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UNDER PRESSURE OVER LATEST TOXIC DIVORCE BATTLE
IT HAD ALL SEEMED too good to be true. Up until recent weeks, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie appeared to be steering their once-hostile divorce proceedings to an amicable resolution in a cordial fashion.
But Grazia has learned that, with the final settlement set to be imminent, the situation has turned toxic yet again. Last week, Brad, 54, was said to have successfully fought against Angelina’s plan to move their six children to England indefinitely, while she films Maleficent 2, which has started shooting in London.
‘Brad just isn’t giving into Angie’s demands any more,’ an insider said. ‘It seems he’s now formally secured increased access to the kids, whereby he’s legally permitted to see them regularly and Angie can’t stand in his way.’
Brad – who recently moved on from the marriage with renowned scientist Neri Oxman, 42 – was pictured smiling as he left a Los Angeles office building after several hours inside last week, where it was said he had been hashing out the new custody agreement.
Unsurprisingly, this latest twist in their two-year divorce battle is said to be putting an intense pressure on Angelina, 43, who has been insisting that their children, Maddox, 16, Pax, 14, Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12, and nine-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, should be travelling with her at all times.
Angelina – who arrived in London with her family last month – has made no secret of her love for the UK. The actress has worked closely with the government on the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI), as well as serving as a visiting professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science where she plans to continue working in September. Last week, it was reported that she is now in talks to join a second movie in England – the fantasy drama Come Away – which is scheduled to start soon after her current project finishes.
Another source close to Angelina added: ‘She’s been planning her life in London with the kids for over a year now. Angelina has been lining up film work there these past few months and has been going about it all as though it’s a done deal. Suddenly, this has become an incredibly stressful situation for her, she’s been floored and frustrated by Brad’s actions.’
Last July, Angelina told Vanity Fair that life as a single mother in Los Angeles had not been easy, revealing: ‘It’s been the hardest time, and we’re just kind of coming up for air,’ adding: ‘ We’re all trying to do our best to heal our family.’
The interview came almost a year after it was revealed that Angelina planned to divorce Brad after two years of marriage and 12 years together. At the time, she claimed Brad had been ‘verbally abusive’ and ‘physical’ towards their eldest child Maddox on a private plane back from France. But following an investigation by the FBI, Brad was cleared of all child abuse accusations. The pair put out a joint statement that suggested they were no longer sparring partners. However, insiders say that with tensions rising, the acrimonious nature of their divorce battle could rear its ugly head once again.
‘Angelina had always assumed Brad would give her what she wanted, which is full custody and a 50 per cent split of all their financial assets,’ the insider added. ‘But Brad has proven that he is now an able, loving parent who’s conquered any demons he once had and as such, wants to play an active part in the kids’ lives. They’re still working on a financial settlement, but for now Brad is thrilled to have a more formal and secure situation with regards to the kids – even if that means disrupting Angelina’s new life in London.’