Even though Angelina Jolie has had a stellar career, her love life has been pretty rough. From issues with her father, Jon Voight, to her messy split with Brad Pitt, she’s had her share of drama. Throughout her life, Jolie has been married to three actors: Jonny Lee Miller, Billy Bob Thornton, and Brad Pitt. Sadly, all three ended in divorce. Why did all these relationships fail? Let’s see if we can figure it out.
1. Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller
Before she became the most wanted actress in all of Hollywood, Jolie married Jonny Lee Miller in 1996 after meeting on the set of “Hackers.” Their wedding was anything but traditional, with the only two guests being her mother and his best friend. Jolie made headlines by wearing black rubber pants and a T-shirt with Miller’s name written in her blood—a wild and memorable choice. She explained to The New York Times that she was okay with sacrificing a few drops since it was for her husband. Still very weird, if you ask me.
Unfortunately, the marriage didn’t last. Jolie felt she lost her identity, and they divorced a bit over a year later. Jolie noted in an interview that it felt weird to immediately be married, and lose her identity. She took full responsibility for their split, even admitting that her demanding career and emotional distance were significant factors. The actress didn’t think it was fair to leave their relationship on the backburner while she was busy with her career. Jolie said that they never fought or hurt each other, but she wasn’t ready to sacrifice her career.
Despite the divorce, they stayed close friends, and they’ve been seen together multiple times, including with her kids in 2021.
2. Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie
On the set of “Pushing Tin” in 1999, Jolie met Billy Bob, and just as her divorce from Miller was finalizing, they eloped in Las Vegas a few months later. Their marriage was intense, famously marked by them carrying vials of each other’s blood, which definitely made people pay attention.
In 2002, Jolie adopted her son, Maddox, and everything seemed fine until it wasn’t. Later that year, the couple suddenly announced their separation because, according to Jolie, they had slowly drifted apart due to different life paths. While Thornton was focused on his music career, Jolie found a new passion in humanitarian work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Well, that’s life. What can you do?
Despite their divorce, they eventually rebuilt their friendship. Over the years, he reiterated their special connection, calling Jolie one of his closest friends and noting that they still keep in touch.
3. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
Jolie’s relationship with Brad Pitt began with nasty rumors of infidelity while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston. Just like Billy Bob and Johnny Lee, Jolie and Pitt met on the movie set in 2005 and quickly became a high-profile couple, dubbed by every fan out there “Brangelina.” They married in 2014 and have six children together.
In 2016, Jolie filed for divorce after an alleged incident on a private jet where Pitt was reportedly intoxicated and said some choice words to Jolie and their children. The LAPD and L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services conducted an investigation, but found no evidence of abuse against Pitt. Despite this, the split was all over the news, and there was no way to save this marriage.
Their custody battle was intense, with Jolie accusing Pitt of failing to pay child support and filing court documents alleging ongoing domestic abuse. The couple finally officially split up in 2019, but as of June 2024, they still hadn’t finalized their divorce.
The legal battles also extended to their French winery, Miraval. Pitt sued Jolie for selling her share without his consent, claiming they had agreed not to sell without each other’s permission. Jolie countered that Pitt had tried to force her to sign an NDA about the 2016 incident, which she refused. The case was ongoing, with Jolie alleging in a 2024 countersuit that Pitt had been physically abusive for years. It’s a whole thing.
Naturally, Jolie and Pitt’s ongoing custody battle has affected their children. Maddox, Pax, and Zahara reportedly side with Jolie, and Pax even called out Pitt on social media. Zahara dropped Pitt’s last name, and Pitt’s relationship with Maddox is strained. Vivienne also stopped using his last name, and Shiloh legally dropped “Pitt” on her 18th birthday.
While Jolie has managed to keep her career flourishing, it seems like her personal life has been filled with drama, pain, and suffering. Here’s hoping her next relationship will finally be a happy one.