Spring 2000
Film student Simon Kinberg sends a seven-page outline about a couple of
married spies to writer-producer Akiva Goldsman.
Summer 2000
Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton tie the knot May 5 in Vegas. Brad
Pitt and Jennifer Aniston throw a $1 million Malibu wedding on July 29.
April 2001
Kinberg delivers a first-draft screenplay to Summit Entertainment. He'll
eventually deliver over 100 more versions. August 2001 Jolie is
appointed a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR).
Fall 2001
Fox-based Regency Pictures agrees to finance Smith.
March 2002
Jolie and Thornton adopt a Cambodian baby. He's given the name
Maddox — and a Mohawk.
May 2002
John Woo kicks the tires to direct. Nicole Kidman begins circling to
play Mrs. Smith.
July 2002
Jolie files for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. (The problem
of that ''Billy Bob'' tattoo can be resolved.)
Fall 2002
Pitt joins Kidman in negotiations to star in Smith, with Doug Liman
likely to direct.
Summer 2003
Kidman drops out due to long Stepford Wives shoot. Jolie signs on as
Pitt's costar. He'll start after Troy, she after Alexander.
January 2004
Filming begins in Los Angeles. Liman is ecstatic over his stars'
chemistry, but as time goes on, the schedule slips.
Late April 2004
With a good third of Smith still to be shot, Pitt leaves for Chicago to
begin work on Ocean's Twelve.
May 3, 2004
Rumors of Jolie and Pitt's ''growing intimacy'' on and off the Smith set
are suddenly an Us Weekly ''Hot Topic'' and a Star cover story.
May 10, 2004
Pitt and Aniston attend the Troy premiere in New York and dispel
speculation of a Pitt-Jolie affair.
July 12, 2004
Ocean's Twelve wraps.
August 2004
Filming on Smith resumes in L.A. and, later, Italy. Paparazzi snap the
stars looking smitten. They're in character, says the film troupe.
Dec. 27, 2004 - Jan. 8, 2005
Pitt and Aniston vacation in Anguilla.
Jan. 7, 2005
Pitt and Aniston announce they are separating. Entire forests are felled
to print magazines heralding the news.
March 2005
During nine days of Smith reshoots outside L.A., paparazzi swarm but
can't get shots because the stars' trailers are inside the set.
March 17, 2005
Between reshoots, Pitt and Jolie appear at ShoWest to promote the movie.
Hours after they leave, Aniston arrives to receive an award.
March 25, 2005
Aniston files for divorce; that same weekend Pitt and Jolie stay at the
Parker Palm Springs (separately) during a photo shoot promoting Smith.
April 19, 2005
Pitt and Jolie vacation in Kenya's Diani Beach with Jolie's 3-year-old
son, Maddox.
April 30, 2005
According to PEOPLE, Pitt flies to London to pick up Jolie; the two jet
off to Morocco, where Pitt is shooting Babel, and dine together in
Pitt's suite.
June 7, 2005
Smith will have its premiere in L.A. Will the stars attend? That's
classified.
