Brad Pitt ‘Hasn’t Given Up Hope’ on Fixing Strained Relationship With Son Maddox

Brad Pitt knows there is “more work to be done” to fix his strained relationship with son Maddox Jolie-Pitt, but he “hasn’t given up hope,” an insider exclusively tells In Touch.

“Brad thought there was some real healing and progress done with Maddox,” the insider tells In Touch about their father-son bond, noting the Ad Astra actor, 57, is aware they are still working through some issues together. “Brad loves Maddox and will always be there for him and his siblings.”

Maddox recently testified against his father during Pitt’s ongoing custody battle with ex-wife Angelina Jolie, indicating their dynamic is still quite tense.

“Of course, Brad is heartbroken [about their strained relationship],” adds the source close to the Oscar-winning performer. “His biggest regret in all of this is the fractured relationships he’s had with all his children, but Maddox is the toughest. It’s very challenging, but he’s on good terms with all the other kids. That brings him joy. Brad’s parenting is 100 percent better than it was. He says it’s progress, not perfection.”

In another surprising turn of events, Jolie, 45, accused Pitt of domestic violence in new court documents submitted on March 12. The actress noted their children — Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and twins, Knox and Vivienne, 12 — would be willing to offer “proof and authority in support” of the claims against Pitt.

“Maddox has already given testimony as [an] adult in the ongoing custody dispute and it wasn’t very flattering toward Brad,” a source told Us Weekly at the time. “He doesn’t use Pitt as his last name on documents that aren’t legal and instead uses Jolie. Maddox wants to legally change his last name to Jolie, which Angelina has said she doesn’t support.”

In defense of Pitt, another source familiar with the case told In Touch that when Pitt and Jolie “first divorced in the fall of 2016, she made similar allegations (about what happened on their plane ride back to the U.S.) which were reported to the authorities and thoroughly investigated before no action was taken.”

Although Pitt and Jolie’s divorce has yet to be finalized, the exes were declared legally single in April 2019, nearly three years after she filed for divorce.

Pitt appears to be determined to reconcile his relationship with Maddox more than a year after the college student said “whatever happens, happens” with his father in a video interview exclusively obtained by In Touch in September 2019.