Brad Pitt finds it "depressing" to see his son's Instagram post calling him "world-class a**hole" and an "awful human" being brought up, according to reports.
Pax Jolie-Pitt, 19, published a scathing rant about the 59-year-old movie star on Father's Day in 2020.
The teenager, 16 at the time, said the Hollywood star made his four youngest children "tremble in fear" and "made the lives of those closest to Pax a constant hell", according to a screengrab revealed by on Monday.
A source within Pitt's inner circle has since responded, saying: "It's frustrating to see Brad being painted as some kind of 'bad person' when it's far from the truth."
The Sun went on to quote them adding that Pitt has "great respect" for his children, arguing it "speaks volumes he chooses to keep a dignified silence" about the situation.
The full Instagram post from 2020, reportedly written by Pax, says: "Happy Father's Day to this world-class a***hole!
"You time and time and again prove yourself to be a terrible and despicable person.
"You have no consideration or empathy toward your four youngest children who tremble in fear when in your presence. You will never understand the damage you have done to my family because you are incapable of doing so.
"You have made the lives of those closest to me a constant hell. You may tell yourself and the world whatever you want, but the truth will come to light someday.
"So, Happy Father's Day, you f***ing awful human being!"
The message was supposedly posted to Pax's private story - an account used mostly for school friends - but was shared with the media this week.
Pax was adopted from a Vietnamese orphanage near Ho Chi Minh City by Pitt's ex-wife actress Angelina Jolie in 2012 and was later formally adopted by Mr Pitt.
The couple have five other children: Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne and Knox.
They married in 2014, but split two years later, ending their 12-year relationship. Following a lengthy custody battle, Ms Jolie won custody of their five youngest children, who were minors at the time.
Filing for divorce in September 2016, Jolie cited "irreconcilable differences" between her and Pitt.
The FBI and the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services then confirmed they were investigating Pitt for alleged child abuse, following an incident on the family’s private jet.
The actor was accused by an anonymous person of getting physical with the couple's eldest child, Maddox.
According to TMZ at the time, “the details of precisely what happened” were “murky.” But it was reported that Maddox had stepped in to verbally stand up for his mother during a fight with Pitt - who then lost his temper.
A source close to Pitt told People he was “drunk, and there was an argument between him and Angelina!".
“There was a parent-child argument which was not handled in the right way and escalated more than it should have.”
Pitt has since been cleared of all allegations.
The actor hasn’t made any comment about the allegations but has been open about his drinking and drug use.
In a May 2017 GQ interview, Pitt revealed he had quit drinking and smoking cannabis. “I can't remember a day since I got out of college when I wasn't boozing or had a spliff, or something," he said.
"And I'm running from feelings. I stopped everything except boozing when I started my family. But even this last year...I was boozing too much," he told the magazine.
"It's just become a problem. You either deny them all of your life or you answer them and evolve."
