Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce still rages on years after reports about the Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-stars splitting emerged in 2016. The two share six kids together, and now, Jolie’s brother, James Haven, is opening up about his relationship with his nieces, nephews and sister as this legal battle rolls on.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s six kids are all in their teens or 20s now – Maddox is 22, Pax is 20, Zahara is 18, Shiloh is 17, and the twins Knox and Vivienne are 15. Haven recently opened up about his relationship with those kids as well as his sister while on the 90Who10 podcast. Speaking about what it’s been like watching the kids grow up, the actor and philanthropist said:
I mean I think it’s natural. The thing is, that’s where it all started. It started with the protection of her, and then in the direct [protection] of her children and my nieces and nephews. And obviously they’re in their massively formative years. They’re becoming young adults, early twenties. That’s so crazy.
Of course, James Haven and Angelina Jolie are the children of Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand. He spoke about how he’s like his mom when it comes to this feeling of protecting his family and staying present with his loved ones. Continuing to speak about his relationship with his sister and her kids, Haven said:
I think it’s just very natural [to protect]. I just want to be there. Anytime – pretty much like my mom – anytime I’m blessed to be in their presence I want to be in their presence.
He went on to explain that when he’s with loved ones, he wants to turn his phone all the way off, and be present with them. Haven also emphasized that he wants to “be there” for his family, saying:
I want to be there for them. Or, for her, no matter what she’s going through.
Considering Pitt and Jolie are still fighting in court, and they have been in the midst of this divorce for nearly eight years, it makes sense that Haven feels a strong sense to protect his sister, nieces and nephews.
Jolie and Haven both share a love for philanthropic work, and he spoke at length on the podcast about his work doing mental health advocacy. They’re also siblings who have acted together on screen, as they both starred in Gia, Hell’s Kitchen and Original Sin.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s kids are growing up, and some are following in their famous parents’ footsteps – Vivienne Jolie-Pitt is working as her mom’s volunteer assistant on the Broadway musical The Outsiders, for example. It seems that their uncle, James Haven, is ready to protect and support them and their mom in any way he can.
Recently, Jolie has been honest about what’s changed amid her divorce, citing how hard it is to travel, however, it seems like she’s still very tight with her sibling and her kids. As her divorce from Brad Pitt continues, and if there are more developments about James Haven’s relationship with his family and his sister’s ex-husband, we’ll be sure to keep you posted.
