George Clooney Made It Clear Whose Side He Picked In The Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt Feud

The 2016 separation of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt was a massive shock to both their fans and friends in Hollywood including, as it turns out, fellow A-lister George Clooney. The "Gravity" star couldn't hide his surprise when asked by a CNN reporter for his thoughts on the break-up while attending a U.N. summit in September of that year. "What happened?" a visibly confused Clooney wondered aloud in response. Despite being close pals with Pitt, the actor insisted he didn't know anything about the split, reasoning only, "That's a sad story and unfortunate for a family." The Oscar winner continued, "I feel very sorry to hear that. This is the first I've heard of it."

Clooney and Pitt have been friends for decades since originally meeting in the early 1990s when both of their careers were just beginning to take off. The two grew closer as they collaborated on a number of films including "Ocean's Eleven" (and its sequels), "Burn After Reading," and their most recent, "Wolfs," slated to be released in September 2024. Through Pitt, Clooney also knew Jolie though they never got the opportunity to work together on a project. As Pitt and Jolie's nasty divorce battle rages on, Clooney has made it clear whose side he is on by openly expressing his support for Pitt in an interview with GQ. Needless to say, he's one seriously loyal friend.

Of course, it shouldn't really come as a surprise that George Clooney sided with Brad Pitt over Angelina Jolie considering the two have known each other for such a long time. But Clooney and Pitt actually share a much stronger bond than what we've seen solely from their onscreen dynamic and public interactions over the years. When speaking with GQ in August 2024, to promote "Wolfs," the actors got candid about their IRL friendship and how they have supported each other through the highs and lows of their careers and eventful personal lives. At one point during their lively conversation, Clooney revealed that he frequently checks in on Pitt due to his ongoing and incredibly high-profile divorce.

As the "ER" alum confirmed, "Things get complicated in life and you always have to make sure everybody's okay." For his part, Pitt suggested that he has been leaning on his pal for support as he continues to navigate the split. In fact, out of everybody, his frequent co-star gives the most solid advice and is the most reliable too. 

"George is probably the best at understanding, seeing the chessboard and the potential moves," Pitt explained, adding, "I'll call George on numerous occasions when things get bumpy." Jolie filed for divorce from her husband of two years in 2016. The celebrity couple shares six children, several of whom have since publicly distanced themselves from their famous father by dropping "Pitt" from their surnames.

From the outside, it appears that George Clooney and Angelina Jolie are casual friends who engage with each other on the red carpet due to their mutual connection to Brad Pitt. And while this may be true to some degree, rumors have circulated regarding a possible beef between George and Jolie due to the "Tomb Raider" star's alleged jealousy of his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney. According to a source who spoke to Life & Style magazine in 2017, "Angie couldn't stand being around Amal not because Amal was unkind or rude, but solely because Angie was filled with envy." Apparently, Jolie felt that she was being overshadowed by George's wife as a rising activist and couldn't take it. "Amal is educated, accomplished and well-respected in the political world," the insider pointed out, "While Angelina knows people still think of her as an actress above everything else." 

Aside from badmouthing her to their mutual friends, Jolie also reportedly barred Pitt from attending George and Amal's Venice wedding in 2014, which ultimately drove a wedge between BFFs Pitt and George. As another source disclosed to Life & Style, George couldn't understand why Pitt wouldn't stand up to his wife and tell her to stop being so hostile. "George was really upset," they claimed. However, things improved following Jolie and Pitt's shock divorce in 2016. Through the "Fight Club" star's efforts, he and George were able to get back to being friends again. "It took some time, but their relationship is finally mending," a source close to both stars shared.