Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon have never been more public than in 2026; in the last three months alone attending high-profile events including Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding in New York City, the French Open, and the World Cup.
As their relationship has progressed, talk has turned to next steps, and yet their increased visibility comes amid what has been described as a "bittersweet" few years for the Oscar-winning actor, whom friends say remains "alienated" from his six children after divorce from Angelina Jolie.
"Ines definitely makes Brad happy," one friend of the pair tells HELLO!, adding: "This has obviously been a very bittersweet few years for Brad; he won his first Oscar, then had the highest-grossing film of his career with F1, and Plan B, his production company, has been really successful as has Miraval.
"But there's also been the completion of the efforts to alienate the children from him, efforts which have sadly been incredibly effective but also incredibly upsetting."
© WWD via Getty ImagesA more visible presence
Between May and July 2026, in particular, the pair have become more public than ever, cheering on her home country of Spain during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final football match alongside A-list pals Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz, walking the red carpet for the Mercedes-AMG World Premiere – both in Los Angeles – and watching the women's final on day 14 of the 2026 French Open.
"The reality is that the last few years, Brad has really spent a lot of time filming, and so when there is a break and an opportunity to live life and attend more events, like the World Cup, to enjoy things little bit in between, they take it," Brad's friend of over 10 years says.
© Getty ImagesF1’s massive global box office run saw the past 18 months become an unprecedented professional peak for Brad, who currently has three acting credits in production and post-production, including a spin-off to the Oscar-winning Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, as well as two producing projects.
Brad has also relaunched Miraval Studios at his French chateau; Sade, Travis Scott, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have all recorded there.
© Corbis via Getty ImagesWedding bells?
Amid their busy work schedule, their social calendar saw Brad and Ines join the star-studded guest list at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's landmark Madison Square Garden nuptials.
Their appearance was confirmed by celebrity hairstylist Laurie Zanoletti who helped the pair make their social media debut by posting a picture of the two getting ready.
© InstagramMarriage for Brad and Ines, however, remains off the table for now, with one friend sharing that the ongoing estrangement between Brad and his six children has "made it hard for him to move forward."
Alienation from children
In 2014, Brad married Angelina Jolie, and together they welcomed six children: Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 18.
© GC ImagesThey split in 2016 and their divorce was legalized in 2019 but the relationship remains acrimonious, mired in accusations, by Angelina and their children, of physical abuse from Brad.
Brad has always denied the accusations.
"The situation with the children remains incredibly troubling," claims the friend, who feels the children have been used as "pawns".
© GettyFour of Angelina and Brad's children – Shiloh, Zahara, Maddox, and Vivienne – have taken legal or professional steps to drop "Pitt" from their last names in the last two years, all of them after becoming legal adults.
Son Pax reportedly maintains a relationship with the extended Pitt family, although he is not thought to be particularly close to his father.
Brad and Ines' early days
© Getty ImagesIt's been almost four years since Brad, 62, and 33-year-old Ines – the Vice President of Los Angeles-based jewelry brand, Anita Ko – went public with their romance in November 2022, attending a Bono concert in Los Angeles with mutual friends.
They kept a low profile for the first 18 months of their relationship until 2024, when Ines, who studied at the University of Geneva in Switzerland and has worked for auction house Christie's and luxury Swiss jeweler De Grisogono, joined Brad at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix in July.
Brad was there to research and work on what would become the smash hit film, F1, and Ines' appearance was a clear indication of her support for him.
In the fall of that same year, Ines began joining Brad at important milestone events, notably posing alongside Brad's BFF George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney for the premiere of Brad and George's crime caper Wolfs.
© Getty ImagesA steady presence
Friends emphasize that after four "steady and consistent" years together, Ines has become an anchor for Brad.
Whether Ines will play a role in any potential reconciliation with the children remains to be seen, but as they look to the future, she remains an "important" part of the actor's life.
