      • Luca76 says:

        I believe what was specifically described by his team to Peopleis what happened which was awful parenting. I do think he’s responsible for this but I also feel sorry for him. IMO he’s an alcoholic and needs help.

      • Taking responsibility for your actions says:

        @AbrarAK
        exactly! DCFS come arounds because his behavior not hers.
        He should be apologize publicly. Why publicly? His actions put the whole family in a shitty situacion. He needs to deal with it and with all the consecuences: therapist monitoring visititations, counselings, drugs and alcohol test, etc.
        It´s enough, not free pass for brad

      • JenniferJustice says:

        We can blame him and feel sorry for him at the same time. He is responsible for this mess, but people like him are their own worst enemy and those do tend to be some of the people I feel the most sympathy for because they literally ruin their own lives but can’t understand why everybody doesn’t love them. It’s like they don’t know how to be happy and when they are, they do something utterly stupid to f–k it up.

      • Jess says:

        I feel sorry for Maddox. Brad is a grown middle aged man who should have known better. Just because he’s a movie star with a previous good reputation people sympathise with him. But really the kids are who is being hurt the most here.

      • Erin says:

        No, the tabloids didn’t make it ALL up, but they made up about 80 percent, like they always do. It’s what they do. Delving into other people’s problems and pain is always icky, but when you actually believe these mysterious “sources,” that’s when it gets comical.

    • Tris says:

      Me, too. He screwed up – I have too, hasn’t everyone? I fear my wee son becoming a teenager and us having heated arguments.

      • Algernon says:

        There’s heated arguments and then there’s physical altercations. If you can’t control yourself like that, maybe you shouldn’t have/be around kids. And if this is all because of a substance abuse problem, then he needs to be away from the kids while he sorts himself out. They shouldn’t have to deal with that.

    • MC2 says:

      Yeah- I think we can want him to be responsible and have compassion. This story is so sad.

    • Santia says:

      Me, too. I also feel that if they weren’t so rich and privileged, they would work through their situation. Granted, no one should be abused and if he is truly an alcoholic, he needs help and Angelina may be doing the best thing by leaving and taking the kids. That being said, if what’s going on is between the parents (not getting along), the kids should stand down. My parents would not have tolerated me getting in the middle of their arguments. And it was a good choice, because I grew up and moved out and they’ve been together 51 years.

    • Carmen says:

      I don’t. He brought this on himself by putting his midlife crisis ahead of his family. Angie is probably relieved that she no longer has to carry this deadweight.

      • Lady Mimosa says:

        Brad may have said something as an angry drunk that was inexcusable for the boy, many times people say one thing in public and something else on the outside. Brad once made a comment about Zahara I did not care for.

      • Carmen says:

        Lady Mimosa, I’m not talking about angry comments. I’m talking about Brad essentially leaving his family alone for at least the past year while he was running all over Europe drinking and drugging with his buddies. He acted like he didn’t even have a family. How long was Angie supposed to put up with that? No wonder she bailed.

  3. LadyMTL says:

    If it really did happen the way the press has made it seem (fight / altercation / yelling on the plane, etc) I can understand an older child being gun-shy, especially at first. I remember when my parents split I was a bit wary about being around my dad for a good few months, and their arguments had been nothing more than them sitting at opposite ends of the dinner table yelling at one another.

    Thankfully, my dad and I are fine now, but kids can be easily hurt, and if they are it can often take time for that to heal over.

    • jwoolman says:

      Brad really needs to have time with his kids separately, not as a group. A fifteen year old has a very different relationship with a parent than an eight year old. The kids need to be able to speak freely about their individual worries and get his attention at whatever level they are. So ideally, at some point Brad and Maddox can have a one-on-one visit to help hash things out.

      • pwal says:

        ITAWY.

        JMO, Maddox’s ‘absence’ could’ve been directed by DFCS. Maybe they wanted to gauge the kids’ comfort with Brad, without Maddox, in case the younger kids are taking their cue from Maddox, out of sympathy/empathy.

        I suspect that Maddox and Brad will meet one-on-one, when Maddox is ready for it.

        Until then, I hope Brad is working hard to regain the kids’ trust and working on whatever it is that was behind this whole incident.

  4. mkyarwood says:

    It was them, before him. Maddox is at the precise age when boundaries are being pushed at home anyway, in terms of figuring out who they are, who they want to be. I wouldn’t have spoken to my dad ever again, if he’d done this to my mom, if it was up to me. I’ve tried before. But the other kids need their eldest, in the end. Maddox will come around, if his sisters want him to. It’s still early days.

    • mayamae says:

      Why his sisters but not his brothers?

    • Em says:

      I think Maddox will come around in time but not because of his sisters….kids his age, like you said, are just starting to discover their own self-autonomy so they tend to ‘act out’ and rebel a little. Not sure this is just a teenager acting out – he was protecting his mother. But yes, in time, he’ll probably come to terms with what happened and hopefully be willing to let his father back into his life.

      I don’t think the sisters have anything to do with that though. With them and Pax, they’re young enough that I have some hope they won’t be as affected by this. Divorce is tough on all kids but I tend to think it’s harder when they’re older and the conflict isn’t just between Mum and Dad anymore. The twins are probably going to come out of this easiest (although that is not to minimise what they’re going through – I’m speaking relatively).

  5. lannisterforever says:

    I think the whole situation is so sad. I don’t even enjoy it from a gossip standpoint, I’m just heartbroken for them and the kids.

    • Ana says:

      Agree with you. Apart from the kids situation it’s sad that the end of their relationship looks worst then the one he got with Aniston and her with Thornton.

    • Molly says:

      Totally agree. I much prefer my messy divorces withOUT children involved. I love watching the mud fly when everyone is an adult who chose to be in that situation.

    • Tris says:

      Agreed. I miss this family’s happy messy joyful days.

    • Embee says:

      Agreed. I have been really close to several messy custody battles and I assure everyone that the gossip thrills wear off really quickly and it just becomes two terrified parents, exhaustedly swiping at one another while the kids bleed. It’s nothing but brutal heartache and I HATE it for every family in that situation.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      I agree. I don’t even know why I clicked on it, it is just really a sad situation. Even if the parents don’t want to be together, I hope that things are more amicable going forward for the sake of the kids.

  6. Luca76 says:

    Sad if true. I hope that Maddox can forgive but I can believe he would feel that way. Zahara sees Brad as her Dad because she was adopted by both when she was an infant. OTOH Maddox is old enough to have clear memories before Brad.

  7. Jayna says:

    Bull. None of the details of this visit would get out.

  8. Gwen says:

    US weekly has reached a new low. One source does say that if Jolie is done with Pitt, Maddox is too. “He doesn’t really see himself as Brad’s son,” a source says of the Cambodia native, legally adopted by Pitt in 2006. Another Jolie source is more blunt: “Maddox never wants to see Brad again”. How would they know how Maddox feels about his dad, and to say he doesn’t see himself as Brad’s son. And we’re suppose to believe a Pitt or Jolie source is behind this mess, ok Us weekly .

    • Tris says:

      Hate this kind of narrative around adoption. It’s dangerous and terrible. Reminds me of gross Woody Allen (“she wasn’t my daughter, she was adopted”).

      • Radley says:

        Agreed. Also some of the comments here are dramatic to the point of trollish. How are some of you convinced Brad Pitt is an erratic alcoholic? Like where are you getting this information and why are you choosing to believe it?

        And I suppose you all were raised by saints who never yelled at you or laid a finger on you even when you at your obnoxious teen best got in their faces. Sure Jan.

        I’m not saying it’s ok. I’m saying it’s happens and an argument where a kid may have been pushed shouldn’t utterly destroy a family unit. If they want to get divorced, fine. But they have six kids and the right thing for the kids is not demonizing one parent over the other. I just don’t see this incident as justification for all that. Families should be able to overcome with love and forgiveness and understanding. At least be civil.

        Nobody’s alleging Brad gets s**tfaced and beats his kids, right? Or am I missing something?

      • Lalu says:

        Radley… Agree with everything in your comment. I am hoping all of what we are hearing is just made up nonsense anyway.
        This sounds so blown out of proportion. I think that the kids’ fears can actually be exacerbated by all the questions coming at them and the separation from one of their parents. I hope that behind closed doors Mom and Dad sat down together with the kids to explain that things are going to be okay. They need to hear that from their parents and not a bunch of therapists.

      • justme says:

        @Radley – AMEN to everything you posted.

      • Nicole says:

        Thank you, Radley.

      • MichLynn says:

        @Radley +1,000,000 completely agree!!

  9. LB says:

    I’m team Angie (in the sense of leaving a situation she feels is problematic) but I do think if I were in her place, I would eventually (maybe too soon right now) be encouraging Maddox to see his father. Maybe she already is.

    And yes Brad is his father.

    (Prepares to be murdered by the comments)

    • tracking says:

      I completely agree with you, and with the point that we really don’t know what’s going on. But I would hope a parent who herself has struggled with painful parental estrangement would encourage her son to reconnect with his dad and healing of that relationship (in time).

    • mayamae says:

      It’s quite possible that Angie is encouraging Maddox to see Brad. But in the meantime, if he’s insistent he doesn’t want to go, forcing him would ruin the visit for the rest of the kids.

      • Carmen says:

        What Mayamae said. Forcing a teenager to visit an estranged parent whom he’s not ready to see will do way more harm than good. Be sensitive to his feelings; give the kid time and let him alone to make his own decision, and he’ll come around eventually. But it may take a while.

  10. doofus says:

    this whole situation makes me so sad for that family.

    but I have to say, I’m not at all surprised (if it’s true) that Maddox refused to see him. and that makes me even more sad.

  11. Ana says:

    I think it’s absolutely normal that Maddox would want to live with Angelina because the fact is that it was her that adopted him and he knows that . I think its BS that he doesn’t consider Pitt as his father though.

    • Algernon says:

      That quote sounds like bulls– to me. Because even if Maddox was their biological child, it’s totally reasonable a son close to his mother might not want to see his dad after they had a fight that got physical. Any kid would struggle with that, and Maddox is at the age where they’re probably letting him make decisions for himself. Angie can tell the twins what to do no questions asked, but Maddox is fourteen. That’s a tough age to wrangle.

    • LOL says:

      I agree. It’s normal. And that quote… BS!

  12. molly says:

    I think the tabloid press has been an utter disgrace during their split. They don’t care about the kids wellbeing, just as long as they profit from sales & clickbait. As for the couple? These trash rags have never been right before & seriously doubt brad or angie’s camp are talking to these douchebags, since they have maligned both of them & talking crap about their kids.

  13. InVain says:

    As the oldest child, who has probably been witness to Brad’s volatile behavior for a while, I think this is a normal reaction, especially at his age. It’s not uncommon for kids to make up their own mind or opinion about the situation and “choose a side.” Something similar happened to me at a younger age than Maddox is now and I was angry and refused to speak to one of my parents for a long time. I also felt the need to protect my sibling from the situation too, which made me a lot harder. I don’t blame him, and I doubt that Angie has tainted his thought process. He’s a teenager, he has to process this in his own way, which is probably the healthiest way (with support and therapy – something I didn’t have). He might never warm back up to Brad, and that’s his right.

  14. SnowyLioness says:

    So he didn’t see him as his dad because he came into the picture when he was three? It gives the impression that adopted children don’t share the same bond with their parents that biological ones do. Which is factually untrue and serves only to turn the story into a soap opera.

    • MC2 says:

      This stood out to me. The adopted piece is utter crap and should be taken out or disregarded.

    • woodstock_schulz says:

      I don’t think most kids remember anything from before they were about 4 or 5 years old…

    • Cookiejar says:

      You’re completely wrong on this. He doesn’t see Brad as his dad, but I’ll bet anything he sees Angelina as his mom.

      Even biological kids disown parents if they hate them enough. I have, with my own father. Haven’t seen or talked with him in 3 years and never intend to again. I don’t consider him my father and there is zero doubt that he’s biologically my progenitor.

      Just because you never experienced that level of hatred towards one of your parents (biological or not), doesn’t mean others haven’t.

  15. aang says:

    So for years we were force fed the story of a super happy family, the likes of which has rarely been seen before. Now we hear that the oldest boy never considered himself Brad’s son. I believe nothing I read, good or bad, about these people. If they had kept their kids under wraps like many other celebs manage to do, instead of using them for pr, we wouldn’t be seeing this mess. The kids do not deserve this kind of scrutiny. I blame both parents.

    • justme says:

      I don’t blame Brad at all. He didn’t blindside anyone with a divorce and the accusations of child abuse are ridiculous.

      • Kate says:

        With this kind of comments, you are part of the problem and the reason no one ever come forward with abuse allegations. We know we will never be believed.

      • aang says:

        I blame both parents because they both, I think she more than he, but he allowed it, used the kids to create a very specific, well crafted image. They very consciously sold an image that allowed her to bill herself as the queen of all humanitarians. And their diverse family was a big part of that image. The kids could have lived under the radar but both parents put their careers above the well being of their children.

      • Ana says:

        Her humanitarian work start before she had a family and she was very clear saying that she would like to adopt children from different parts of the World. He knew that when they got together so I suppose he is not stupid and agree with her terms. She later decided to have children of her own because of him. She was always very open and honest.

      • justme says:

        @Kate – Brad didn’t “abuse” anyone so let’s not start false stories.

      • notasugarhere says:

        justme, and in the same vein, you don’t know that he didn’t abuse anyone. All of this is speculation.

      • Lady Mimosa says:

        Agree Ana, he got in over his head, just because you want something doesn’t mean you will be a great parent. Also Angie adopted them first, single man can’t adopt kids.

  16. minx says:

    Just sad, for everyone.

  17. Colette says:

    She filed for divorce on Sept 19,it’s Oct 20.I recall reading a person has 30 days to file a response or answer to a divorce.For anyone with knowledge about divorces what does the 30 day deadline mean? What happens ,if anything,if the other spouse doesn’t file their own papers before 30 day deadline.
    As for US Weekly I don’t believe anything they print.I really doubt a Jolie source is talking to a publication who has said crappy stuff about her.Also she doesn’t have any friends(#SARCASM),so who are these sources.

  18. BonnieJean says:

    What source?? Who would be able to give factual information on how the visitation went? I call BS. This entire write-up is again, pro-Angie. These supposed ‘leaks’ are not good for the children. Poor Maddox & Brad. Poor Everybody!

    • SaraR. says:

      How on earth is this pro- Angie???

      She “blindsided him”, she “plays tough” he wants to do “everything by the book”…
      Did we read the same article?

    • Colette says:

      Pro Angie Are you kidding ?
      Brad’s Fears Come True
      “He wanted to make sure the meeting would be the most productive for the kids”. Productive??

      I don’t believe any of this BS, Us Weekly printed but this is definitely not Pro Angie.At best it’s neutral.
      But since their last cover said was she is trying to destroy him ,I would guess US Weekly is pro Brad.

      • Kori says:

        I think they are, and have always been, pro-whoever will fit their narrative for that weeks cover. Same with all the tabloids. They all have ‘sources’ who probably exist only in the editing room who can ‘say’ whatever fits the cover story for that week. Brad is evil. Brad is a victim. Angie is a martyr. Angie is a stone cold witch.

    • Sage says:

      Considering previous US Weekly covers, I get the impression they are firmly in Brads corner.

  19. justme says:

    Team Brad. nice job turning those kids against him.

    • SaraR. says:

      Thery are all in therapy, they all talk to therapists. If she was turning kids against him, therapists would report that and that would be reflected in their recommendations.

      • justme says:

        Not necessarily. Especially the older one; they would know what to say and what not to say. Brad was the BEST father according to Angelina and now he’s not? That makes zero sense.

      • SaraR. says:

        It’s not true. They were together 12 years, and he could have been a wonderful father for the most part. We don’t know what happened there, but from my experience, people can change for different reasons. I hope they can get help (therapy) and they can sort it out and be good co -parents to their children.

      • Ana says:

        people can change and show the worst of them specially when they are not happy.

      • Ava says:

        Poor Brad, it’s amazing that this grown man can continually scapegoat his wives and some women will just eat it up. Why though? His public persona is not that endearing….

        Disturbingly is it’s not even really about him but about the hazards of being a woman, particularly a specific kind of woman. So, unless you’re non threatening and your husband’s an obvious nutcase a la Cruise prepare to, like Amber or Denise Richards (well up until Sheen unleashed all of his crazy), be subjected to equal scrutiny/blame.

        What has she done to warrant this kind of suspicion over not only her but Maddox? As the gold-digger slant can’t be applied here she’s getting hit with “crazy- manipulative-bitch” but where’s the shitty/manipulative/vindictive behaviour? She barely spoke about Billy Bob after they split and has been pretty measured publicly about Jon Voight despite him being by all accounts a terrible father. She kissed her brother over 10 years ago? That’s worse than Brad sleeping with minors? So she described Brad as a great parent? Well so did he, he gushed about her as mother, celebs tend present a united front to the media when they’re still together.

        This woman just ended her 12 year relationship and their son is clearly very upset over whatever exactly happened on the plane, cut them some slack.

    • JenniferJustice says:

      Way to jump to conclusions. Some of you obviously WANT to believe Angelina is evil. That’s really sick. Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps neither are evil but simply human?

      You know nothing about these people but because you have the hots for some famous dude who doesn’t even know who you are, you’re willing to make snap judgments and talk about a family with kids involved in such a hurtful way. Get a frickin’ life!

      • Lalu says:

        I think a lot of people are judging them very harshly because they worked so hard to sell their family. Now people are trying to figure out is this last part a lie or has it been a lie for quite some time.
        If they are half the parents they sold themselves to be… I hope they will put on a united front for their kids and assure them it will all be okay. “Regular” parents do that all the time. I think these two are being held to a higher standard… But that is their own fault.

      • Lady D says:

        Exactly, Jennifer. Johnny Depp was given the same privilege because he’s ‘hot.’ It was unbelievable some of the contortion of facts his fans (and Brad’s) offered to excuse behaviour.

      • Keaton says:

        Thank you @JenniferJustice

        I admit I tend to be #TeamAngie but I am wary of painting Pitt as some irredeemable monster. I suspect he has substance abuse issues that he needs to deal with. Possibly some rage issues too. But i think he really loves his kids and wants to be a good dad. I’m not writing either one of them off as people.

    • minx says:

      Kids who are Maddox’ age can think for themselves. It’s hard to “turn” them for or against something. I’m sure Maddox has his own feelings and isn’t anybody’s puppet.

  20. Selma says:

    It’s very sad, I never thought it’d end up that way. Maybe Brad and Maddox never really bonded? All families have arguments and dramas but we usually stick to each other and love each other nonetheless, unless unforgivable events took place, I mean something more serious than a heated argument. My dad was far from perfect but I can’t imagine not seeing and not talking to him.

  21. Miss M says:

    As a daughter of divorced parents myself, I would hope Angelina Jolie would encourage all her kids to have a good relationship with their dad.

    • Algernon says:

      I hope she is, too, but at the same time, we don’t really know what the temperature is at home, you know? If he’s already upset, forcing him to see his dad could just make him more angry. Maybe the best play is to let just the younger kids go, and have Maddox try it solo at a later date. If they’re really seeing therapists, etc, I’m sure the therapist had some part in it, too.

      ETA: I defend not making Maddox see Brad until he’s ready because a family member forced my cousin to deal with her father throughout the divorce process, before my cousin was ready, and it pretty much ended the father/daughter relationship. My cousin was so angry during that time, and being forced to spend time with her dad just made things worse. Sometimes discretion really is the better part of valor.

      • Miss M says:

        I understand what you are saying. But , again, it is important that the parents position themselves in a clear way that they didn’t work as a couple only. It doesn’t negate their parental skills and rights. This distinction needs to be very clear from the getgo. It will avoid kids resenting one parent and taking sides on a divorce. Well, I am talking about counciously uncoupling, which it doesn’ t seem the route they took…

    • dotdotdot says:

      Shouldn´t the first step be Brad earning Maddox´forgiveness and trust, no? Considering there are allegations of child abuse and possibly addiction issues, it should be up to Brad to make himself a responsible parent again. Otherwise resenting/non-resenting a parent is just beyond the point — as in: there is no obligation to like an abuser.

  22. farah says:

    As the child of divorced parents, I’ve always been more protective of my mom. There have been times were I hated my dad. I feel sorry for Maddox because I can relate. This is not fun gossip. It’s just sad. I’ve managed to mend my relationship with my dad. It’s cool not warm, but I don’t hate him. Maybe Maddox will cool down in a few years. He’ll probably never respect or want to actively spend time with Brad, but won’t hate being around him.

  23. Sasha says:

    I think it is none of our business. Discussing a family tragedy should be off limits.

    • The Original G says:

      +1000.

    • mayamae says:

      Well then every celebrity family should be off limits, and clearly that’s not true here. Every single Natalie Portman story contains accusations that Natalie is passing her son off as her husband’s child, when it’s really Aronofsky’s. I find it particularly disgusting, but Portman is free game here. No concerns about how traumatic it will be when this child gets old enough to google these rumors. Only concerns about certain children, I guess.

      • Sasha says:

        I don’t participate in any of these.
        I agree with you – speculations about paternity are disgusting.
        But I think it is generally accepted that these are nothing more than conspiracy theories . Hopefully not many people take them seriously.

      • The Original G says:

        Completely agree. No gossip coverage of celeb children.

  24. kay says:

    Horse shite. All of it.
    And Ahahahaha to the ‘never really his dad’ crap as well.
    Nothing has come from either of them since September so keep spinning mags, and churn out that money made off lies.
    Sigh.

  25. #MysoginistCulture says:

    Poor brad he chooses the wrong woman, again. And angie is so evil and cold while he is such a good guy. Why he is not married to a nice, sweet, warm-hearted lady. Who cares if he likes drinking a little or the weed or shake kids. It’s irrelevant.
    brad always will be the perfect man no matter what. right?

    • Ana says:

      Agree. Angelina is not perfect but she is a great mother. I doubt she would ever put her kids against Brad.

  26. Ramy says:

    I don’t believe any of this. They are just want to sell. Have you seen angie’s latest photos with the kids they look happy and relaxed

  27. Greata says:

    #1: I am tired of hearing about Brad Pitt’s tears and fears. He is a grown man whose mid-life crisis and erratic behavior caused damage to his family. Admit your mistakes, and begin the healing process. Stop whining and throwing your wife under the bus while saying you are devestated. Not buying it.
    #2: I am more concerned about his ill wife and the emotional well-being of his children.
    #3: If these sources are coming from the therapists, they need to be fired…PRONTO!
    #4: BOTH SIDES need to STOP TALKING TO THESE VILE MAGAZINES.

    • Sera says:

      I agree. Tired of the poor Brad stories. He needs to man up. It would be better for everyone. He is just letting the tabs and his team put all the blame on Angelina. No wonder s he is angry with him.

    • Paige says:

      “Both sides need to stop talking to the tabs”.

      Like Brad or Angelina would talk to a nasty tabloid about how their child feels. Clearly all BS. Its more of a tabloid getting rich off these family’s situation than anything.

  28. ravensdaughter says:

    Whoa, parental body language in that last pic.
    I could see Maddox not wanting to continue with Brad. There may even have been a subtle rivalry between the two of them for Angelina.
    Poor everybody. I went through some of this myself as the non-favored parent when my ex as we negotiated the parenting plan because I was in poor health then (since much improved). It’s been tough all the way around, although thank goodness the boys have turned out fine. I am sure that is the goal of both Brad and Angelina with their kids as well.

  29. Fa says:

    One thing is certain their case is under DCFS hands, one one can talk until the case is close
    I think tabloids are inventing anything they print with false sources

  30. Adorable says:

    Sad if true…for my own sake i’d like to know the relationship between Brad & Pax..I think I’ve only seen only ever seen a trip between the 2 of them only once & that was late 2013…Not that that says anything I’d just like to know🤔

  31. Candies says:

    Pls everyone was cat and mouse when they first got divorced but later on they all sell how friendly they were all along . Who are they kidding?
    I am hoping some time in the future the same peace will happen for Brad and Angie too after all these.

  32. Jess says:

    It’s not really that hard to see why Maddox doesn’t want to see him He’s the one who was at the end of brads rage. This isn’t about taking sides. A teenager who’s had a physical alteration with his dad is naturally gonna feel hurt and weary. I feel bad for Maddox.

  33. AuntSass says:

    All children of separated/divorced parents go through this. These circumstances aren’t specific to Brad and Angelina. May they find peace along the way.

  34. ZombieRick says:

    I don’t think it’s fair to say Maddox has a special bond with AJ implying the other kids don’t. I’m sure they all have a special bond with their mother.

  35. Snowflake says:

    I like both Brad and Angie. When i was a kid, we got spankings but not abuse
    Well one time my dad slapped me for something and gave me a black eye. I was 16 and people talked me into calling the cops. I got put in foster care and never lived with my family again as a kid. But i don’t feel my dad was abusive. I think he just lost his temper and went too far. But it was just that once and I feel like that might be the situation with Brad. He’s always seemed to be a loving caring parent and i don’t think we should judge him based on one incident where we don’t really know the details. I love the way they took those kids into their home and gave them a better life. It makes me sad, them getting a divorce. I like both of them.

  36. kimbers says:

    Not surprised the oldest doesnt give a crap about brad. Jolie is the friend-mom and the one who chose to adopt maddox. His loyalty will always be with her. Mine would.

  37. Laura says:

    I always liked Maddox.

  38. Babs says:

    I see what they did with the lochte/kim k side cover.

  39. justme says:

    I think commenters here will defend any woman simply because she’s a woman. If Brad has physically harmed his child, he would have been charged by now and he hasn’t been and he isn’t going to be. everyone here who loved Brangelina now hate Brad and believe everything bad written about him. I sincerely doubt he is a child abusing woman beating alcoholic.

    • Lisa says:

      Yup, totally agree.

    • Goldie says:

      “I think commenters here will defend any women simply because she’s a women”

      That’s not true at all. There have been plenty of women who have been slammed on this site during their divorce/custody battles… Halle Berry, Kelly Rutherford, Madonna etc.
      I think some people are just getting tired the “poor Brad” narrative. He’s never been held responsible for his actions. It’s always someone else’s fault.
      I don’t think he’s a terrible person though. I hope he’s able to repair his relationship with his children, and he and Angelina are able to co-parent amicably.

    • Lisa says:

      In Angie’s own words she described Brad as a wonderful father and one of the reasons she fell in love with him.

      Now overnight he is an abusive drunk according to some people.

      • Andrea says:

        To be fair, within 6 months, my best friend’s wife went from loving attentive spouse and mother, to someone who goes on benders drinking until 2-5am 2-5 times per week. It can happen very quickly one spirals into addiction.

  40. TOPgirl says:

    Maddox is so brave to stand up to Brad’s bullshit. I always felt that they weren’t very close and that he loves his mom very much. I hate to see families break up but Brad is disgusting. His acting is fine but the real him is not a good STABLE father.

    • Lisa says:

      Seriously, how would you know this? Some of you are ridiculous in you support of Angie.

      I am starting to realize the Brangeloonies are really Angeloonies all a long!

      We don’t know either person or their family dynamic…up until a month ago we thought they were the picture of a perfect family.

      I feel sorry for those kids and hope both parents can work this out amicably .

    • Lalu says:

      Topgirl… I am assuming this is sarcasm… Or something?
      Until the divorce filing I do not remember hearing anything negative about Brad as a father. I know most of us thought he was a cheater and a try hard… But where is the evidence of abuse? And I mean more than a source in a tabloid.

      • LadyT says:

        I think a 15 yr old kid should be encouraged to get off his high horse and learn that mistakes happen, apologies are made, behaviors change and forgiveness feels good. This self righteous “he’s not my father” rebellion bs is not healthy.

    • Human2.0 says:

      @Lisa I agree with you here. There was a poster upthread who said he/she was absolutely heartbroken by this. It’s sad for these kids but if you say you’re heartbroken you’re probably overinvested in this celeb family that you do not know.

  41. Stargazer says:

    Mothers turn their sons into pseudo-husbands all the time. Worst thing that can happen to them. Requires lots of therapy to undo. Mess.

  42. serena says:

    He’s a teenager, of course he could still be mad about his dad going nose to nose with him but I don’t think those ultimatum are true.

  43. ItHappenedOneNight says:

    I have one son. I cannot IMAGINE what it would be like to not be able to see him for any length of time. I would be a WRECK – BESIDE myself with grief and despair. I cannot begin to imagine how hard this is for any of them.

  44. LadyT says:

    This is being handled by Angie (and sources) in a way that I believe will have a profoundly more negative impact on the rest of these kids lives than one nasty argument.

  45. jilly says:

    These gossips only invent and even if it has some truth, should not publican Maddox name , and any part of the DCFS process.

    For those who think Angelina would be putting the children against Brad or disseminating these lies, can only be an idiot. They are all being monitored by DCFS, stop believing in this nonsense.

    The letter from Angelina’s lawyer to sites was clear, stopped believing in alleged sources. and Angelina is following the DCFS’s recommendations.

    I think the most serious was that it occurred in an airplane in flying. Even that was not something big physically, emotionally, for all must have been scary

  46. Desi says:

    I am rather surprised at the notion that Maddox and Brad never bonded or that Maddox never saw Brad as his father. He was still a toddler when Brad came into the picture and I recall a lot of the gossip back then being that Brad and Maddox adored each other and that was one of the things that made Brad and Angelina so attracted to each other. I also recall plenty of paparazzi and street photos from their early years of Brad and Maddox hanging out alone, doing “boy stuff” and looking quite happy. It could very well just be that you have a teenage boy, already dealing with all the things that come with being a teenager, who has been watching his dad slowly deteriorate and cause his mom a huge amount of stress. In that situation, most teens would side with mom, no matter how much they love dad.

  47. Friendof says:

    I have the sense that Brad wants the kids to do simple things, like go to school, go to Missouri to visit their grandparents. And those simple things are what Angelina has no intention of them doing, not as long as she is in control.

  48. Teddy says:

    I have a theory that when Brad and Maddox were going head to head Brad said to Maddox something along the lines of “you’re not even my real kid,” and that’s what prompted her to leave him. Explains why the kid doesn’t want to ever see him again.

  49. Nibbi says:

    this suuuuuucks. i actually feel kinda dirty reading this, and that’s not usually a problem i have reading celebrity gossip 😉 for real tho, this is the breakup of a family, and maddox is still just a kid, and it just seems gross or wrong to speculate about his feelings in this kind of difficult family situation. ive always loved their little family but i guess i m going to have to take it easy on reading about the divorce- it’s one thing to have “he said, she said” stuff about Angelina and Brad, because they are the adults, the stars, normal targets of gossip- but this stuff with their kids is just sad. seriously a downer for me. poor things. maddox doesn’t seem old enough to be a subject in his own right of gossip story stuff.

  50. Rebecca says:

    So Brad’s narrative is he accidentally shoved Maddox. TMZ, who often works with Angelina’s lawyer Laura Wasser to get stories, says Brad hit Maddox in the face.

    If he did hit Maddox in the face, he deserves everything he is getting including the uncomfortable visitation with a monitor present and Maddox’s refusal to see him.