Jennifer Aniston steps in to help Brad Pitt in his divorce battle with Angelina Jolie
Who would have thought in 2005 that she’d be defending Brad?
It’s not often that you get your first ex-wife to vouch for your character in legal proceedings against your second ex-wife – but then, anything can happen in Hollywood. So, rumours that Jennifer Aniston could be called as a witness in Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s ongoing and increasingly bitter divorce battle aren’t actually so shocking. After all, as heat has told you, Brad and Jen have reconnected over the past few years, and last week even reunited for a virtual table read of classic ’80s movie Fast Times At Ridgemont High. And since the divorce battle got even uglier recently – with Brad accusing Ange of playing “tactical” games after she filed a request to have the judge removed from their case – we’re pretty sure he needs all the support he can get. And, according to an insider close to the exes, who have been at loggerheads for almost four years and are supposedly awaiting a custody trial in October, “Jen is more than happy to step forward and help out however she can.”
We’re told, “Neither Brad nor Ange are backing down. The longer this fight goes on, the uglier and more personal it seems to get. The likelihood is that their next round of talks will go nowhere, and there’ll be a potential court showdown in late 2020 or early next year. If that happens, both will be calling witnesses to vouch for their characters and parenting skills. Brad has shared so much detail with Jen, which could
prove relevant – she knows him better than a lot of people.”
Last week, any hope that Brad and Angelina were moving towards a peaceful resolution was shattered, after Ange filed a request to remove Judge John W Ouderkirk (who married the couple in 2014) from proceedings – accusing him of failing to disclose his “business relationships” with one of Brad’s lawyers. The actress suggested that he could potentially be “biased” in the case – but Brad’s lawyers bit back, accusing her of making a “transparently tactical gambit” to delay matters, and saying their six children would be “hurt most” by the delay. This setback came at the same time reports emerged that Angelina was hoping to move to London with the kids – Maddox, 19, Pax, 16, Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12.
Ange has previously complained that she’s stuck living “where [my children’s] father chooses to live”. But with rumours spreading that she’s already eyeing up properties in the UK, Brad’s apparently more desperate than ever to get their custody battle sorted. And – despite the awkwardness – Jen might just be the best person to help him out.
“Ange and Jen still don’t like each other,” we’re told. “Jen still feels resentful over how quickly Brad and Angelina got together after their marriage broke down, while Ange is fed up of being made to seem like the bad guy. They would both have a very hard time keeping their emotions in check.
“If the showdown happens, it will make for some incredible scenes in court.” n
‘Ange and Jen still don’t like each other’