There’s a lot of inevitable speculation as to whether Hollywood’s golden couple with the six kids will stick it out or call it quits. Of course the tabloids have been running breakup stories about these two for years, but this latest rumor seems to have more teeth than the average split story. This one originated in British rag News of The World, which claimed that the two visited an LA-based divorce attorney to disentangle their fortunes. Whether that was true or not remains to be seen, but The NY Daily News quotes a “source” that says that Brangelina did consult a lawyer, but that it’s just customary given their wealth and that they’re just preparing for the future:

After days of speculation about a possible breakup between Mr. Pitt and his other half, Angelina Jolie, word is surfacing that the power couple did indeed visit a high-powered L.A. lawyer last week – but only to cover their assets.

“They aren’t married, so they need to protect their children and property in case there’s a rift in the future,” a source says.

That certainly makes sense, considering the two are worth a whopping $330 million combined.

So why are rumors of a breakup running rampant?

“People hear ‘legal papers’ and assume it means a divorce,” our snitch continues. “But it could mean exactly the opposite. Either way, they’re making sure to get their ducks in a row, which they’ll need whether they split or stay together forever.”

That’s not the only reason for so many whispers: Rumors started swirling when the couple was a no-show to a pair of recent award programs.

“There was a lot of talk when they didn’t attend the Globes or the SAG awards this past weekend,” says the insider.

“But that’s not entirely out of the ordinary for them. Although ‘Inglourious Basterds’ was nominated, Brad wasn’t up for anything individually, and neither was Angelina. Besides, they’re Brangelina. They can do whatever they want.”

[From The NY Daily News]

So, according to this story, they did see an attorney but it was just to protect their assets. Why aren’t there impending marriage reports then? Couldn’t they have been drawing up a prenup? It just seems like the longer these rumors go on the more likely they are to be true. I know that’s faulty logic though, especially when we’re talking about Brad and Angelina. These two, and the overhyped triangle with Brad’s ex Jennifer Aniston, have helped keep the tabloids afloat for years. Gossip rags will make up the most outrageous, libelous stories about Brad and Angelina just to move copies.

Yesterday Kaiser reported that the split stories may be some kind of payback to Brad and Angelina for not making the rounds at the awards shows this season. Neither are nominated, but Brad’s film Inglourious Basterds is doing well and would be a sufficient reason for them to get decked out and to show up and smile. People are wondering whether Brad and Angelina will show up at the Oscars to help quell some of the breakup rumors.

E! Online reports that while Brad and Angelina are still a maybe-happy couple, they’re not going to attend the Oscars together. They write that “multiple sources close to the couple tell E! News that the unbroken Brangelina will not, despite a report to the contrary, be attending the Oscars on March 7.”

There’s at least one media personality that is convinced that Brangelina is kaput, though. Howard Stern told Rosie O’Donnell on her Sirius show that he’s sure they’ve broken up based on his sources.

And in one more piece of Brangelina news, The Daily Mail reports that Brad Pitt bought a bachelor pad complete with it’s own cave. This may be technically true, but it’s not a new story. We heard a couple of weeks ago that Pitt purchased another home adjacent to his Los Feliz property. The Real Estalker confirms that the particular home shown on the Daily Mail (there are more photos here) “is actually adjacent–as in next damn door–to Mister Pitt’s longtime compound in The Oaks.” It’s the same home. The Real Estalker also reports that it’s not likely that Pitt bought the place as a “bachelor pad” because it’s right next to his mansion and is a real fixer upper, by his standards.

Boy, with all the Brangelina/Aniston stories hitting the tabs this week, you’d think it was 2005 all over again. Deja vu! We told about one silly story that claimed Jennifer modeled her sexy, thigh-high slit gown after one worn by Angelina Jolie last year. Now, new stories are coming out that say Jennifer’s entire look, from her sexy, beachy hair, ample cleavage, to her form-fitting gown and very toned body, were all part of a revenge plot to commemorate the fifth anniversary of her split from Brad Pitt.

She wasn’t nominated for a Golden Globe, but a stunning Jennifer Aniston definitely took home the award for sexiest appearance at the Jan. 17 ceremony. Wearing a black Valentino gown with a mile-high slit on the side, the screen siren took a page out of her rival Angelina Jolie’s style book. And while Angelina and Brad Pitt decided not to attend the awards, their absence actually inspired Jen. “Jennifer decided to go for black and sexy for the awards only when she discovered that Angelina wasn’t attending,” an insider tells Life & Style. “An earlier choice had been a white asymmetrical Stella McCartney, since she didn’t want to go head-to-head with Angelina and her trademark black.”

Jen, 40, has been proudly showing off some killer curves — while Angelina, 34, has looked worn out and nearly skeletal. Unlike Angelina, Jen has taken a balanced approach to maintaining — and even improving — her figure. Jen has done away with a regimented diet to maintain her fat-free form and is enjoying her food. “Jennifer was happy to emphasize her curves in direct contrast to Angie’s skeletal look,” says the insider.

Just three days before she poured her curves into a Valentino gown, Jen and five friends met at the Sunset Tower Hotel in LA, where they indulged in $30 flutes of Veuve Clicquot champagne, small plates and then a meal. “Jen joked that she didn’t want to look like a blimp on Sunday,” an eyewitness tells Life & Style. But as a devout yoga fan, Jen can certainly afford to take in a few more carbs. “She’s been putting extra yoga hours in but has also upped her carb intake to create an altogether curvier look,” says the insider.

[From Life & Style]

I’m going to admit something. When I know I am going to be at an event where I might run into some of my ex-husband’s colleagues, I want to look good. I can’t say it’s for “revenge,” more like, “wow, she’s really hot, why’d he get rid of her?” But I don’t think that’s what happened here. The short answer is that Jennifer Aniston has a new movie to promote and showing up on that red carpet with Gerard Butler required her to look extra-sexy. End of story. Who wants to stand next to that morsel looking like a frump?

Meanwhile, People Magazine has a new cover story on Aniston entitled “Five Years After Brad.” Honestly, I can’t think of anything more insulting. Like I want people counting the years from when my husband publicly dumped me and took up with another woman. What the hell? I mean, the article seems to be framed as a “she’s better than ever” type of fluff piece that People excels at, but that title? Really? Is there going to be a “Life After Brad” 25th anniversary special issue, too?

Life & Style and People Magazine covers courtesy of CoverAwards.

The latest Brangelina rumor is a doozy – and one we predicted. Several weeks ago, the new film Artifacts was announced. The film will star Brad Pitt and Natalie Portman, and will be produced by both of the stars’ production companies. The film will be based on a book about the relationship between a twenty-something woman and her forty-something lover.

Predictably, the tabloids are now reporting that Angelina Jolie is having some sort of breakdown because Brad is going to play the lover of the young, beautiful Natalie Portman. Allegedly, when Angelina found out that Natalie had requested Brad personally, Angie had a “massive fit”. Angelina is also pissed that Brad keeps saying that Natalie is “cute as a button”. Natalie is cute as a button! That doesn’t mean Brad’s going to have an affair. But that hasn’t stopped Angelina from worrying constantly about “karma” and “trust”. Showbiz Spy has more:

Angelina Jolie had a “massive fit” after learning Natalie Portman had personally asked for Brad Pitt to play her older lover in a new movie.

Jolie, 33, is said to be jealous of the Closer star.

“Angelina had a massive fit and was shouting her head off. She accused Brad of flirting with Natalie,” a source said.

“Angelina can’t help but feel threatened. Brad knows how jealous she gets but won’t stop saying how gorgeous and intelligent Natalie is. He keeps saying she is ‘cute as a button.’“

“Angelina worries about karma. It’s eating her up and we’re sure the cause of a lot of the rows is her not quite trusting Brad.”

It was recently reported that Pitt and Jolie are planning to adopt a child from the Philippines.

[From Showbiz Spy]

The rumor about Brangelina’s adoption from the Philippines comes from a report in The Daily Mail. They claim that The Brange “hit a roadblock” trying to adopt a Burmese baby (probably because Burma no longer exists?) and are now trying to adopt from an adoption center in Manila:

After hitting a roadblock with plans to adopt a Burmese baby, it seems Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have set their sights on the Philippines for their next adoption.

Angelina, 33, took time off from the set of her latest film, Salt, to travel to Manila with the intention of adding to her rainbow family.

The Pitt-Jolie’s private plane landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport last week, before returning to New York on Monday evening.

‘Brad and Ange flew out together. They want to add to their family and tried to adopt from Burma but the authorities are very strict, so they decided to look at the Philippines,’ says a source.

A spokesperson for Pitt and Jolie declined to comment.

[From The Daily Mail]

The rumor about a “Burmese” adoption (really, it would be an adoption from Myanmar) probably stems from Angelina’s trip to the Myanmar-Thailand border in February. Crazier things have happened, so there might be some truth to a report of an attempted adoption from the Philippines. The part of The Daily Mail report that I find fishy is the idea that Angelina and Brad flew to Manila together last week. Seriously? And only The Daily Mail noticed? That must have come as a shock to everyone on the set of Salt, where Angelina was working all week.

File this one under “Revisionist History.” Or, “Beating the Dead Horse,” depending on which team you’re on. Or perhaps the right heading for this is “Slow News Day for the Enquirer.” The National Enquirer claims it has a source who says, once and for all, that it was Jennifer Aniston who initiated the divorce with Brad Pitt, and not the other way around. In this new report, the source reveals that the couple never recovered from the trauma of an early miscarriage, and by the time Pitt lost his heart to Angelina Jolie, the couple was already done. Of course, “Once and for all” is a term that never applies to the BrangelinAniston story – how the heck do you expect these tabloid publishers to put their kids through college?

NOW IT CAN BE TOLD –the truth about Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s divorce that has been kept secret – until now!

Most fingers point at Angelina Jolie for triggering the Aniston/ Pitt split, but The ENQUIRER has learned that it was Jen who pulled the plug on their 4 1/2-year marriage!

According to an insider, Jen and Brad – who tied the knot in a splashy Malibu wedding in July 2000 – were having problems long before he flipped for Angelina while filming the action flick Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

“Jen was champing at the bit to divorce Brad long before they announced their separation in January 2005,” said an insider. “When Brad revealed the depth of his relationship with Angelina, it was painful for Jen, but she was almost relieved.”

The once-tight golden couple had drifted apart due to career demands and the fallout from a miscarriage that Jen suffered about two years into the marriage, according to the source.

“After Jen lost the baby, she and Brad could never again agree on when they would have kids, and they continued to grow apart,” said the insider.

In the end, Brad’s relationship with Angelina gave Jen an “out” for ending the marriage, said the source.

The couple had no prenuptial agreement, and the divorce was “pretty much a 50/50 California split,” said divorce attorney Seymour Reisman, who has handled numerous high profile and celebrity divorces.

“But Jennifer is the one who wanted out, and she worked it so that Brad was portrayed as the instigator. In the end, she got the sympathy, while Brad got Angelina Jolie and the label of ‘bad guy.’”

[From The National Enquirer]

Well, there you have it: the final word on the Pitt-Aniston marriage. Except for all of the recent comments made by Jennifer herself, which don’t really seem to support the claims this new “source” is making. If Jen was really looking for an out, and was “relieved” by Brad’s affair with Jolie, then why bring it all up again in recent interviews, including the notorious “Uncool” comments made to Vanity Fair?

The reality is, we will never know exactly what happened, no matter how many new “sources” the tabloids dig up. We can speculate all we want – and we certainly have so far. But let’s remember that this divorce happened four years ago. Why would a source hold onto this supposed information that long?

Here’s the former Mr. and Mrs. Brad Pitt, at the Emmy Awards in September 2004. Credits: PRPhotos.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie arrived at the Berlin premiere of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, both clad in suits. Brad’s outfit was typical – a well-tailored dark suit. Angelina’s look is shoulder pads shoulder pads shoulder pads. I mean, her suit was a lovely, crisp white. The pants were wide-leg, the jacket a loose-fit, open style that I enjoy. But the shoulder pads! And the big hair! No! Angelina’s never been some fashion icon, but for the past five years she really seems to be getting her fashion act together. And now, this. The Shoulder Pad Debacle of 2009. When did the Dynasty look have a resurgence? But I should have known – Angelina’s cover shot on last year’s Vanity Fair seemed to be a slight homage to the Dynasty era too. The Gossip Girls have all of the details about Brangelina’s big night out.

They made a trip to the red carpet for the German premiere of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” but that was only the beginning of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s night out in Berlin on Tuesday (January 19).

The “Mr and Mrs Smith” co-star couple were escorted out of the CineStar Sony Centre movie theater following their red carpet stop, with Brad toting a beer in-hand like a true German.

Up for a bit to eat, Brad and Angelina were then swept off in a chauffeured vehicle to VAU Restaurant, located in the midst of Berlin’s historical, reconstructed Mitte district.

The red carpet night out will reportedly draw a close to the Jolie-Pitt’s stay in Berlin, where Brad has been filming a new Quentin Tarantino movie titled “Inglorious Bastards.”

[From The Gossip Girls]

Brad was carrying around a bottle of beer? Instead of going to a really negative place about Brangelina, I’ll go out on a limb and say that Brad has probably seen Benjamin Button about a dozen times, at least. Maybe he was thinking something along the lines of “If I have to sit through this movie one more time, I’m going to be mainlining beer.” Hopefully it’s just the aggressive movie promotion schedule and not something more serious. Like Brad taking one look at Angelina’s hair and shoulder pads and thinking, “I need a drink.”

Here are Brad and Angelina at the premiere. Images thanks to WENN and Splash.

Despite constantly traveling around the globe, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie still prefer France as their home base – at least for now. Brad told “Access Hollywood that the family of eight will spend Christmas in France this year. It seems Brad and Angie might end up settling there.

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and their six children have settled in France — for a little while.

The family will stay put while papa Pitt films his role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds,” according to the UK’s Hello magazine.

“I’ve been dragging them all from continent to continent lately, so we’re going to have to give them a break soon. For the long term, right now, we’re choosing France,” Brad told Hello, according to MTV UK. “It’s good living there, a really nice way of life.”

Though the family spent time this year in Germany and New Orleans, Brad said right now, France is the top.

“It’s a place where the kids can run free and not be hassled – we have a good relationship with the locals, and it’s a good base for the family,” he said.

[From Access Hollywood - link has automatic video and sound]

They’re clearly very happy in France, although despite what Brad said they have had some run-ins with the paparazzi and their neighbors, who have complained that they monopolize the town’s police resources. Nonetheless it’s probably still quieter than any existence they could have in America.

Yesterday Brad noted that he and Angelina try to keep their Christmas spending reasonable and don’t spoil the kids. He also said they have a Christmas tradition where everyone has to give a gift they’ve made themselves. That’s pretty cute. Kids are good at making things, since they do it in school. But I’m curious about what Angie and Brad make. Brad’s a photographer, so perhaps he gives one of his pictures. But I’d love to know what Angie does. I’m hoping it’s something made out of popsicle sticks and too much Elmer’s glue.

Here’s Brad and Angelina at the “Benjamin Button” screening New Orleans on December 1st. Images thanks to Splash.

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and their unstoppable baby making skills are at it again, according to Star. The tabloid claims that the pair are trying for more babies, just five months after their twins were born. What’s the rush? Supposedly Angelina has been told that if she gets pregnant within two years of the last pair of twins, she’s more likely to conceive another pair.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are unstoppable!

In the Dec. 22 issue of Star — on newsstands now — we report that nearly five months after the arrival of babies Vivienne and Knox, the couple are adding another pair of twins to their brood, upping the total to a whopping eight.

Angelina is taking prenatal vitamins, visiting her ob-gyn, undergoing secret fertility treatments and gearing up for another set of twins.

“Angie’s doctors told her that she has a strong chance of conceiving twins if she does it within two years after having her first pair,” a friend tells Star. “She’s been seeing a fertility doctor regularly. She and Brad are monitoring when she’s fertile. And they’re trying really hard in the bedroom!”

We bet! Another of Angie’s conception secrets? Yams! “A friend told her that yams and orange juice will increase her chances [of getting pregnant with twins],” says the pal.

[From Star]

I have never understood the desire for twins. Babies are wonderful but stressful, at least for those not moneyed like Brad and Angie. Two at a time just doubles the nighttime feedings, the crying, the diapers… everything. Of course if you’ve got an employee whose sole function is to change poopie diapers, might as well crank out the kids in multiples.

Frankly I thought Brad and Angelina would adopt again at least once before having another biological child or two. I can’t help but wonder what their maximum number of kids is – if they even have one. Something tells me it’s in the high teens. They’ve certainly got the resources to support a small nation of kids. I think it’s safe to assume that we will be on permanent “pregnancy watch” for Angelina at least until she hits menopause. Maybe longer – as Star noted, they are “unstoppable.”

Here’s Angelina and Brad at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ on Monday. Images thanks to WENN.

Angelina Jolie says that she’s ready to quit working and “fade away.” She’s made frequent comments lately about how her kids are her first priority and she doesn’t feel as inclined to act as she used to. Now she’s made it perfectly clear that she has a few upcoming projects planned but after that she doesn’t want to work anymore.

Angelina Jolie says she plans to give up acting to be a full-time mother.

“I don’t plan to keep acting very long. I’m ready to do a few things now and fade away and get ready to be a grandma one day,” she tells BBC News in a new interview. “I’m not so worried that I want to keep this pace up and try to be something and be a celebrity.”

She says she’s lucky to take on great roles but “everything comes in seasons. I hopefully won’t be needing to do that later in my life anyway,” she adds.

The 33-year-old Changeling star — who says she won’t work for a year after she returns to work in February — stresses, “I don’t think I’ll ever say I’m never, ever gonna work because maybe there’s that interesting project where I feel creative.

“I like being home a lot,” the mother of six adds. “First and foremost, I have a lot of children, and I need to make sure they’re growing right and they’ve got us there for them.”

[From Us Weekly]

She’s still giving a bit of a mixed message. You can’t “fade away” completely when you keep the door open to possibly working if the right project comes along. That just means people are constantly going to try to tempt her with the perfect film. And I don’t think it’s possible for her to live the low-key life she’s describing. The woman is the mother of Brad Pitt’s children. They travel with a cavalcade of staff wherever they go. Even if she and Brad were both to quit acting, I don’t think they’d be able to fade into oblivion. People are curious about Brangelina and the more they hide the more everyone else will seek.

If I were to bet on it, I’d say Angelina will slow down the frequency of her work but still maintain a Hollywood presence.

Here’s Angelina at the red carpet release party for the DVD of “Kung Fu Panda” on November 9th. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin.

Running Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s family probably requires some sort of expert with an MBA or something. It’s one complicated setup. The family of 8 requires up to 20 cars for their clan and team of childcare professionals and security personnel – along with up to six nannies at a time! That’s one per kid. According to MSNBC they’ve tried to keep it real and make do with as few as four, but ultimately weren’t able to do it.

What does it take to keep the Jolie-Pitt household running smoothly? A fleet of cars and a half-dozen nannies, for starters.

“We’ve provided them with more than 20 Volkswagens while they’re here in Berlin,” Mya Walters, a public-relations manager for the car company, told Life & Style magazine.

The magazine reports that the Pitt-Jolie Berlin digs also have a dinner table that seats 16 — that’s just a couple extra seats when you factor in their own family of eight and the six nannies the couple sometimes requires

During their recent trip to New Orleans, the magazine reports that they tried to make do with four nannies, but needed to fly in an additional two to combat the chaos.

Don’t judge: it’s all for the sake of the family. Family friend Wyclef Jean said, “They make plenty of time for the kids, they’re great parents.”

[From MSNBC’s The Scoop]

One nanny per kid seems sort of excessive. I could certainly see how 2 or 3 might be necessary when they’re at home, but damn. Six is a lot. It makes sense that they might need that many nannies anytime the kids are out in public or there’s a safety issue. One adult per kid (and how many bodyguards?) probably makes sense. Obviously they can afford it and have the right to raise their kids however they want, and it probably minimizes what would otherwise be an extremely stressful situation.

Here’s Brad and Angelina loading up the kids in Nice, France on October 8th. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin.

While some celebs are most known for spending all their time and money promoting themselves (or slapping their own name on other people’s work) a good many should be equally known for their good deeds, which includes donating large sums of money to charitable causes. Parade magazine (that little insert magazine that comes in your Sunday paper and has ads for hearing aid batteries and wonder bee pollen pills) compiled a list of the 30 most generous celebrities.

Not surprisingly, Oprah came in number one. I’m pretty sure it’s a rule that she has to come in first place on any list. Even if the list were something like, “World’s tallest man,” or “Person who swam the most laps in a non-Olympic sized pool” somehow Oprah would still be best at it. Luckily this is a pretty awesome list to top, and she’s in good company.

Oprah Winfrey tops a list of the 30 most generous celebrities, compiled by The Giving Back Fund and published in the Sept. 14 issue of Parade. The 54-year-old talk show host and media mogul gave out $50.2 million last year to causes including her foundation and Oprah’s Angel Network. Power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie ranked sixth, with donations of $8.4 million in 2007. Among their interests: Pitt’s charity Make It Right, which is helping to rebuild New Orleans.

Rounding out the top five: musician Herb Alpert with $13 million; Barbra Streisand with $11 million; Paul Newman with $10 million; and Mel Gibson with $9.9 million. “Some stars set a bad example from time to time, so it’s nice to celebrate those who are doing good work,” Parade editor Janice Kaplan tells Us Weekly in its latest issue. “We can’t all give $50 million like Oprah, but she makes us understand that giving back matters,” Kaplan adds.

Athletes Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan and hockey player Eric Lindros tied for seventh place, with donations of $5 million each last year.

[From Us Weekly]

At first I was kind of confused about how Herb Alpert had $13 million to give away. Didn’t he have a few singles back in the day? Is there really that much money left in vinyl sales? Then Wikipedia generously reminded me that Herb Alpert is the “A” in A&M Records. Which makes more since than “Tijuana Taxi” netting that kind of cash.

Brangelina is no big surprise – they’ve made it clear that visible charity is a big part of their lifestyle. A lot of people get terse about why they have to be so obvious about it and make such a big deal about their good deeds. Whatever their reasoning, when they do that they also bring publicity to a cause, so there’s advantages for everyone.

Here’s Oprah at the 20th Annual Whitesboro Reunion Festival at the Martin Luther King Community Center in Whitesboro, New Jersey on August 30th. Credit: WENN. Brad Pitt is shown at the Burn After Reading premiere at the Venice Film Festival on 8/27/08. Credit: Solarpix / PR Photos