Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie‘s acrimonious legal battle has torn their children from the actor’s parents who once ‘lived for their grandkids’ – but have been forced to accept a ‘heartbreaking’ lack of contact for the last eight years.
Pitt, 60, has been estranged from his daughter Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16, as well as his three adopted children Maddox, 23, Pax, 20 and Zahara, 19, since an explosive fight on their private jet in 2016 resulted in Angelina, 49, filing for divorce.
Now, insiders have revealed that the children’s grandparents, William and Jane Pitt, have also suffered, with the devastated couple fearing that they may ‘never be able’ to spend time with their son’s children again.
‘Brad Pitt’s parents have not been able to see their beloved grandchildren for around eight years amid the ongoing divorce and legal battle between Brad and Angelina,’ an insider told DailyMail.com exclusively.
The doting grandparents had been a very present fixture in the children’s lives before Brad’s marriage broke down, with the duo often pictured enjoying quality time with them.
‘Prior to the separation, they were a part of the kids’ lives and they all spent a lot of time together,’ the source continued. ‘It is just heartbreaking to see that this is no longer the case.
Brad Pitt’s parents (right) have not seen the children he shares with Angelina Jolie in eight years, sources have told DailyMail.com (pictured with Brad, Pax, Shiloh and Maddox in 2014)
Brad, 60, and Angelina’s acrimonious legal battle has torn their six children from the actor’s parents William and Jane who once ‘lived for their grandkids’ (pictured in 2012)
‘It is one thing for the kids to not see their father, but for Jane and Bill to not have any contact with their precious grandkids is sad.
‘They are in their 80s and to think that they would never be able to spend time with the kids again is just unbelievable.’
William, or Bill, 83, and Jane, 84, were last pictured in public with their grandchildren at the 2014 premiere for Angelina’s movie, Unbroken.
Brad took the children and his parents along to the Hollywood premiere in place of the actress – who had come down with a case of chickenpox.
Jane had nothing but praise for Angelina at the time and told reporters: ‘We’re so very proud of Angie. This means so much to our family, especially our grandchildren. We love her dearly.’
Angelina had talked fondly of Brad’s parents in the past for how they had accepted her adopted children.
‘When I first met them I came in with two adopted children from other countries and I didn’t know how they were going to be,’ she said. ‘But they are equally loving with them.’
By 2016, the Maleficent actress had filed for divorce after only two years of marriage and familial relations were seemingly severed.
Pitt shares daughter Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16, as well as three adopted children Maddox, 23, Pax, 20 and Zahara, 19, with the actress, 49
‘It is one thing for the kids to not see their father, but for Jane and Bill to not have any contact with their precious grandkids is sad,’ the source said (Brad, Angelina and his parents in 2008
Angelina filed for divorce after an explosive fight on their private jet in 2016
Three years later in 2019, Brad and Angelina were declared legally single. However, the stars are still embroiled in an ongoing battle over their Chateau Miraval estate.
Brad’s relationship with his children has deteriorated to the point where he has ‘virtually no contact’ with the eldest three.
Zahara dropped ‘Pitt’ from her last name in November 2023, before Vivienne followed suit in June this year. Shiloh joined them in August when she paid for her own lawyer to officially ditch ‘Pitt.’
The decision stung Bill and Jane who have been forced to watch things play out from their home in Missouri.
A separate source added that the estrangement is ‘tragic’ for both parties.
‘They are grandparents who live for their grandkids, but have not seen them in years,’ they said. ‘That is tragic for both sides.’
Bill and Jane, who was incredibly fond Brad’s first wife Jennifer Aniston, are also parents to Doug Pitt and Julie Neal, whose children they are close to.
Doug has Sydney, Landon and Regan with his wife Lisa, while Julie is mom to Caleb, twin daughters Josie and Rylie, as well as adopted sons Caden and Cruz, whom she shares with her husband Scott Neal.
The Pitt family pictured together with Angelina and the children she shares with the Troy actor at a gathering several years before they split in 2016
The estrangement has left a devastated Bill and Jane fearing that they may ‘never be able’ to spend time with Brad’s children again
The source noted: ‘Prior to the separation, they were a part of the kids’ lives and spent a lot of time with them. It is just heartbreaking to see that this is no longer the case’
The close knit family regularly share images with their cousins and grandparents on Instagram – but have not posted pictures with Brad’s children since 2016.
Angelina’s own estranged father, Jon Voight, recently spoke out about the fact he ‘doesn’t talk to his grandchildren as much as [he would] like,’ and called for the former couple to make peace so that their children can have stability.
Angelina has been accused of deliberately trying to drive a wedge between Brad and their six children.
After the actress walked arm-in-arm with Knox at the Governors Awards on Monday, a source told DailyMail.com that Brad feels she has turned their brood against him.
‘Of course, it bothers him that Angelina has turned them against him,’ they said. ‘She did this while they were all young and they didn’t even get a chance to make up their minds about him.
‘He believes that, in time, his children will come back into his life.’
Back in May, former British SAS solider Tony Webb, who worked for the family for more than 20 years from 2000, claimed that his colleague told him he overheard Angelina ‘encouraging the children to avoid spending time with Pitt during custody visits.’
Court filings lodged at LA Superior Court detailing the explosive claims were made public as part of the ongoing ‘War of the Roses’, with the A-List couple stuck in an acrimonious battle over her rights to sell their French vineyard and home.
Brad’s relationship with his children has deteriorated to the point where he has ‘virtually no contact’ with the eldest three (Angelina pictured with Zahara and Shiloh)
The pair’s youngest children, twins Knox and Vivienne, have recently stepped out with their mother at industry events, with the latter dropping ‘Pitt’ from her last name
The Tomb Raider star sold her $62million stake to Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler in 2021, which Brad argues went against their agreement to offer the other the right of first refusal.
Angelina had recently filed motions to dismiss claims that Brad made against her concerning a verbal agreement over their 50-50 ownership of the vineyard.
She argued that the agreement had been nullified after her ex requested she sign an NDA regarding their marriage – with both sides seemingly determined to throw everything at the case.
But a new twist in the lengthy lawsuit saw LA Superior Court Judge Lia Martin throw out the motions – putting Brad firmly back in the driving seat of the dispute.
Court filings submitted last week suggest that the judge has found a basis in Brad’s claims that their original verbal agreement was binding, and Jolie may have violated them when she sold her shares.
With the dismissal of the three filings, the former power couple – who wed at the Provence, Southern France estate in 2014 – are set to face off in court at the trial next year.
A source close to the actor told DailyMail.com at the time: ‘This is a straightforward business dispute, but unfortunately, the other side has consistently introduced personal elements which have exposed the weaknesses in their case and complicated and lengthened the proceedings.’
The Maleficent star then has 30 days to appeal the judge’s decision.
Brad filed the $67million lawsuit against Angelina in 2022, less than a year after the shares were sold, setting off a protracted court battle between the exes.
