15 Possible Reasons Behind Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt's Split

It's all over - Hollywood royalty, 41-year-old Angelina Jolie and 52-year-old Brad Pitt, have announced they will divorce. Although the rumors have been circulating for quite some time that all had not been well for the couple, nobody was prepared for the media storm the split was going to create, as almost every news outlet online began a 24-hour live feed about the world's most famous romance finally coming to an end. (Not to mention social media becoming flooded with thousands of Jennifer Aniston laughing memes - well what else could we expect?)

Angelina has hired top gun lawyer Laura Wasser, who recently advised Johnny Depp during his divorce settlement with actress Amber Heard, and the court documents state she filed for "dissolution of marriage" on September 15th. The pair who have six children together are about to begin a long legal battle that will see them fight over custody, visitation rights and also how to split their nine shared properties between them.

But where did it all go wrong? Why would one of the most seemingly committed couples in the world finally call it a day? There has been so much speculation online it's hard to know what to believe - but we have put together the following possible reasons why this marriage has finally fallen apart. After knowing what really goes on behind closed doors; explosive rows, allegations of cheating, rumors of substance abuse - it looks as if there will be no reconciliation on the cards for them both.

15 Brad Was Having An Affair

Brad Pitt having an affair with his co-star in a spy movie is nothing new. In a bizarre case of showbiz history repeating itself, Angelina hired a private investigator to spy on her husband and actress Marion Cotillard as the pair shot scenes for their upcoming movie Allied in London. A source told The Washington Post, "She hired a private eye because she felt that he was fooling around with her on the set, and it turns out, he was. And that was the final straw."

Cotillard has been in a relationship with French actor, film director and screenwriter Guillaume Canet since 2007. Although the pair never married they have one son together, 5-year-old Marcel. The movie is set for release in November this year and features some very steamy love scenes between the co-stars. Although Cotillard has remained silent on the matter, this could be another "we are just close friends" situation almost identical to when Jolie-Pitt fell for each other on the set of Mr and Mrs Smith in 2004.

14 They Are Intellectual Opposites

It's no big secret that Brad Pitt isn't the brightest - however Angelina Jolie has an IQ of 136, which is well above average. Since 2001, Angelina has expressed her concerns with the humanitarian crisis around the world. She is a proud UN Ambassador and has said, "We cannot close ourselves off to information and ignore the fact that millions of people are out there suffering. I honestly want to help. I don't believe I feel differently from other people."

Brad has always showed Angelina his full support but his heart belongs to Hollywood. He still wishes to fill his diary with film roles, walk the glamorous red carpet and attend A-List events and parties. The contrast between how they both view their future together has finally pulled them apart for good. The Washington Post reported that a close source said, "The older she gets, the more serious she becomes, and she is sick of the Hollywood thing. He wants to make movies. She doesn't. It's a fundamental difference. It's how you live your life."

13 They Are Having A Financial Crisis

How can a couple worth $400 million together possibly have money troubles? For Brangelina they have reached the point of concern as they have both been living too lavishly. A source told Radar Online they have been "overspending for years." During a trip to London in 2011, the pair wanted to take their family to Scotland but refused to spend the 5-hour journey in first class. Instead they chartered the entire train and although Virgin Trains would not comment on the price - let's just say it wasn't cheap.

The couple came to blows earlier this year when Radar Online also reported Angelina turned down the opportunity to star in a Maleficent sequel. They revealed, "She was refusing to sign up for the lucrative lead role in the sequel even though it will bring in cash they desperately need." Her role in the original bought home a paycheck for a staggering $33 million and Time claimed this made her one of the richest actresses of all time. Now she has turned her back on Hollywood the pair had to kiss goodbye to such eye-watering paydays.

12 Brad Was Forced To Sell His Dream Home In France

One of Brad's biggest heartbreaks this year was being forced to put his 1,200-acre estate Château Miraval in Correns, France, up for sale. The World War Z star tirelessly renovated the property and he also proudly and produced their very own brand of pink wine. In 2014, the couple married on the grounds of the estate that also boasts an olive garden, pine forests, a private lake and even it's own moat.

When their paradise went on sale last year the rumor mill already went into overdrive that the pair were ready to call it quits - after all this was where they both planned to grow old together. Despite this being their safe haven away from the paparazzi and the glare of Hollywood - it could not save their marriage and will be resold. They originally purchased the home for $60 million in 2012 and they are hoping to fetch the same as they split their shared assets between them.

11 Angelina Hated His Parenting Methods

No divorce is easy but for the Jolie-Pitt family things are about to get very messy as it's reported Angelina is seeking full physical custody of their six children - Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, and their three biological children Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8. This means Brad will only get joint legal custody and his visitation rights will be limited.

TMZ reported, "Sources connected with the couple tell us Angelina's decision to file has to do with the way Brad was parenting the children - she was extremely upset with his methods. Her decision was solely over Brad's interaction with their children."

In an interview with People magazine, Brad previously admitted he's not the perfect parent. He revealed, "Not like I'm a horrible parent, but I've certainly made mistakes and had to make up for it." Now it looks like Angelina is not ready to let him make another mistake as she begins to proceeds in the court papers she filed.

10  They Shared An Embarrassing Movie Flop

Angelina and Brad are two of the biggest names in Hollywood - any movie they throw themselves at usually turns into a box office smash (Mr and Mrs Smith bought home a staggering $470 million at the US box office). However this wasn't the case for Angelina's vanity project - a romantic drama By The Sea - that saw her write, direct, produce and star alongside Brad. Set in the 1970s, the movie is about a couple that simply fight and break-up.

The film was a complete bomb and the Daily Mail reported, "It took just £3,000 on its opening weekend and one reviewer said its daily box office earnings did not match what Jolie and her family of six spend on lunch." Another reviewer on the Roger Ebert film site said Jolie "had produced a film that is such a borderline unendurable exercise in vapid self-indulgence that it almost feels like an exceptionally straight-faced parody of empty-headed star vehicles." Behind the scenes footage showed clear tension between the two on the set - proving that some couples just struggle to work together.

9 Angelina Hates Brad's Family

For a long lasting marriage you have to get along with the in-laws, but for Angelina this wasn't so easy as it was reported in 2012 that the actress was left "mortified" by Brad's mother, Jane Pitt. According to Radar Online, Jane wrote an open letter criticising gay marriage during the presidential election. They reported, "Mrs Pitt said Republican candidate Mitt Romney is a 'family man' with 'high morals' who is against same-sex partnerships - despite the fact that her famous son and his fiancée are avid supporters of the President."

The women also came to blows when Jane refused to respect Shiloh's wish to dress more like her brothers and insisted on buying her "girly dresses." The Evening Standard reported, "It's well documented that Shiloh likes to dress like a boy. But Jane still insists on buying her fairy costumes and princess dresses, which Angelina finds very disrespectful." Jane has also been on close terms with Jennifer Aniston since her son's divorce - another infuriation for Angelina.

8 Gwyneth Paltrow Is Back On The Scene?

If we rewind back to the 90s, Brad was engaged (very briefly) to Gwyneth Paltrow however it was not meant to be. Paltrow opened up to Vanity Fair about their relationship as she recalled, "I was 22 when we met… I wasn't ready, and he was too good for me… I didn't know what I was doing." The actress also claimed she was "such a mess" at the time that the relationship just collapsed but Brad was "the one that got away."

Now the two are much older, Brad is going through a divorce and Gwyneth has finalised hers with Coldplay singer Chris Martin, could a potential romance be rekindled between the two? The National Enquirer reported that Brad Pitt had reportedly called out Gwyneth's name in his sleep - fuelling Angelina's rage even more. Whatever the future would be for Brad and Gwyneth - they are now much older and wiser to make it work the second time around.

7 Angelina Is Overly Jealous

Angelina was areportedly furious when Brad was pictured at the Golden Globe Awards this year getting close to 24-year-old Selena Gomez. On the red carpet Selena told reporters, "I'm trying to find Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling." Hours later, Selena posted the above Instagram picture of the pair sat together and the National Enquirer reported, "Now Selena is bragging to everyone that Brad is gung ho to make another movie with her. Selena is going around jokingly calling Brad "my future husband," and Angie is obviously none too pleased."

This isn't the first time Angelina has turned into a green-eyed monster. Recent reports were that she completely blanked Marion Cotillard on the set of Allied (although now we know why she had good reason to) and that she never quite got over the fact he was married to Jennifer Aniston before her. Even for one of the most beautiful women in the world dealing with a low self-esteem is still very much real.

6 They Have Been Leading Separate Lives

Although the pair play up to the cameras on the red carpet and stage photographs of how much in love they are, nothing beats getting the real scoop from the people who see it all - the hotel staff. Hotel worker Anna Kowalski, who looked after the couple at the Waldorf Astoria in New York, told the Daily Mail, "I didn't see any kind of connection between Pitt and Jolie. I've seen no family dinners, no movie nights, no dinners for the two of them alone." She added, "At night Angelina drinks white or red wine in the suite; Brad is always in the lounge drinking beer. He just sits by himself texting on his phone for hours."

The pair had not been pictured together in months as their careers took them to different parts of the globe. They attempted to keep the divorce rumors at bay by continuing to wear the wedding rings but the media had already called it a day on this marriage before it was even announced.

5 Brad Can't Stop His Partying Lifestyle

Once a Hollywood playboy - always a Hollywood playboy. Rumors are the reason Angelina is seeking full custody of the children is that she believes his party lifestyle and addiction to marijuana is not a good example for the children. Angelina craved the family life, but for Brad he just couldn't settle down.

An insider told Hollywood Life exclusively: "Brad was always looking for an escape. He loved spending time with the family but he also loved getting away. (He) loved to have a few beers with his friends on the cast and crew. On Allied Brad and his pals on set would drink beers till late into the night, laugh, tell stories and have a great time. It was Brad's release."

Although other reports revealed there was a bit more than just a "few beers" to be had on set. The Washington Post reported, "The atmosphere (off-set) was full of hard drugs and Russian hookers, and Angie was told Brad got caught up in it. He's in the throes of some insane midlife crisis, and Angie is fed up." Looks like Angelina is not sticking around to watch her husband destroy himself.

4 Angelina Is Battling Her Own Issues

Earlier this year, Celebrity Health Fitness claimed Angelina could be having a possible struggle with anorexia as she continues to juggle her career and family life. They claimed, "(Angelina) has recently been the target of anorexia rumors. Tabloids claim the 5-foot-7 Jolie weighs a sickly 79 pounds after her dramatic recent weight loss." There is no denying the star, who was once celebrated for her womanly curves, has appeared a lot less shapely these past few years.

Her own father, actor Jon Voight, has voiced his concerns about Angelina's mental health. In 2002, Angelina became estranged from her father after he urged her fans to encourage the Tomb Raider star to seek help for self-harming. She had apparently begun cutting herself with knives during her teenage years around the time her parents divorced. Finally in 2010, all was forgiven and they reconciled. Voight recently gave comment that "something very serious must have happened" in order for his daughter to begin divorce proceeding against Brad.

3 Brad Still Worked During Angelina's Health Crisis

In 2013, Angelina made the scary decision to undergo a double mastectomy, as her risk of contracting ovarian cancer was high. She lost her own mother after an eight-year long battle with ovarian and breast cancer, but also her grandmother and aunty passed away after a battle with the same disease. Angelina Jolie told the US broadcaster Tom Brokaw: "You have to just make the choices you make in life," she said. "I made the choices I made because I believed they were right for me."

Although Angelina was recovering at home from the potentially life saving surgery - Brad was travelling the globe promoting his new releases 12 Years A Slave and World War Z. He also spent half the year shooting war film Fury. His ex-wife Jennifer Aniston had previously called the actor out on having "a sensitivity chip missing" and maybe now Angelina has begun to figure out exactly she means.

2  There Was Bad Karma From The Beginning

Back in 2005, you were either "Team Jen" or "Team Angelina" - there was no sitting on the fence. As Brad shot off to film the spy movie Mr and Mrs Smith, his wife of five years Jennifer Aniston was haunted by tabloid gossip and showbiz rumors that her husband was getting close to Angelina on set. Then one picture made the front pages - Brad and Angelina playing with her son Maddox on a private beach. Jen filed for divorce.

Angelina was cast in this showbiz soap opera as the man stealer - her tattoos, previous displays of open sexuality and wild child image all added to the drama. Brad - the doe-eyed man who had no choice but to fall under the spell of the seductress. And "poor Jen" - the heartbroken wife who had the man of her dreams snatched from right under her nose. The whole event was so dramatic that still twelve years on they made the front pages. Now Jen can finally lay it all to rest and The Mirror reported when the news broke she said, "That's karma for you." (And finally some closure too.)

1 They Only Married For The Kids

In 2014, Brad and Angelina finally tied the knot at their home in France after ten years together. The reason behind them finally taking the plunge is that their six kids begged them everyday to get married. Angelina even wore a wedding gown decorated in their artwork as she walked down the aisle at a chapel on the grounds of their family home. Now the divorce is pending, Brad Pitt made an official statement that read: "What matters most now is the well-being of our kids. I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this challenging time."

Divorce and parenting expert Jenna Coleman told Yahoo Celebrity, "The disadvantage to children of being in the spotlight is that the child could feel more shamed by association to whatever tawdry details emerge as a result of the divorce." She added, "This could cause them to feel shame and guilt by association and be more subjected to peer-group ridicule than in a divorce that is less visible to the public." The Jolie-Pitt family have always put on a united front and although there have been rumors of a divorce for years - they have probably held off for sake of the kids.