LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who were once known as the most famous and influential power couple in Hollywood, have been involved in a string of bitter wars ever since they divorced in 2019. However, the heat between the two celebs seem to have eased off a little bit as they have agreed to settle their rancorous $350 million legal war over their French vineyard.
This shocking and unexpected development comes just two weeks following the legal filing which blamed the 'Fight Club' actor for bullying and illegal behavior over the vineyard they co-owned and now they have agreed to conciliation that could settle their quibble.
Are Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt settling their legal war?
According to Daily Mail, documents filed the previous week show that Pitt, 59 and Jolie, 48, have agreed to mediation as an alternative method to settle their dispute over Chateau Miraval, instead of going to the court. The 'Salt' actress also said that she's willing to take part in a settlement conference.
Besides, the outlet also reported that Pitt has appointed a 'provisional administrator' to Chateau Miraval in a bid to resolve the war between himself and the Russians, to whom Jolie sold her share of the vineyard. It is reportedly this transaction that has fuelled current complications. It has been claimed that Pitt wants to protect the lucrative wine business that he has helped to build jointly with French wine-makers Famille Perrin.
It will see an independent figure come in to assess the winery and how it is run. It is also hoped that in time, it will facilitate negotiations between Pitt and Nouvel, the investment company Jolie sold to Stoli boss Yuri Shefler.
A French source sheds light on the move
"In view of the dispute between Nouvel LLC (controlled by Stoli boss Yuri Shefler) and Mondo Bongo LLC (controlled by Brad Pitt), Chateau Miraval and its director have requested and obtained the appointment of a provisional administrator by the Draguignan (France) Commercial Court, to enable the company and its director to continue to grow the business and its essential partnership with the Perrin Family until such dispute is resolved, in the interests of Château Miraval, its directors, employees, partners and subsidiaries", A French source admitted the move.
When did Jolie and Pitt purchase the massive estate?
In 2008, Pitt and Jolie purchased Chateau Miraval, a 1300-acre estate in the south of France. They started a wine-making business there with the Perrin family in 2013 who were the top producers of organic wine from the Southern Rhone Valley. The couple even married later at the property in 2014.
The ex-couple's joint venture was an almost immediate hit, with Chateau Miraval Rose being ranked the best in the world by many experts. However, after an incident between Pitt, Jolie and their children on a plane trip from France to California in 2016, the actress filed for divorce. Things have turned bitter between the two ever since, over custody of the kids, and money.
Lawyers for Nouvel are seeking $350 million in damages
Pitt launched legal action against Jolie for selling her interest in Chateau Miravel to Russian oligarch Shefler last year. Pitt hoped to pay his ex to give up her share himself, and is now seeking to have the sale reversed. However, a couple of weeks ago, lawyers for Nouvel claimed that Pitt had been 'looting' the wine business and using it as his 'personal cashbox' for 'vanity projects'. They are seeking $350 million in damages. The star was described in the earlier court filing as a 'bully' who has acted emotionally, irrationally and 'ultimately illegally' over the vineyard where Pitt and Jolie tied the knot.
