alongwithPax,optedoutof
openinggiftsatBrad’splace
withtheirsiblings.
WhilepartofMaddox’s
decisionis hissimmering
resentmentagainstBrad,
anotherinsidernotesthat
he’salsojusta typically
independentteenager.
“[MaddoxandPax]spend
moretimewiththeirfriends
andarebusydoingtheirown
thing,”saysthesource.“They
spendlesstimethanthey
usedtowiththeyounger
kidsandthefamily.”
That’sabouttobecome
morepermanentnowMaddox
is studyingbiochemistry
nearly15,000kmawayfrom
hisparentsandsiblings.
Andwhiletheinsidersays
Bradisn’t“surprisedthathis
sonis goingtouniversity
overseasbecausehismum
hasmade[travelling]a part
ofhislifesincehewasa baby,”
there’sa partofhimthat
hopesthedistanceandtime
awaywillhelpthemheal.
“Brad’shopefulthatas
hissongetsolder,they’ll
becomecloseagain.” #A
ngelinaJoliewas
beamingwithpride
asshesettledher
18-year-oldson
MaddoxintoSouth
Korea’sYonseiUniversity
recently.Thepairhada tourof
thecampus,withthepleased
actressstoppingtochatto
adoringfans.Buttherewas
onepersonobviouslymissing
fromthemilestonemoment- dadBradPitt.
TheOnceUpona Time
inHollywoodactor,55,only
learnedofhisson’scollege
plansrightbeforethenews
brokepublicly.
Notbeingincludedin
sucha landmarkeventinhis
son’slifewasunfortunately
nosurprisetoBrad.Heand
Maddoxhaven’tspentmuch
timetogetherlately.
They’vehada strained
relationshipeversincethe
actorallegedlygotdrunk
aboarda privateplanein
2016 andbecamephysical
withMaddox.Theincident
reportedlyspurredAngelina,
44,tofilefordivorceafter
twoyearsofmarriageand 11
yearstogetherasa couple.
Theheadstrongteen,
whoAngelinaadoptedin
2002 priortoherbreak-up
withBillyBobThornton,
is veryclosetohismum,
accordingtoa familyfriend.
Whenshedecidedtosplit
fromBrad– withwhomshe
alsoshareschildrenPax,15,
Zahara,14,Shiloh,13,and
11-year-oldtwinsKnoxand
Vivienne– Maddoxeffectively
chosesidesandhasstayed
thereeversince.
Accordingtoa second
source,eventhoughBrad
legallyadoptedtheboyin
2006,“Maddoxdoesn’treally
seehimselfasBrad’sson.”
It seemstheresentmenthas
beenbuildingforyears.While
OscarwinnerBradcanprovide
everymaterialpossessionhis
kidscouldpossiblywant,he
couldbeemotionallydistant- somethingthestarhas
previouslyadmitted.
“I grewupwitha ‘Father
KnowsBest’mentality:
Thefatheris all-powerful,
superstrong,”hesaidofhis
conservativeMidwestern
upbringing.“Andit’shitme
smackinthefacewithour
divorce:I gottabemore...
I havetoshowthem.AndI
haven’tbeengreatatit.”
Hewasalsoreportedlynot
greatatcontrollinghistemper
andalcoholintakewhenhe
waswithAngelina.A source
closetotheactressonce
describedBradasa “bigyeller”
whenit cametothekids,and
healsoconfessedin 2017 that
hewasa bigdrinker.“I could
drinka Russianunderthe
tablewithhisownvodka.I
wasa professional.”
He’shadtojumpthrough
hoops– includingtherapy
sessions,aswellasundergoing
drugandalcoholtesting– in
ordertoprovehisfitnessas
a father,whileAngelinahad
physicalcustodyofthekids.
ButforMaddox,it wastoo
little,toolate.Heoptednot
tojoinhissiblingsth
weeksafterthe
planeincident,
whichwasthefirst
timethey’dseen
theirdadsincethe
planedrama.
Andthough
Bradhasregained
morecustodyover
time,threeyears
latertheissue
hasn’tsettled,with
Maddoxchoosing
toskipmanymore
get-togethers.
Evenholidays
didn’tsoftenhis
resolve.Thispast
Christmas,Maddox,The actor is
still paying
for his past
mistakes
Brad’s broken
Angeisallsmilesassheand
MaddoxarriveatYonsei
UniversityinSeoul(right).PICTURES:
GETTY
IMAGES,
SHUTTERSTOCK,
SPLASH.
TALK TO ME,
MADDOX!
g
hreeIn happier times (from left):
Brad and Ange with Maddox
and Zahara in 2006; the boys
at a football game in 2010;
all dressed up for an Oscars
event in 2013.Celebrity news
14 Woman’s Day