Angelina Jolie Fires Back at Brad Pitt Over Tax Records in Winery Battle

Angelina Jolie has filed new court documents in her ongoing legal battle with Brad Pitt over Château Miraval, the French estate they bought during their marriage. She is pushing back against his attempts to obtain her old tax returns and financial records.

In the filings, Jolie denies Pitt's claims that she put her entire financial situation at issue by stating she sold her stake in the winery to seek "financial independence" from him. She argues that this was clearly about independence from her ex-husband, not a comment on her overall financial health.

Jolie maintains she did not need Pitt's approval to sell her share to Stoli, a spirits company. Her lawyers assert that "separating from one's ex-husband is categorically different from allegations of financial distress," and that the real issue was untangling her life from a "controlling and abusive ex-husband." Pitt has consistently denied abuse allegations.

Pitt claims he invested heavily in turning Miraval into a successful winery and that Jolie's financial records from 2017 to 2019 are relevant to the case. His attorneys argue that if Jolie had substantial income during that period, it would undermine her claim that she had no meaningful alternative but to sell her stake.

The filings highlight that Jolie is a "globally recognized actress" who earned around $33 million for "Maleficent," making her Forbes' highest-paid actress that year. Pitt's team says such earnings contradict her narrative of economic pressure.

Jolie has already voluntarily provided tax returns for other years but argues that requests for earlier records violate her privacy. A judge has yet to rule on the matter. The dispute over Château Miraval is part of a broader conflict between the former couple, who divorced in 2019.