Brad Pitt is 59! Actor decided to put his children first after family was 'ripped apart'

The stars shocked fans in September 2016 when Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt after two years of marriage and more than 10 years as a couple. There was much speculation as to what was going to happen to their kids, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh and twins Vivienne and Knox. Pitt told GQ he would not let things get ugly in court over the couple's six children. "I just refuse," he said. "And fortunately my partner in this agrees. It’s just very, very jarring for the kids, to suddenly have their family ripped apart," he added.

The 'Fight Club' actor acknowledged that he was speaking as someone who had let his work steal his time away from his children. He observed how vulnerable children were, taking everything in and having to have their hands held and things explained. Pitt claimed that they needed to be heard and that when he switched into work mode, he stopped listening to them. He wished to improve in that area. Following the divorce, the actor's children could only visit him at times.

In the wake of the break up, Pitt was the subject of an investigation over a family incident which occurred on a private plane during a family trip. "I was really on my back and chained to a system when Child Services was called," Pitt told GQ. "And you know, after that, we’ve been able to work together to sort this out. We’re both doing our best," he added. Jolie told the BBC that they would "hopefully be a stronger family" when all is said and done, which is a sentiment also shared by Pitt. "Our focus is that everyone come out stronger and better people, there is no other outcome," Pitt said.