Angelina Jolie has revealed that her and ex-husband, Brad Pitt, fought over his decision to work with Harvey Weinstein. Jolie is of one Hollywood's most affluent and recognizable actresses, as well as a notable filmmaker and humanitarian. Best known for her roles in films such as Maleficent, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Gia, and Girl, Interrupted, Jolie has been the recipient of several prestigious accolades, including Golden Globes and an Academy Award. She is set to make her MCU debut this year as Thena in Eternals alongside an A-list cast, including Kit Harrington and Richard Madden.

While Jolie has received much attention for her acting career and humanitarian efforts, she has also found herself in the public eye due to her divorce from Pitt and their ensuing custody battle. Pitt is also one of Hollywood's most recognizable actors and is known for films such as World War Z, Moneyball, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Jolie and Pitt began their relationship in 2006 and were married in 2014. During their relationship, the couple had three children together and adopted three more. Since their divorce in 2019, an intense custody battle has ensued over their five minor children. In the midst of the battle, Jolie is opening up about her relationship with Pitt and the reasons for divorce.

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In an interview with The Guardian, Jolie opened up about the hurt she experienced over Pitt's work with Weinstein. Jolie was one of many women who stepped forward and accused Weinstein of sexual abuse. Jolie revealed she was 21-years old when she worked with him on Playing by Heart and escaped an assault from him. She refused to work with him again and warned others about him. However, in 2009 and 2012, Pitt worked alongside Weinstein for Inglorious Bastards and Killing Them Softly. Jolie fought with Pitt over his hurtful decision, as she felt he was minimizing her assault by working with Weinstein. Check out her statement below:

I really don’t want to derail the book into stories about Harvey. It was [assault]. It was beyond a pass, it was something I had to escape. I stayed away and warned people about him. I remember telling Jonny, my first husband, who was great about it, to spread the word to other guys – don’t let girls go alone with him. I was asked to do The Aviator, but I said no because he was involved. I never associated or worked with him again. It was hard for me when Brad did. We fought about it. Of course it hurt.

Jolie's experience with Pitt working for Weinstein reiterates the fact that many of Weinstein's colleagues, such as Quentin Tarantino, were aware of his predatory behavior. While many individuals in the industry were aware of Weinstein's behavior, it is still surprising that Pitt persisted in working with him while being in a relationship with one of Weinstein's victims. Jolie revealed that she avoided promotional events for the works Pitt did with Weinstein and, for her own part, turned down any projects associated with Weinstein. Weinstein, a convicted rapist, is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence for his crimes. The severity of his crimes and the number of his victims make his colleagues' decision to continue working with him and giving him a platform inexcusable.

Overall, Jolie's hurt was clearly justified in this situation, and it makes her divorce and custody battle more understandable, as well. Her story also aids in educating individuals on how to better support victims of sexual assault. One of the most important steps would be to avoid working relationships with predators. For example, Seth Rogen refuses to work with James Franco following abuse allegations. Despite film being a very interconnected and pressuring environment, one always has a choice to withdraw support from an individual following such allegations. The fact that someone may turn a blind eye to the assault of their own partner for the sake of working relationships illustrates why so many predators continue using their power for crime. Hopefully, Jolie's story and hurt will illustrate the importance of standing with victims of sexual assault rather than their abusers.

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Source: The Guardian