Pitt, Jolie wrangling over child support issues, housing loan
LOS ANGELES: Brad Pitt on Wednesday rebutted claims that he had failed to support his children and accused his estranged wife Angelina Jolie of trying to manipulate the media in their long drawn- out divorce.
In the latest round of bitter accusations between the Hollywood power couple once known as Brangelina, Pitt’s attorneys said the actor had paid over US$ 1.3 million in bills for Jolie and their six children since their 2016 separation.
In documents fi led in Los Angeles Superior Court, the attorneys also said Pitt had loaned Jolie US$ 8 million to help her buy a new home.
Jolie’s attorney responded by saying that Pitt was charging Jolie interest on the loan for the new house and that the actress has had to shoulder most of the expenses for the children alone.
“What has been fi led by Brad’s side today is a blatant attempt to obfuscate the truth and distract from the fact that he has not fully met his legal obligations to support the children,” attorney Samantha Bley DeJean said in a statement.
Jolie had said in a Tuesday court fi ling that Pitt had “paid no meaningful child support” since Jolie fi led for divorce in September 2016.
Pitt’s attorneys said that Jolie’s claims were “a thinly-veiled effort to manipulate media coverage.”
Pitt and Jolie were married for two years and enjoyed a 10year romance that had made the pair one of Hollywood’s most glamorous couples. They have six children for whom she is seeking primary custody.
The “Maleficent” actress said on Tuesday that she wanted to expedite the divorce and return to single status by the end of 2018.
Pitt’s court fi ling said it was the actor, not Jolie, who fi rst
What has been filed by Brad’s side today is a blatant attempt to obfuscate the truth and distract from the fact that he has not fully met his legal obligations to support the children.
made the request to speed up the divorce.
The divorce fi ling, citing irreconcilable differences, triggered a bitter custody dispute during which Pitt was investigated and cleared of child abuse. Final custody arrangements have yet to be agreed.
Meanwhile Jolie has reportedly pulled out of the ‘ Peter Pan’ prequel.
The 43-year- old actress was meant to start fi lming for the movie ‘Come away’ — which is a mash-up between the fantasy adventure fl ick and ‘ Alice in Wonderland’ — earlier this week in Buckinghamshire, South East England, but the production has been thrown into chaos after she told producers she was dropping out of the blockbuster.
A source told The Sun Online: “Everything was set to get under way this week, it has all been agreed for months. Now nobody is quite sure what is going on.
“She’s an A-list star and a total pro so everybody expected things to begin as planned, but the way she is talking suggests she won’t now take the role at all.
“The top producers are hoping to persuade her to reconsider so they can get things moving, but there are also contingency plans being considered to keep things on track.”
It’s not yet known whether Jolie — who is currently in the UK — will join fi lming at a later date or whether bosses will need to recast the leading lady role.
The brunette beauty was signed up to play the mother of Alice andPeter alongside her onscreen husband David Oyelowo and the magical kids are forced to intervene and save their parents from destruction when their brother dies. — Reuters/BANG Showbiz
Samantha Bley DeJean, Angelina Jolie’s attorney