Brad Pitt has responded to the news that his wife Angelina Jolie has filed for divorce after two years.
“I am very saddened by this, but what matters most now is the well being of our kids,” the actor said in a statement to People. “I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this challenging time.”
In court documents obtained by TheWrap, Jolie listed their official date of separation as September 15, 2016, and cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split.
She also requested sole physical custody of their six children, offering Pitt visitation rights and joint legal custody. Pitt officially adopted three of Jolie’s children, while Jolie gave birth to three more children of their own over the course of their relationship, which started in 2004 on the set of the married-assassins action flick “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.”
“Angelina Jolie Pitt has filed for dissolution of the marriage,” the actress’ rep told People. “This decision was made for the health of the family. She will not be commenting at this time, and asks that the family be given their privacy during this difficult time.”
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt most recently co-starred in the 2015 film “By the Sea,” which Jolie directed, about a couple struggling through marital difficulties.