Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s relationship and breakup timeline spanning decades
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie went from Hollywood’s most famous couple to one of the world's most closely watched break-ups,
After meeting on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2004, they built a family of six children, married in 2014 and split just two years later. Their divorce was finally settled in 2024, but the fallout has continued, with several of their children dropping Pitt from their surnames and the former couple still locked in a separate dispute over their French winery.
Here is a look back at their relationship, from the first time they met all the way through to Pitt's new Esquire interview, which was published just this week (10 August).
2004 | They meet on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Pitt and Jolie meet while filming the hit action comedy Mr. & Mrs Smith back in 2004.
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Pitt was still married to Jennifer Aniston at the time, and rumours about his relationship with Jolie quickly followed.
The 'Brangelina' love triangle connects all three Hollywood A-listers, marking one of the most famous celebrity stories in modern pop culture
2005 | Brangelina goes public
Jolie is photographed with Pitt and her son Maddox, while Pitt and Aniston finalise their divorce in October.
Jolie also adopts Zahara from Ethiopia that year.
The photos fuelled the media frenzy even more, cementing the pair as one of Hollywood's most-talked-about 'it couples'.
January 2006 | They confirm they are expecting
Jolie confirms she is pregnant with Pitt's child.
It is their first of three biological children they would go on to share together.
Pitt subsequently adopts Maddox and Zahara, and their surnames become Jolie-Pitt.
27 May 2006 | Shiloh is born
The couple welcome their first biological child, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, in Namibia.
The high-profile birth took place in a private hospital via scheduled C-section after the couple made the trip to Namibia to escape heavy media scrutiny and support local-led humanitarian efforts.
14 March 2007 | Pax joins the family
Jolie adopts Pax Thien from Vietnam.
Because Vietnamese law did not permit unmarried couples to co-adopt at the time, Jolie adopted him as a single parent before Brad Pitt formally adopted him later.
This brought the couple's family to four children.
12 July 2008 | Twins arrive
The pair then welcomed the two other biological children, twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, who were born in Nice, France.
The couple now have six children.
Pitt and Jolie didn't have any more children after the twins.
April 2012 | They get engaged
After years of saying marriage was not a priority, Pitt and Jolie announce their engagement.
They had been together for seven years.
It wasn't for another couple of years that they actually tied the knot.
23 August 2014 | They get married
The couple marry in a private ceremony at Château Miraval in France, surrounded by their children.
Maddox and Pax walked Angelina down the aisle.
Zahara and Vivienne threw flower petals from the garden.
Shiloh and Knox served as the ring bearers
19 September 2016 | Jolie files for divorce
After 12 years together and two years of marriage, Jolie files for divorce.
The actress cites 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for the split.
She requests custody of their six children, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne, with visitation requested for Pitt.
2019 | They are legally single
A judge grants the couple bifurcation.
This allows them to be declared legally single while their remaining divorce issues continue to be fought out.
It restored the Tomb Raider star's last name back to Jolie.
May 2024 | Shiloh drops 'Pitt'
On her 18th birthday, Shiloh files a petition to change her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie.
The request is approved in August.
She is the first of Jolie and Pitt's children to drop 'Pitt' from her name.
December 2024 | The divorce finally settles
After more than eight years of legal proceedings, Pitt and Jolie reach a divorce settlement.
The settlement ends their marital dispute.
However, their separate legal battle over Château Miraval continues.
February 2026 | Maddox drops 'Pitt' professionally
Maddox is credited as Maddox Jolie, rather than Maddox Jolie-Pitt, in the credits for Jolie's film Couture.
The film, directed by Alice Winocour, also stars French actor Louis Garrel.
Maddox later files to legally change his name to Maddox Chivan Jolie.
May 2026 | Zahara follows suit
Zahara is publicly identified as Zahara Marley Jolie at her Spelman College graduation.
In June, she files a legal petition to remove Pitt from her surname.
She is the third of the pair's three children to drop 'Pitt' from her surname.
July 2026 | Vivienne files to drop 'Pitt'
Vivienne files a petition to change her legal name from Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt to Vivienne Marcheline Jolie.
Asked to provide a reason ahead of a hearing in November, Vivienne described it as a 'personal' choice.
That means four of the six children have now taken public or legal steps to remove Pitt from their names.
12 July 2026 | Knox turns 18
Knox reaches adulthood and has also been publicly identified as Knox Jolie on his recent high-school diploma.
His name change has not been reported as a legal filing.
Only Pax uses the hyphenated surname still.
10 August 2026 | Pitt speaks about the family fallout
In a new Esquire interview, Pitt discusses the emotional toll of what he describes only as 'family stuff', including a period when he experienced suicidal thoughts.
"I’ve never been suicidal except for one little period," Pitt, 62, confessed. "And in that one little period, I just thought - I just couldn’t - just didn’t see a way out."
He does not publicly detail his relationship with his children.
If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.
Topics: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Sex and Relationships, Celebrity
Rhiannon Ingle