They might not be on speaking terms, but Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s connection is still skin deep. In Pitt’s upcoming film, F1, he plays a Formula One driver who comes out of retirement to mentor and team with a younger driver. It boasts an impressive cast including the F1 poster boy himself, Lewis Hamilton, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem and Simone Ashley, but it’s Pitt’s tattoos that have caught people’s attention in the latest trailer.

In one flash shot Pitt is seen lying topless on a bench, and eagle-eyed fans and previous Jolie-Pitt stans have noticed that he still has some that honour his ex-wife. The actor has Jolie’s birthday, 4 June, written in Khmer on his lower torso, which is the language of Cambodia where their eldest child Maddox was born. Out of shot he has another tattoo dedicated to his family in the form of a long cross extending from his right wrist up to his forearm. On one side of the cross there’s an A for Angelina, and the other side has the initials of their six children, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne.

During their eleven-year relationship, Pitt and Jolie reportedly got multiple tattoos together and are both suitably inked up. However, Pitt’s Jolie tattoos have sparked debate online, not just because they have been separated for almost 10 years, but because they are on notoriously acrimonious terms. In fact, he is taking her to court this year over the sale of her 50% stake in their French winery, Chateau Miraval.

After all, there are plenty of ways to make tattoos less permanent – lasering is a popular option to remove them, or many choose to cover tattoos of exes. Jolie, for example, had has her tattoos of Pitt removed.  In fact, her left shoulder has been quite the canvas for her relationship history – she first had a tattoo of her first husband, Billy Bob Thornton’s name, which she covered with coordinates of Pitt and their children’s birthplaces. Then, after the split from Pitt, she removed his birth coordinates but left the children’s.

Many celebrities favour the tattoo cover option, over removal. Pete Davidson, for example, had bunny ears that he got tattooed in tribute to ex-fiancée Ariana Grande turned into a heart behind his ear. Amber Rose had a tattoo of her ex-husband Wiz Khalifa’s face on her arm, which she had adapted to look like Slash. And Kylie Jenner, who had the initial ‘t’ on her ankle in honour of her first boyfriend Tyga, switched it to ‘la’ after their split.

Given Jolie and Pitt’s continued legal battle, it is surprising he hasn’t followed suit. The squabble over Miraval held up their divorce proceedings for more than eight years and while they might have finally reached a settlement on that front, the uglier details of their relationship are still set to be unearthed in court.

In December, after confirming that the case will go to trial, a judge ruled that Pitt must disclose documents that Jolie’s lawyer claims will prove ‘communications concerning abuse, lies to authorities, and years of cover up’ on Pitt’s part.

This includes emails, texts and other written communications, but nothing between Pitt and his attorneys or therapists. Pitt’s team reportedly sought for Jolie’s motion to be denied, calling the request ‘wide ranging and intrusive’ as well as a ‘sensationalist fishing expedition’.

Jolie’s lawyer, Paul Murphy, thinks otherwise. He has described the documents as ‘crucial evidence’ that Pitt has ‘fought for years to hide’.

Shortly after Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, she accused Pitt of physically abusing her and their children on a private jet flight from France to LA. The FBI and child services investigated Pitt’s actions, and he was cleared of any wrongdoing. He has always denied the allegations of abuse. For Pitt, the trial is strictly about Miraval, the estate that comprises of a winery, a 35-room chateau, vineyards and several olive groves. Following the contentious sale of Jolie’s shares after their separation, he currently co-owns the estate with Russian vodka magnate, Yuri Shefler.

For Jolie, however, Pitt’s alleged abusive behaviour is paramount to the case. ‘His actions harmed Angelina and their children and are central to this case,’ Murphy added. ‘But I want to again emphasise that Angelina never wanted any of this. She never pressed charges, she left all their properties, and she is the one who tried to sell him the business in the first place.’

‘To this day, Mr. Pitt has never been held accountable for his actions and has at all times controlled Miraval and the winery, yet he still demands more. She wants this to end, the children want this to end, and Mr. Pitt should focus on healing their family, not pursuing lawsuits.

‘If he does not,’ the lawyer concluded, ‘Angelina will defend herself in court by presenting the evidence necessary to demonstrate that Pitt’s allegations are demonstrably false.’ Pitt’s team have not yet responded to this statement.

The dispute is scheduled for trial in Los Angeles Superior Court at some point this year and there is no doubt it will be closely followed by the press. It is already being called a ‘blockbuster trial’ and ‘one of the longest and most bitter divorces in Hollywood history’ – there is a lot at stake for both sides.

Jolie must uphold her claims that she attempted to sell her shares to Pitt first but refused after he insisted on a non-disclosure agreement, and she must prove that the aforementioned documentation is as damning as it sounds.

Pitt, for his part, must prove that Jolie sold her shares without his approval and refute her claims that he refused to buy her interests until she signed an $8.5 million NDA, which would have prevented her from speaking out about years of alleged abuse.

His relationship with their six children – Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne and Knox – also hangs in the balance. All of whom have, publicly at least, taken a stand by their mother. Four of them have even dropped ‘Pitt’ from their surnames.

They recently supported Jolie on the press run for her latest film, Maria, but have reportedly grown almost entirely estranged from their father. It is highly unlikely any of them will join Pitt on the press run for F1, which arrives in cinemas on 25 June, let alone support him in court.

If the Miraval trial is as hostile and exposing as it’s rumoured to be, it is unlikely the divide between Jolie and Pitt’s once picture-perfect family will ever heal. In fact, Pitt’s tattoos might be all he has left.