Like the rest of the world, the news of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s marriage spit has come as a shock to Angie’s dad, Jon Voight.
While the veteran actor has endured a very strained relationship with his daughter over the years the 77-year-old expressed sadness over news of the split.
“It’s very sad,” the Midnight Cowboy star told Inside Edition on Tuesday. “Something very serious must have happened for Angie to make a decision like this.”
Angelina Jolie with brother James Haven and father Jon Voight.
Reports of the divorce first began to circulate on TMZ and shortly after Jolie’s lawyers released a statement confirming the end of the two year marriage.
Voight let on he too was in the dark when it came to the reasons for the split but did express concerns for his daughter.
“I don’t know what it is,” Voight told Inside Edition. “It’s a sad thing. Say a little prayer.”
He added: “I am concerned for Angie and the children and hopefully I will be seeing them very soon.”
Angelina Jolie with daughters Zahara and Shiloh.
In a statement, Jolie’s camp focused on the children.
“Angelina will always do what’s in the best interest to protect her children,” Geyer Kosinski, Jolie’s manager, told E! News in a statement Tuesday. “She appreciates everyone’s understanding of their need for privacy at this time.”
TMZ reports a source said Jolie moved to file for divorce after she “was extremely upset with his methods” of parenting.
The divorce will no doubt rock the close family of nine – after all Brad and Angie only made things official at the whim of the kids.
While Jon was not invited to the couple’s wedding in France in 2014, the Ray Donovan actor welcomed Brad into his family with open arms when he learned of the nuptials and said it was the pair’s children who pushed for a ceremony.
“I’m very happy that I can legitimately call him my son-in-law, this wonderful fellow who I love,” Jon said during an interview with Good Morning Britain.
“The children have been bugging them for a long time to get married and the time was right.”
Jon and Angelina had an infamous public spat when Voight told Access Hollywood that his daughter had “serious mental problems” and pleaded with her to seek help.
They’ve since reportedly repaired their strained relationship, but obviously not enough for Angie’s dad to know what was happening in her marriage ahead of its demise.
Brad Pitt has also released a statement about the divorce. In a statement to PEOPLE magazine he said:
“I am very saddened by this, but what matters most now is the well-being of our kids. I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this challenging time.”
WATCH: Angelina Jolie has filed for divorce from Brad Pitt
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