Angelina Jolie is opposing ex-husband Brad Pitt's effort to obtain her tax returns for the years following their 2016 separation, a dispute that has arisen within their ongoing legal battle over their French winery, Château Miraval.
Pitt, 62, has requested Jolie provide tax records and financial documentation for the period of 2017-2019. Jolie's legal team contends that this request stems from Pitt taking her previous statements out of context.
According to legal documents reviewed by TMZ, Jolie, 51, stated that Pitt's efforts represent a "continued mischaracterization and selective quoting" of her remarks related to the protracted legal case.
Pitt has asserted that he invested significant time and resources into the winery, located in Correns, France. He claims Jolie breached an agreement when she sought to sell her stake in the estate to Russian businessman Yuri Shefler.
Jolie, however, has stated that she did not require Pitt's consent for the transaction. She argues that Pitt has misinterpreted her statements about seeking "financial independence" as a general reflection of her financial situation.
Jolie's legal representatives clarified that her intention was to separate her finances from Pitt's as part of their separation, not to indicate any general financial distress.
Pitt's attorneys have countered that Jolie's statements invite scrutiny, given the nature of the litigation. They argue that if Jolie had substantial income and resources during the relevant period, her financial records would contradict her claim of having "no meaningful alternative" but to sell her stake in the winery.
Pitt's legal team pointed to Jolie's status as a globally recognized actress who has commanded significant compensation, citing her reported $33 million earnings for "Maleficent," which made her Forbes' highest-paid actress in a given year. They contend that her allegations of lacking economic alternatives warrant examination through financial evidence.
Jolie has offered to provide Pitt with access to her tax returns for 2020 and 2021, according to her lawyers.
The former couple, once nicknamed "Brangelina," has been engaged in legal disputes over Château Miraval for approximately four years. They separated in 2016, finalizing their divorce in December 2024 after a prolonged legal process. They share six children: Maddox, 24; Pax, 22; Zahara, 21; Shiloh, 19; and twins Vivienne and Knox, 17. Pitt initially filed a lawsuit against Jolie in early 2022 concerning the sale of her share in the estate. Maze-like images of the winery can be seen in the article.