While we have a rough idea of the events that prompted Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to end their marriage, we may never know exactly what transpired on that now-notorious private jet flight back in September of 2016.
What we do know is that there was an altercation between Pitt and his eldest son.
And we also know that whatever happened, it was bad enough that Jolie moved out on Pitt within days, taking the couple’s six kids with her.
Needless to say, this wasn’t a case of two people gradually growing apart and mutually deciding to go their separate ways.
There was a time when it looked as though the Pitt-Jolie custody battle was shaping up to be the ugliest in recent memory.
Now, however, tensions seem to have eased, and the A-list couple appears to have recognized the importance of prioritizing the health and happiness of their kids over their own personal agendas.
According to People magazine, after nearly six months of communicating only through their lawyers, Brad and Angelina are once again speaking directly.
An insider tells the magazine that the public nature of the split took a profound toll on Pitt in particular, and he and Jolie both resolved to handle all future disputes more privately.
“He’s much happier,” a source says. “He’s very relieved that things are not playing out in public anymore.”
“It was a rough time, but they were able to resolve it,” adds the insider.
“This is a work in progress.”
Sources say the healing began when Jolie publicly praised Pitt as a “wonderful father” last month.
“He’s always been extremely positive about how Angie’s a good mother, and the goal was to resolve everything for the kids and the whole family, and they’re working toward that,” says the tipster.
The source claims that Brad has been spending most of his time at a Santa Barbara beach house he and Jolie purchased together.
The actor has reportedly taken up sculpting and spends most of his time working in his studio.
Pitt and Jolie’s custody deal has the couple’s kids spending the vast majority of their time with their mother, but in recent weeks all parties have reportedly worked together to schedule more visitation time for Brad.