Brad Pitt Photoshoot Takes Subtle Jab at Angelina Jolie Amid Winery Dispute: Expert

Amid a heated legal battle over the “F1” star’s French winery, Brad Pitt and George Clooney showcased their friendship and storied careers with a photoshoot featuring Château Miraval.

The apparent public relations move could “absolutely be perceived as subliminal messaging,” according to public relations expert Kelcey Kintner. Pitt and his ex-wife Angelina Jolie have been engaged in a fierce legal battle over the actress’ sale of the vineyard for years through various court filings.

“There’s not much not to like about two handsome movie stars sitting around in fancy clothes on an impressive vineyard,” Kintner, a senior vice president at Red Banyan, explained. “Especially when you compare that imagery to the bitter and protracted divorce battle between Pitt and Jolie. It’s like Pitt is trying to remind us that he is the good guy in all this, despite Jolie’s claims.”

Pitt and Clooney have been friends for nearly 25 years. Both actors have homes in the same small French town. Clooney’s property, which he purchased during the COVID pandemic, is only nine minutes from the Miraval estate.

“We’ve been friends for a long time,” Clooney told GQ in the cover story set at Miraval. “It’s fun because we also check in on each other every once in a while, which is an important part of this. Life gets complicated, and you always have to ensure everybody’s okay.”

“George is probably the best at understanding, seeing the chessboard and the potential moves,” Pitt added. “I’ll call George on numerous occasions when things get bumpy.”

The interview marks the first time in years that Miraval has been shown in a positive light. The French winery has made headlines since 2022 after Pitt sued Jolie, claiming her sale of the winery breached a contract between the former couple.

“This is an opportunity for him to promote his love – Château Miraval – with a co-star that wields power and a cool factor that can benefit his cherished investment,” branding expert Eric Schiffer stated. “At a time when Miraval is getting negative press because of the dispute with Angelina, this helps to cast it in a nicer light and keeps the brand in the public eye.”

“It’s a way to rise above the fight with Angelina and help Miraval at the same time, and take it to a different level,” Schiffer added.

Pitt and Jolie have been battling through multiple legal filings, but his latest move works in his favor, according to experts.

“He’s not having to talk about the lawsuit, and he’s able to promote something he cares about and enhance its reach and brand,” Schiffer explained. “In situations where you know you can control the message, that attention serves you because of the significant audience reach he can get with Clooney.”

The former couple bought a controlling stake in Château Miraval in 2008 and spent time at the home throughout their relationship. The couple even married at the French vineyard in 2014.

Jolie attempted to sell her company, Nouvel, to Tenute Del Mondo, a subsidiary of the Stoli Group, in 2021, effectively transferring her 50% ownership interest in Miraval. Pitt has opposed this sale, claiming the move breached a contract between the two.

Jolie’s company claimed Pitt has been the mastermind of a “vindictive campaign” to “loot” the profitable business since she first filed for divorce in 2016.

Nouvel accused Pitt of “hijacking” Château Miraval and “wasting” the company’s assets on unnecessary renovations, including spending $1 million on swimming pool renovations, according to court documents.

Details of the couple’s tumultuous relationship have been shared with the public through court filings, including Jolie’s allegations that Pitt physically abused her during a plane ride in 2016.

“She continues to rehash, revise and re-imagine her description of an event that happened six years ago by adding completely untrue information each time she fails to get what she wants,” a source previously told Fox News Digital.

Jolie later claimed, through her attorney, that Pitt had a “history of abuse” that occurred before the plane incident. According to the actress’ lawyer, Jolie attempted to sell her share of Miraval to Pitt, but he insisted she sign a broad NDA covering up the alleged abuse.

“While Pitt’s history of physical abuse of Jolie started well before the family’s September 2016 plane trip from France to Los Angeles, this flight marked the first time he directed his physical abuse at the children as well. Jolie then immediately left him,” Jolie’s attorneys claim in court documents.

Pitt’s team has maintained the NDA was strictly business related.

“Her hook is to allege that she was justified in terminating an imminent deal for Pitt to purchase her interest in Château Miraval, and in doing so breach her obligations not to sell to a stranger without his consent because Pitt’s lawyers asked for an NDA to be included in the deal papers,” his lawyers wrote in a court filing. “The extent of Jolie’s reliance on NDAs will help establish that Jolie was experienced with NDAs and understood their legitimate business purposes.”

Jolie’s next move should be to “let it be,” according to branding expert Howard Breuer of Newsroom PR.

“I can see how she might see it differently,” he noted. “But celebrities at this level need to show that they can rise above such games – especially if they don’t want to tarnish their Hollywood reputation by appearing difficult to work with.”

The “Maleficent” star should “just ignore it.”

“She’s probably joking about buying a vineyard right now next door to Miraval,” Kintner said. “But seriously, she should just ignore it. Focus on her work and her kids, and not on the things she can’t control.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to a representative for Jolie for comment.

Source: Fox News Digital