Brad Pitt fighting for overnight visit to kids on holidays: A look at actor's custody battle with Angelina Jolie
Brad Pitt is "fighting to get overnight visits with his kids for the holidays" amidst his nasty custody battle with former wife Angelina Jolie. The ex-couple are all set to appear in front of a judge in November to discuss the custody of five of their six children. The two separated in 2016 after a 12-year relationship, including two years of marriage. The duo have been embroiled in a heated custody battle ever since.
According to US Weekly, a source shared, "The holiday visitation had been set before the custody trial. Brad will see the children on Christmas Day. He is hoping that he will be given increased custodial time with the kids which would result in having them overnight for the holidays this year." "The decision will be made by the judge in November," the insider continued. Pitt, 56, and Jolie, 45, have been at it in court ever since she filed for divorce in September 2016. The couple share six children — Maddox, 19, Pax, 16, Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12.
The former couple's custody battle is believed to be one of the most expensive and publicized legal fights in Hollywood history with Pitt calling 21 witnesses to support his case. A source close to both parties spoke to The Sun and shared, "The kids have been shielded to a large extent, but they’re old enough to have a pretty strong sense of what’s going on and it breaks Brad’s heart to know they’ve been at the centre of this wretched battle for such a long time."
"Angelina is still the ultimate mama bear who insists she’ll walk through fire to protect them from anyone — even their own father — and she’s proud of the strength and maturity the kids have shown throughout this nightmare process," the source continued. "There’s been a hell of a lot of finger pointing and sniping from each of their respective camps for months now, ever since it became clear they weren’t going to be able to compromise face to face," the insider added. "Now the communication between Brad and Angie is virtually non-existent, and they’re both digging in harder than they’ve ever done before."
The couple is in talks over her younger children leaving their oldest son Maddox to decide for himself whether he wants to see his father or not. We had previously reported that Jolie spoke to Vogue ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20 and was asked how she continued to have a healthy environment for her kids after separating from their father. In response to this, she had said, "I separated for the wellbeing of my family. It was the right decision. I continue to focus on their healing. Some have taken advantage of my silence, and the children see lies about themselves in the media, but I remind them that they know their own truth and their own minds. In fact, they are six very brave, very strong young people."
Jolie adopted Maddox, Zahara and Pax in 2002, 2005 and 2007 respectively. While the eldest Maddox is reportedly from Cambodia, Zahara and Pax are from Ethiopia and Vietnam respectively. She gave birth to her three biological children — Shiloh, 13, Knox, 11, and Vivienne, 11 — after adopting the other three.