Brad Pitt Takes Voluntary Drug Test As Family Falls Apart

In the brouhaha surrounding what was once America’s sweetheart couple and their perfect family, and the drastic turn it has taken in which allegations of infidelity, alcoholism, and even child abuse have come to light, Angelia Jolie has filed for divorce and in the midst of a child abuse investigation, Brad Pitt has voluntarily agreed to take a drug test as a preemptive measure in what promises to be a messy split and child custody dispute. He was not required to take one by any authority, but went ahead and submitted to one on his own volition.

Sources say the dynamics of the troubled family came to a head after the 52-year-old Pitt got into a verbal argument with his 15-year-old son, Maddox, on a flight from Europe. He and Angelina Jolie have six children, but when she filed for divorce, she took the six children and went to live in a rental mansion, leaving Pitt at their former shared residence in Los Angeles, where sources say he is “keeping a low profile” according to ET.

“Brad Pitt voluntary took a drug test and was not asked to do so by authorities. They didn’t force him to take one because it wasn’t part of the process.”

The source said it was unknown when Pitt would be able to see his children again. The source said that Pitt is being very careful and things have quieted somewhat since Jolie announced her petition for divorce last Monday.

“He’s being careful. He’s leaning on friends for support. This isn’t a happy time for anyone. They both care about the kids. It’s unfortunate that [there was] this campaign against him. They are a pretty normal family that has family issues from time to time. People have verbal arguments — that’s what happens when you have a family.”

The source said the disagreement was a typical parent-teenager disagreement, while Angelina Jolie’s camp has described it as an abusive and out of control brawl. Angelina is filing for custody of all six children: Maddox, 12-year-old Pax, 11-year-old Zahara, 10-year-old Shiloh, and 8-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox. A source says that Pitt is not in agreement with that arrangement and is going to fight for joint custody of all the children and to be able to spend plenty of time with them, and he also hopes that as the dust settles, he can come to an “amicable and private” agreement with soon-to-be ex-wife Jolie about the amount of time he can have the children.

Jolie and Pitt have been a couple since 2005 but only married since 2014, at which time they produced the movie By The Sea, an intense drama about a couple with deep marital issues that critics hated. At the time, Jolie spoke as to her fears that it may not be a good idea to take on such a somber movie about marriage right after her honeymoon with Pitt.

“We had a few weeks into it and we wondered if it was a good idea because it is quite… it’s heavy and it’s a lot of fighting, and it’s pretty ugly, but we had the thought that if we can do it — if we can be close in that way and that open as artists — then you push through and you really get closer and you learn something. If it doesn’t work it’s the worst honeymoon ever, but if it works you’ve learned something, and I think that’s how we came out of it stronger.”

Although divorce rumors have been flying for a while, the couple denied the allegations and were last seen in July together taking their twins out to a birthday breakfast. No allegations of abuse or possible substance abuse have surfaced prior to this from any credible source, and Pitt thought being proactive and taking a drug test was his best choice, a source said.

[Featured Image by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images]