Hey there, let's dive into the ongoing saga between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, shall we? It's no secret that Angelina has been enjoying sole custody of their kids—Maddox, 16, Pax, 14, Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 11, and the twins Vivienne and Knox, 9. But here's the burning question: does Brad, her soon-to-be-ex, get to see his kids too? According to the insiders at In Touch, it seems like the visits from the War Machine star are few and far between. Let's break this down a bit more.
From Ceasefire to Renewed Conflict
Listen, the divorce proceedings between Brad and Angelina have been nothing short of brutal, but there was a glimmer of hope earlier this month. A source from Life & Style revealed that the exes were "just days away" from finalizing their divorce and custody agreement. Brad was even looking forward to spending a substantial amount of quality time with the kids over the summer. But then, out of the blue, Angelina changed her mind. She reportedly felt that Brad was pushing too hard to resolve things in his favor, and she was losing control of the situation. The source added, "What started as a somewhat amicable agreement has quickly turned hostile, sparking a fresh war over the kids." Oof, that's heavy.
A Rocky Road From the Start
Let's rewind a bit. The custody battle began almost immediately after Brad and Angelina announced their split in September 2016. Brad wanted joint custody, but Angelina decided to only allow him monitored visitations "until he gets his act together," as one source put it. The California Department of Children and Family Services reportedly investigated Brad for abuse claims but found no evidence to support them. At the time, the goal was to reunite the family and focus on healing. Counseling and co-parenting classes were recommended for both Brad and Angelina.
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Thanksgiving and Christmas Drama
But things didn't get any easier. Angelina blocked Brad from visiting the kids that Thanksgiving, leaving him extremely upset. "It's just another way Angie is punishing him," an insider revealed. The holiday tension continued into Christmas. Angelina wasn't happy about the kids visiting Brad's house on December 25th. She tried to change the terms and have the visit at her home, but she was told "no." This left her furious, to say the least.
The disagreements didn't stop there. There were disputes over the kids' education and Brad's child support payments. Despite all this, Brad remained committed to being a present father. By February 2017, he had become a more prominent figure in the kids' lives, and they were reportedly doing better. He even had an overnight visit with all six of them that April.
Angelina's Stress and Brad's Frustrations
Meanwhile, the stress of being a single parent reportedly took a toll on Angelina. One source described her home as a "house of horrors," comparing it to a mix between a trashed frat house and a DayGlo-covered rave club. Fast forward to Christmas, and Brad was eager to get more custody time, but it "never quite materialized," according to insiders. "Angie and Brad are still playing tug-of-war with their kids," a source explained. "Because they’re not officially divorced yet, Angie’s in the driver’s seat when it comes to getting the children for the holidays, and she’s taking full advantage of that."
A Momentous Meeting
Brad did manage to spend quality time with the kids in January, and his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston even met them by chance. "It was a momentous day," an insider told In Touch. "The kids knew who Jen was and were familiar with her from TV and magazine photos, but they treated her like a normal friend of their father’s." Despite this small positive moment, the custody battle remains heated. With Angelina's reported change of heart, it might take months or even years for the former spouses and co-stars to reach a settlement. We're all in for the long haul, folks.
