Angelina Jolie has addressed her divorce from Brad Pitt for the first time ever, and in the most cryptic way

Last fall, we learned that long-time Hollywood couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, had filed for divorce. It came as very much a SHOCK to all of us that September morning, and at the time, little concrete information was known about their split — let alone what led to their split.

That day, both released short statements, with Jolie explaining:

“This decision was made for the health of the family. She will not be commenting at this time, and asks that the family be given their privacy during this difficult time.

Pitt also released a statement, echoing Jolie’s words:

“I am very saddened by this, but what matters most now is the well being of our kids, Brad explained. “I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this challenging time.

Between now and then, neither has said much about their separation. (Pitt recently had a spread in GQ Style, but that’s really been it.) Now, almost a year later, Jolie has sat down with Vanity Fair magazine and addressed the divorce mostly head on.

Mostly, because she never comes right out and says anything about it one way or another, but certainly touches on it. First, by stating that things in her relationship with Pitt, “got bad. I didn’t want to use that word…Things became ‘difficult.’ …We care for each other and care about our family, and we are both working towards the same goal.”

That goal being the wellbeing of their family. As VF writes:

There has been Hollywood talk that their lifestyle had taken its toll on Pitt, and that he was craving a more stable, normal life for the whole family. When I bring this question up to her, it’s the one moment when Jolie becomes a bit defensive. “[Our lifestyle] was not in any way a negative, she says quickly, adamantly. “That was not the problem. That is and will remain one of the wonderful opportunities we are able to give our children...They’re six very strong-minded, thoughtful, worldly individuals. I’m very proud of them. Jolie has indicated that, for the sake of the kids, she doesn’t want to talk about the breakup. And yet it seems she wants to get her point across, which calls for a careful choice of words, something of a high-wire act. “They’ve been very brave. They were very brave.

Brave when?

“In times they needed to be. Other statements are similarly cryptic. “We’re all just healing from the events that led to the filing... They’re not healing from divorce. They’re healing from some...from life, from things in life.

Jolie never directly addresses the “things” she references: Back in September there were many stories (and rumors) about child abuse on Pitt’s part, but he has since been cleared of all charges. Their divorce terms are still in the works, and Jolie is seeking sole custody of their six children — Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh, Pax, Vivienne, and Knox. We continue to, as always, wish love and support to both Angelina, Brad, and all their children during this time.

You can (and should) read the whole Vanity Fair story here.