New court documents have exposed that Brad Pitt is suing his ex-wife Angelina Jolie for $35 million in damages amid their bitter legal battle over Château Miraval winery.
The revelation came through email exchanges between their legal teams that were recently submitted as evidence in Los Angeles Superior Court, finally putting a dollar figure on the ongoing dispute that has raged for over three years.
Private Communications Forced Into Public View
On October 29, 2025, Pitt’s legal team submitted a massive 286-page filing containing previously private email exchanges. One particularly revealing November 2023 email from Jolie’s attorneys stated: “The burdensome nature of any production is a matter of Mr. Pitt’s own creation—he is suing Ms. Jolie for $35 million in damages”.
The emails detail years of contentious negotiations that both sides wanted to keep confidential.
Actor Seeks Damages for Alleged Business Harm
Pitt’s lawsuit alleges that Jolie caused substantial financial damage to Miraval’s operations by selling her stake without his consent. According to the court filings, he is “seeking ongoing damages for alleged harm to Miraval’s ongoing operations”.
The 61-year-old actor claims he invested significant time, money, and effort into building the vineyard into a globally recognized luxury rosé brand worth an estimated $164 million.
Château Miraval: From Love Nest to Legal Battlefield
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie first leased the stunning 1,200-acre Château Miraval estate in 2008 during Jolie’s second pregnancy with twins Knox and Vivienne. Located in the picturesque Provençal village of Correns, the property features a 35-room main house, recording studio, Romanesque chapel, olive groves, and 100 acres of vineyards.
The couple purchased controlling interest in 2012 and married there in an intimate ceremony in 2014.
A Rosé Empire Built Together
In 2013, Pitt and Jolie launched Miraval Wines in partnership with the renowned Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel. The first vintage of 6,000 bottles sold out within five hours.
The organic rosé quickly became a blockbuster success, selling nearly 150,000 cases annually in the U.S. market alone by 2020. The brand also expanded to include Fleur de Miraval Champagne in collaboration with prestigious producer Pierre Péters.
Jolie Sells to Russian Oligarch-Controlled Company
In October 2021, Jolie sold her 50% stake in Miraval to Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of the Stoli Group controlled by Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler, for an undisclosed sum. The sale occurred after a California judge granted her permission to sell in July 2021.
Pitt alleges he had offered $55 million for her share, but Jolie withdrew from negotiations and sold to Stoli instead.
February 2022: The War of the Rosé Begins
In February 2022, Pitt filed a lawsuit claiming Jolie violated a prior agreement that neither would sell their shares without the other’s approval. He alleged the sale to Stoli resulted in an attempted hostile takeover of Miraval.
Pitt’s complaint stated that Jolie “sought to inflict harm” by selling to a stranger, undermining his efforts to build the winery into a world-class estate. Jolie denied any such agreement existed.
Allegations of a “Vindictive War”
Jolie fired back with a countersuit accusing Pitt of “waging a vindictive war against” her. Her legal team claimed Pitt refused to buy her stake unless she signed an “expansive” non-disclosure agreement designed to “force her silence about his abuse and cover-up”.
The NDA allegedly included an $8.5 million holdback provision to ensure her compliance. Jolie’s lawyers argued the NDA went far beyond standard business protections and was intended to control and silence her.
Abuse Allegations From Private Jet Flight
Central to the dispute is a September 14, 2016 incident aboard a private jet returning from France to Los Angeles. An FBI report obtained by CNN detailed Jolie’s allegations that Pitt, who had been drinking, grabbed her by the head, shook her, pushed her against a bathroom wall, and was verbally and physically abusive toward their children.
The report states one child was allegedly choked and another struck in the face.
Four-Year Silence Agreement Under Scrutiny
Court documents reveal that Pitt’s team proposed a four-year NDA covering his “personal misconduct”. Jolie’s attorneys have repeatedly referenced “Pitt’s continuing refusals to produce documents relating to the reasons why he needed his four-year NDA”.
They argue these documents are “key to the heart of our case and must be produced”.
286 Pages of Evidence Submitted
On October 29, 2025, Pitt submitted a comprehensive 286-page filing to Los Angeles Superior Court requesting 22 specific documents from Jolie. The filing included both redacted and unredacted email exchanges dating back to 2008.
Pitt’s team argues that Jolie is improperly withholding information relevant to her sale by claiming attorney-client privilege.
Privacy vs. Transparency Battle
Jolie has asserted attorney-client privilege in refusing to provide the contested documents. Her legal team argues that communications with her business manager Terry Bird, publicists Chloe Dalton and Arminka Helic, and financial advisors were made in consultation with her lawyers and are therefore privileged.
Pitt’s attorneys counter that these “non-attorney” communications about legal strategy are not protected and must be disclosed.
Family Financial Struggles Revealed
Among the emails in Pitt’s filing was a personal exchange between Jolie and her business manager about her brother James Haven Voight. In the email, Jolie expressed stress about continuously supporting her brother financially, writing: “I need to remove all stress. I honestly feel I am getting sick from worry”.
She complained about “financial situations like Jamie” being wrong and that she “just give and give and don’t even get a thank you”.
Jolie’s Lawyer Accuses Pitt of Harassment
Jolie’s attorney Paul Murphy issued a strong statement to media outlets: “Mr. Pitt’s reply brief does not address our arguments and continues to rely on conjecture and speculation—all for the purpose of invading her privileged communications with her lawyers”.
Murphy added: “This once again confirms that this lawsuit is the manifestation of Mr. Pitt’s years-long effort to harass and control Angelina. We look forward to the upcoming hearing”.
Critical Court Date Approaches
The next public hearing in the case is scheduled for December 17, 2025, in Los Angeles Superior Court. This hearing will address Pitt’s request to compel Jolie to release the disputed email communications.
Judge Lia Martin, who previously ruled in Jolie’s favor in November 2024 requiring Pitt to disclose documents about the NDA and alleged abuse cover-up, will preside.
Eight-Year Marriage Saga Finally Ends
While Pitt and Jolie finalized their divorce in December 2024—more than eight years after Jolie filed in September 2016—the Miraval lawsuit remains completely separate from their divorce proceedings.
Jolie’s lawyer James Simon stated at the time: “Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over”. The couple was declared legally single in 2019, and Pitt has been dating jewelry executive Ines de Ramon since 2022.
Six Kids Navigate Parents’ Legal War
Pitt and Jolie share six children: Maddox (24), Pax (21), Zahara (20), Shiloh (19), and twins Vivienne and Knox (17). The former couple was together for 12 years before their 2016 split. Reports indicate several of the older children have distanced themselves from Pitt following the 2016 plane incident.
The ongoing litigation has reportedly made it difficult for the family to heal, with Jolie’s lawyer stating she “doesn’t speak ill of [Pitt] publicly or privately” and has been “trying hard to be light after a dark time”.
New Owners Enter the Fray
Tenute del Mundo, the Stoli Group subsidiary that purchased Jolie’s stake, owns prestigious Italian wineries including Masseto, Ornellaia, and Luce. Global CEO Damian McKinney stated they were “thrilled to have a position alongside Brad Pitt as curators of their extraordinary vintages”.
However, the company has been pulled into the legal battle, with Pitt’s original lawsuit also naming them as defendants.
February 2027 Court Date Set
Despite years of legal wrangling, the actual trial on Pitt’s breach of contract claims is not scheduled to begin until February 1, 2027—over five years after he initially filed suit. Both parties have requested a jury trial lasting 10 to 15 days.
Legal observers note this timeline is unusual but reflects the complexity of the case, which spans three countries’ legal frameworks and involves intricate business valuations, abuse allegations, privileged communications disputes, and high-stakes financial claims.
More Than Money on the Line
Beyond the $35 million damages claim, the case threatens to expose deeply personal details about both stars’ private lives, parenting, and the events surrounding their divorce. For Pitt, it’s about protecting what he calls his “passion project” and preventing what he views as an improper sale.
For Jolie, it’s about freedom from what her lawyers characterize as ongoing control and harassment. The outcome could reshape how celebrity divorces handle business assets and NDAs.