Angelina Jolie Revealed She Had A Fight With Brad Pitt Over Harvey Weinstein: "I Had To Escape..."

Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of sexual assault that some readers may find distressing.

Angelina Jolie​ and Brad Pitt were among the most loved couples in Hollywood. So when they broke up, their fans wondered the reason behind the split. Among the other unknown reasons that contributed to their broken relationship, disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein was one of them. Jolie later shared her bad experience with Weinstein and how Pitt didn't support her. 

In an e-mail to The New York Times in 2017, the Salt star recounted, "I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth, and as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did," insisting that this "behavior towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable."

Jolie, who was 21 at the time, starred in a film produced by Weinstein titled Playing by Heart. It was during the filming that the convicted producer attempted to sexually assault her in a hotel room. Revising the horrific incident, the actress told The Guardian, "It was beyond a pass, it was something I had to escape."

Naturally, after the unfortunate encounter, she decided to never work with the producer. However, her then-partner Pitt continued to collaborate with Weinstein despite her claims. This resulted in a heartbreak for Jolie expected the father of her kids to stand by her side and fight. However, he persisted which, of course, caused a huge fight between the ex-couple. "We fought about it. Of course, it hurt," insisted Jolie. 

The now-60-year-old star collaborated with the sexual predator on multiple film projects and among his biggest hits with him was the 2009 World War II drama Inglourious Basterds directed by Quentin Tarantino and co-produced by the Weinstein Company. However, despite Jolie's accusations, Pitt reached out to Weinstein to be a producer for the 2012 film Killing Them Softly. This further deepened the wounds for her. 

So, for obvious reasons, Jolie distanced herself from attending promotions and events that were associated with Weinstein. "I was asked to do The Aviator, but I said no because he was involved," she revealed, adding that "It was hard" for her when her partner Brad continued to work with him and became inconsiderate."

Though it wasn't clear if this was the central reason why Jolie and Pitt called it quits after being together for almost 12 years, we assume, this must have played a significant role. The ex-couple filed for their separation in 2016, citing, "irreconcilable differences." But the split was only the beginning of Jolie and Pitt's most messy moments that gained traction in the media. 

As for Weinstein, the former movie magnate had a fall from grace after 87 women accused him of sexual harassment and assault. Among the names were some of Hollywood's most popular faces like Gwyneth Paltrow, Cara Delevingne, Eva Green, Salma Hayek, Lena Headey, Lupita Nyong'o, and many more. 

If you are being subjected to sexual assault, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)