NEWSBrad Pitt Pushes for Angelina Jolie's Private Messages in Winery Battle: Crisis Unfolds in Court
Brad Pitt is demanding to see Angelina Jolie's private text messages, as the legal battle over their winery continues.
July 10 2025, Published 11:52 a.m. ET
Brad Pitt told a judge he faced challenges in obtaining ex-wife Angelina Jolie's private messages, which he believes could serve as crucial evidence in their contentious court battle over their French winery, Château Miraval.
On June 30, Pitt, 61, filed court documents revealing his struggle to depose a man named Alexey Oliynik, an employee of Stoli Group.
Brad Pitt accused Angelina Jolie of striking a secret deal with the Stoli Group.
The couple purchased the vineyard while married, but following their divorce filing, Jolie sold her stake in Miraval to Stoli. Pitt opposed the sale and is suing to reverse it.
In his recent motion, Pitt stated that Oliynik has declined to appear for a deposition or produce any documents. Oliynik claims he resides in Switzerland and cannot be compelled to participate in the California-based case.
A source close to the situation revealed to a news outlet: "This is another example of the defendant's repeated opposition to sharing documents that would provide insight."
The judge has yet to rule on the matter.
Pitt then accused Jolie of "secretly" selling her stakes in the winery as retaliation for their custody battle. The actor alleged that they had previously agreed to not sell their shares in Château Miraval without each other's consent.
Angelina Jolie claimed Brad Pitt tried to force her to sign an $8.5 million NDA before the deal.
The F1 star argued that Oliynik possesses firsthand knowledge of the negotiation discussions with Jolie and her team. He emphasized that the documents requested go "directly to his core claims" in the case.
Pitt and Jolie are gearing up for a 15-day trial, although a start date remains unset amidst their winery dispute. Pitt holds his shares through a company called Mondo Bongo, while Jolie's shares are held in Nouvel.
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The duo split in 2016 but kept their interest in Miraval until Jolie expressed her desire to exit in 2021. Pitt and his team made a $55.4 million offer for her stake.
The tension escalates as Jolie alleged that Pitt attempted to force her to sign an $8.5 million non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to shield himself from scrutiny over "years of abuse." In court documents filed on July 25, she denied the accusations, asserting she was not obligated to seek Pitt's approval for the sale.
Brad Pitt denied all claims of abuse by Angelina Jolie.
Jolie contended her withdrawal from negotiations was due to Pitt's move to add a non-disparagement clause. Pitt vehemently denied her claims, with his lawyer dismissing the idea that she backed out for that reason.
He proclaimed, "[Jolie] and Nouvel had covertly lined up and tentatively struck a deal with a third party: the Stoli Group, owned and controlled by Russian billionaire, Yuri Shefler."
Reports indicate that Pitt is also seeking to depose a member of Nouvel.
The struggle intensifies as Pitt filed a lawsuit against Jolie in February 2022, claiming she unlawfully sold her shares of Miraval, the French company encompassing the chateau and vineyard they acquired together in the south of France.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's trial over their winery will last 15 days.
As previously noted, Nouvel filed a countersuit against Pitt, accusing him of mismanaging Miraval's assets and squandering funds on vanity projects. The countersuit alleged, "Pitt and Mondo Bongo have turned Château Miraval into their personal piggy bank."
The suit continued, "They have entered into a series of transactions using Château Miraval's funds that have deprived [Stoli] of the profits and loan repayments to which it is entitled."
Pitt and his company have denied all allegations of wrongdoing and moved to dismiss the countersuit.
