Brad Stops Angelina’s Wedding!
30 IN TOUCH MAY 15, 2017 Just when Angelina Jolie thought she could move on with her life, Brad Pitt ruins her plans
He looked like a shell of his former self. Wearing a pale-gray bomber jacket and blue jeans that did little to hide his thin frame, Brad Pitt climbed atop his black BMW motorcycle and sped off into LA traffic on April 22. The sighting came just days after In Touch exclusively reported that his estranged wife, Angelina Jolie, recently blindsided him with the news that she’s fallen for a wealthy 40-something British philanthropist and businessman. Her bombshell revelation, on top of their seven-month-long custody battle, “has been taking a toll on Brad,” says a source close to the actor. “Especially after Angelina said she wants to fast-track their divorce and remarry as soon as possible.”
But that’s not going to happen — because Brad has stopped the wedding. Angelina, 41, has been backing off plans to share joint custody with Brad, 53, and once again wants sole custody of their six kids, which leaves Brad with no choice but to fight her with everything he’s got. “Their custody and divorce battle
are not going to be settled anytime soon, so Angelina can’t get remarried as quickly as she wants,” says a family friend. “Brad is torpedoing her nuptials. He’s dug in his heels as far as custody goes, and it’s turning Angelina’s plans for a quickie wedding into a complete nightmare.”
She’s only sabotaging herself. “Angelina’s unwillingness to give into what Brad feels are very reasonable child custody demands is only hurting her and stopping her from marrying for the fourth time,” says the family friend. “The longer she bucks Brad, the longer it will take for her to marry again.”
Brad is even considering asking for sole custody of the kids. “He is going to do everything possible to protect them,” says the source close to Brad. “He will ask for sole custody if he doesn’t feel that Angie’s new husband-to-be is suitable enough to be around them.”
Brad is determined to win. “He has no doubt he will prevail in the divorce battle,” says the family friend, explaining that Brad is still reeling from how dirty Angelina played after she filed for divorce and demanded sole custody of Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8, just days after a September argument between Brad, Maddox and Pax on a private plane. The incident led LA’S Department of Children and Family Services to launch a child abuse investigation ( Brad was eventually
It’s been one fight after another with Brad and Angelina. He really stuck it to her this time”
— AN INSIDER
cleared of any wrongdoing). “He still can’t forgive Angelina for making him out to be the worst father in the world following the plane incident,” says the family friend. “He was blindsided and brokenhearted and felt it was largely Angelina’s doing that he was being depicted as an alcohol-swilling, pot-smoking, irresponsible and abusive husband and father.”
He fought her then, just as he’s doing now. Brad endured the negative publicity and the war waged by Angelina and her team of attorneys, therapists, crisis managers and publicists. He did whatever was necessary when it came to family counselors, supervised visitations, abbreviated quality time with the kids and family court demands, says the family friend. “Brad feels he’s proven himself to be a loving, caring father, and he’s not about to let the kids go to Angelina and some instant husband.”
He already derailed her postdivorce plans to relocate to London with the children. “In the end, Angelina bought a home barely a mile from his LA compound. Brad won that round because now visitation with the kids is easier,” says the family friend. “Brad’s ultimate goal has always been to have the family settle down and have the kids go to school near his home in LA’S Los Feliz neighborhood, and that appears to be what is happening.” The last thing he wants is her marrying this guy and trying to move away to London again. “Brad thinks it’s appalling that Angelina would even consider whisking the kids off,” adds the family friend.
He can’t imagine how the kids would handle another huge life change like a new stepparent so soon after their family was torn apart. “The kids have already been through the wringer with the nasty divorce, their parents being at odds and being shuffled from place to place,” says the family friend. “They are not even close to being ready to let a stranger into their lives as a stepfather.”
While Brad’s not a vengeful person, part of him has to be pleased. He’s thwarting Angelina’s plans after all she’s put him through. “It’s obvious Angie is seeking revenge against Brad and that’s why she wants to get remarried so quickly,” says the source close to Brad. “Anything Brad can do to make that more difficult for her, the better.”
And that’s exactly what’s he’s doing. “Brad’s going to make it as hard as possible for Angelina to start life over in Britain, as she’s been wanting to do,” says the family friend. “After an arduous battle, Brad’s having the last laugh.” It’s all left Angelina fuming. “She dreamed of having a quiet, elegant wedding in the English countryside and boosting her profile in British human rights circles with an activist husband,” adds the family friend. “Now, thanks to Brad, all of those plans have been shot to hell.” ◼