Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, once considered Hollywood’s most beloved couple, are now entangled in a bitter legal dispute. The couple’s ongoing battle revolves around their property in Miraval, located in the scenic south of France, renowned for its thriving vineyards and successful wines. In 2008, just before the birth of their twins, Knox and Vivienne, Brad and Angelina purchased the estate, which also served as the venue for their 2014 wedding.
Initially, Miraval symbolized a testament of love from Brad to his wife and children, providing them with a beautiful sanctuary away from the relentless scrutiny of fame. The acquisition was driven by Brad’s passion for winemaking, sparked with the assistance of furniture designer Frank Pollaro.
However, as their relationship deteriorated, so did their shared ownership of Miraval. In the early stages, when they were considering entering into business together, Jolie’s business manager proposed a contingency plan known as a doomsday clause. This clause would have required one party to buy out the other’s share of the property in the event of a separation. However, both Brad and Angelina rejected this clause, convinced that their relationship would endure.
According to Jolie’s cross-complaint, Pitt dismissed the need for such a clause, claiming it was unnecessary for two reasonable individuals. Later, Pitt asserted that he and Jolie had made a mutual commitment not to sell their stake in Miraval without each other’s consent. However, Jolie refutes this claim.
On January 21, 2021, Angelina Jolie sent an email to Brad Pitt, subsequently made public. In the email, she expressed her decision to sell Miraval, describing it as a business associated with alcohol. This alluded to a well-known incident on a plane where an intoxicated Pitt allegedly mistreated their children, resulting in Jolie filing for divorce shortly after.
In her email, Jolie wrote, “Even now impossible to write this without crying. Above all, it is the place we brought the twins home to and where we were married over a plaque in my mother’s memory. A place…where I thought I would grow old… But it is also the place that marks the beginning of the end of our family.” She continued, stating that for her, Miraval ceased to hold significance after the events of September 2016, referring to Pitt’s alleged meltdown on the plane. She claimed that subsequent events had sadly confirmed her feelings.
In February 2021, Pitt agreed to pay Jolie $54.5 million to acquire her share in Miraval. However, this business arrangement became complicated due to the ongoing divorce proceedings. Jolie submitted sealed court documents containing allegations of domestic abuse by Pitt, including details of the plane incident. In exchange for the property’s sale, Pitt requested Jolie to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) preventing her from discussing his personal conduct outside the courtroom. Jolie denounced this request as an “unconscionable gag order.”
Pitt justified his request by arguing that it was essential to protect the value of the asset after the sale. He wanted to ensure that the buyer would not harm its worth through negative publicity resulting from personal matters.
On October 5, 2021, Jolie sold Nouvel, the holding company controlling her portion of Miraval’s shares, to Tenute del Mondo, the wine division of the Stoli group, owned by Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler, for $67 million. Pitt perceived this as a retaliatory move following his victory in the custody battle for their children. Judge John Ouderkirk had awarded Pitt joint custody instead of Jolie’s request for full custody with visitation rights for Pitt.
“It is not a coincidence that she sold her interest in Miraval to an adversarial party and part of the family home to a stranger, right after a judge granted Brad a huge win: 50-50 custody,” a close source to Pitt remarked. Subsequently, Ouderkirk was removed from the case by a panel of three judges, and his ruling was nullified.
In February 2022, Pitt filed a lawsuit against Jolie, her holding company, and the new owners of Miraval, claiming that Jolie had not contributed to the success of Miraval. Stoli responded by filing a cross-complaint, accusing Pitt and his allies of illegal and malicious actions that devalued their investments and hindered the proper management of Chateau Miraval, renowned for its rosé wine.
On June 1, 2023, Pitt filed an amended complaint seeking to reverse Jolie’s sale of Nouvel. In response, Jolie’s representation issued a statement emphasizing that Pitt had never publicly denied certain allegations.
Anne Kiley, Pitt’s representative, responded, “Brad has taken responsibility for everything he is accountable for from the beginning, but he won’t accept ownership for anything he did not do.”
A close source to the family expressed their hope for understanding, saying, “I hope you’ll give some grace to somebody who had a breakdown.” They added, “Everybody was shocked by the eruption on the plane because Brad is not an abusive person. But even more devastating was what came afterward: Brad being estranged from those he loves the most—his children.”
