Both Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio were absent from Sunday night’s BAFTAs. Quentin Tarantino and Margot Robbie were the only ones there representing Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and QT did not look happy about it at all, perhaps because his “It’s my time to win the big prizes” Oscar campaign has been completely overshadowed by Parasite’s late-surge momentum (and honestly, Parasite is just a better film). Anyway, it felt notable that both Leo and Brad skipped the BAFTAs, even if they knew that momentum had swung away from OUATIH. Brad was apparently scheduled to attend, because he’s a sure-thing for Best Supporting Actor and he probably knew that he would win the BAFTA. But he pulled out at the last minute citing “family obligations” and left Margot Robbie to deliver his hacky, jokey speech. It seemed strange. But here’s one “explanation” via an exclusive in The Sun:

Brad Pitt’s absence from the Baftas was the talking point of the night, and not just because of his brilliant acceptance speech. At the last minute Brad pulled out of the ceremony, with his representatives citing a “family obligation”. And I can ­exclusively reveal the family member Brad was referring to was his 18-year-old eldest son Maddox, from his marriage to Angelina Jolie.

The pair’s relationship broke down in 2016 following a major row on a private jet flight, which saw the FBI investigate Brad over claims he had been “physically abusive” towards Maddox. He was cleared and, with the help of Angelina, Brad has tried desperately to put his relationship with ­Maddox right. So when he was given a last-minute opportunity to do just that, he jumped at it.

A friend of Brad’s said: “Maddox gave Brad the chance to talk and he dropped ­everything. Being a father is the most important thing in his life and he would do anything to repair their relationship. Maddox has been away at university so when Brad found out he was going to be around and they could have a conversation, he cancelled the UK trip.”

Brad was noticeably absent when Angelina, who split with him in 2016, dropped off Maddox at Yonsei University in South Korea last year.

[From The Sun]

Did you know that today is the final day for Oscar voting? Weird huh. It’s almost as if all of the Oscar strategists Brad Pitt clearly hired told him that he was a sure thing, but maybe some voters still had qualms about the fact that he terrorized his children on a plane and it was so bad that his two oldest sons refuse to speak to him or acknowledge him three years later. I mean, it could be true. But I feel like… Maddox is in South Korea, going to college and studying. Why would he suddenly call Brad and ask to speak at this moment.

When I first heard the family obligation/emergency/whatever story, I honestly wondered if it was something about his family in Missouri. My second guess is that it was something involving Angelina and the younger kids, because I think Angelina is still filming The Eternals in England, and we don’t know if Brad actually flew to England or what. I kind of wonder if it was like “Vivienne has a cold and Brad volunteered to look after her while Angelina worked” or something.

Or maybe “family obligation” was some kind of code for “wig emergency.” Wig fam is the only true fam.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid and WENN.