“Where there’s smoke there’s fire”, or, a nicely timed and slickly run PR campaign ahead of a soon-to-be-released film?

If you read the international gossip headlines this week Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are headed for a separation.

According to Hollywood Life, “He’s beyond miserable and wants out. He says she’s controlled him from day one of their relationship. Although he liked her taking charge at first, he’s come to resent the power he’s allowed her to have over him,” explains an … insider.

In further reading, however, it emerges that Jolie’s upcoming film, By the Sea, which she wrote and directed, comes out at the end of the year. As with their other successful joint ventures, Pitt co-stars and co-produced the movie.

Speculation, truth, half-truth or free “pub”? Time and the box office will tell.