It’s a battle over the holidays between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie — and the kids are at the center of the estranged couple’s latest disagreement. Brad was hoping to spend Thanksgiving with his brood to take a break from filming his latest film, Ad Astra, but that seems highly unlikely.

Sources are revealing exclusively to Life & Style that Angelina, 42, is using the kids as pawns against Brad, 53. “Brad knows he can’t count on scheduled days with the kids,” an insider says, “because Angie has changed the plans abruptly at the last minute multiple times.”

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It all started when Angelina invited the Moneyball actor to spend Thanksgiving at her house with Maddox, 16, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 11, and nine-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox. However, Brad declined the invitation to avoid a scene and asked to spend part of the day with his kids. He began planning for a sleepover, but Angie’s assistant called him to let him know none of the kids will be going to his house on Thanksgiving.

Brad “feels Angie isn’t ready to let go” of that hostility, adds the insider. Instead of lashing out, Brad “just wished her a happy Thanksgiving” and hung up. “There are two choices for Brad,” explains the insider. “Fight back and get angry every time she pulls a stunt, which would only impact the kids, or handle it like a mature adult. If that means he won’t see the kids as much or at the holidays, he has made peace with it.”

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Instead, maybe Brad will spend the holidays with his rumored new crush, 21-year-old British actress Ella Purnell. Sources revealed to In Touch that Brad is smitten and went out of his way to cast her in the upcoming adaptation of the novel Sweet Bitter, which he is producing. “He’s taking things as they come,” a source close to the actor said. “He hasn’t wanted to get serious with anyone.”

The source continued, “Ella is incredibly flattered by all the attention she’s getting from Brad. She’s told friends he’s always been her No. 1 celebrity crush.”

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