China is Totally Upset About Brangelina's Divorce Too
By Bridget O'Donnell
By now you've likely heard about the super high-profile separation of A-List celebs Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, which may very well be the divorce of the century.
According to TMZ, Jolie filed the papers on Monday, citing "irreconcilable differences." She's requesting physical custody of their six children. Meanwhile, everything from an affair with French actress Marion Cotillard to Russian prostitutes to alcohol consumption have been cited as reasons for the split.
News of divorce is already breaking the internet in the US, but it's also making waves in China.
As of writing time, Brangelina's separation is the sixth most talked about topic on Weibo, China's popular Twitter-like microblogging platform.
Many netizens are saddened by the ending of what seemed to be the perfect marriage.
"Jolie awakened his wild heart and love, the two of them were a natural fit," wrote one user on a popular Weibo post about the divorce. "I think with love there really is no right or wrong. But, damn, in marriage there is definitely right and wrong!"
"What? Why did they divorce?" lamented another user. "Does anyone know if America has the same post-divorce home purchasing laws?" (They were likely referencing the recent news of Shanghai couples rushing to divorce for cheaper housing).
Others sided with Jolie. "She did not need a man," wrote one user. "He has a strong personality, and after her cancer surgery it must be scary to start anew with all of her adoptive children from different countries while her man is just a decoration."
Many appear to be fans of Pitt's ex-wife Jennifer Aniston—whom Pitt allegedly cheated on with Jolie—and just can't help themselves but joke about karma. In fact, quite a few netizens are referring to Jolie as a xiaosan (小三), which is popular Chinese slang for the word 'mistress.'
"Why do foreigners have so many mistresses?" pondered one user. "People should uphold the supremacy of love. If they no longer love each other than they should leave each other quietly. Now here comes all the moral judgment!"
Others criticized the couple's outspoken views on international relations.
"A former mistress who supports Tibetan independence, she totally deserved it," read another one of the most popular comments.
"These two people aren't good," wrote another. "One supported Tibetan independence, the other supported Taiwanese independence."
The news comes just weeks after another high-profile celebrity divorce in China between Wang Baoqiang and his wife Ma Rong, who filed for defamation charges after he accused her of having an affair with his manager. That story sparked a lot of discussion on marriage and divorce in China.
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