Brad Pitt wanted Angelina Jolie to give him "one more chance".
Brad Pitt
The Hollywood actor was left "shell shocked" by the 'Changeling' actress' divorce announcement after she filed documents at Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday (19.09.16), but he "doesn't want anything negative" said about her.
A source close to the pair - who were together for 12 years, married for two - told The Sun newspaper: "Brad was desperate for Angelina to give him one more chance.
"He offered to improve and even go into intense therapy. The reality is Brad's still madly in love with Angelina. He adores her and never intentionally tried to hurt her.
"Yes, he did drink and smoke weed. And yes, they did have fights where he'd raise his voice. He knows he needs to improve and is trying to make himself a better person for the sake of the children.
"But he's a very dedicated father, nobody can take that away. To suggest there was any troubling behaviour that would put his wife or family under threat is ridiculous.
"Brad was left shell-shocked. He just wanted positivity and doesn't want anything negative out there about the woman he loves, the mother of his children. But he is fighting back and wants custody of the kids."
Insiders have insisted the 52-year-old actor is a good dad, despite claims emerging that Angelina, 41, filed for divorce due to her concerns about how Brad parented the kids, as well as worrying he has an anger problem and indulges too heavily in alcohol and marijuana consumption.
The source added: "Angelina has chosen to try to destroy his reputation -- it's a smear campaign. She's acting crazy and Brad knows how crazy she can get.
"That's why she's got hardly any female friends in Hollywood. But she has a lot of skeletons in her closet so she has to be careful."
Angelina has asked for physical custody of the pair's six kids, Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, eight, but the 'Fury' star is planning to seek joint custody.
The actress, who cited irreconcilable differences when filing for divorce, has asked that Brad gets visitation rights.
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