Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt Reportedly Have Three Possible Reasons For Halting Divorce [Report]

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt shocked the world almost a year ago with the news of their divorce, which came after 12 years as partners and two years as a married couple. Twitter responded to the bombshell by proclaiming that “love is dead” as fans mourned the crumbling of the golden couple known as Brangelina, and everyone speculated about the fate of Angelina’s and Brad’s six children – Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Vivienne, Knox, and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt.

In recent months, both Jolie and Pitt have responded to some of the rumors about how they are coping with in-depth interviews. Angelina recently explored her feelings in an interview with Vanity Fair, while Brad talked with GQ. Now, however, multiple reports are claiming that behind the scenes, Jolie and Pitt have pressed the pause button on the divorce proceedings.

Did Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt Call Off Their Divorce?

However, there are clashing allegations when it comes to whether Angelina and Brad actually called off their divorce or are in a holding pattern. An insider told E! News that Jolie and Pitt are “not moving forward right now.” As to precisely what the status of the divorce is, however, the source said that the couple is “taking a breather and seeing what happens.”

That “breather” comes in the wake of Angelina and Brad’s separate interviews about the impact on their lives since the split, including their six children ranging in age from 16 to 9. In her Vanity Fair interview, Jolie reflected on the change in moving the flock into a $25 million Los Angeles home, which she called a “big jump forward,” while Brad discussed his sobriety today and his drinking habits of the past with GQ.

“[I didn’t] want to live that way anymore.”

Will Brad Pitt And Angelina Jolie Reconcile?

Looking back on the months that have passed since Angelina filed for divorce, the insider said that much has changed, pointing to Pitt’s sobriety in particular as having “really changed” their relationship. But is the change enough to turn pressing the divorce pause button into an official reconciliation?

The insider hesitated to confirm the reconciliation rumors, instead saying that the future is “up in the air” for now. And although life can shift “quickly,” the two are not “pursuing the divorce at this time,” added the source.

Reasons For Pressing Pause On Divorce

Amid all those reports announcing that Brad and Angelina were halting or even calling off the divorce and reconciling, tabloids responded with everything from cheers at the alleged return of Brangelina to more speculation about the children. A celebrity family law attorney, Stacy Phillips, talked with The Recorder about all those reports of reconciliation and the silence that both Jolie and Pitt have maintained amid it all.

“I think there are three likely explanations,” said Phillips, who as one of the top family law attorneys in the nation has worked on cases involving high-profile figures such as Britney Spears, Axl Rose, Bobby Brown, and Whitney Houston.

Reason One: Protect Their Six Kids

The first reason for Brad and Angelina to halt their divorce is connected with maintaining their privacy and protecting their children, according to the legal expert. Stacy pointed to the extraordinary amount of publicity when the split was first announced and emphasized that the focus is on taking care of their kids.

“There was way too much publicity earlier and they don’t want their children to be collateral damage.”

Reason Two: Explore Their Relationship

In conjunction with holding onto their privacy, Phillips speculated that Brad and Angelina might be taking time to explore their relationship within the context of the divorce. That reason would mean that although the divorce is still on, although temporarily halted, Pitt and Jolie are attempting to figure out their new relationship privately without the media and public analyzing every move.

Reason Three: Explore Reconciliation

And the third possible reason for Pitt and Jolie to press pause on the divorce, according to Phillips, is all about reconciling.

“And three, they may be exploring getting back together.”

As for why Brad and Angelina have not provided any first-person insights on the allegations that the divorce proceedings are on hold or even possibly called off, Stacy pointed out that the heated media spotlight and opinions from social media make it even more challenging. The world also tends to forget, added the attorney, that Pitt and Jolie are individuals with “real” emotions.

‘These Are Real People With Real Feelings, Not Barbie & Ken Dolls’

Phillips also noted that in the case of Brad and Angelina, the media has been particularly “voyeuristic.” The attorney said that the voyeurism makes it much more “difficult” for Jolie and Pitt to examine their issues and continue their lives and the lives of their children.

Consequently, with regard to the silence that Brad and Angelina have maintained in the wake of the new headlines, Stacy said that the couple has been wise to avoid airing any changes in their relationship in the court of public opinion and media headlines.

[Featured Image by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]