In W Magazine’s annual “A-List” February issue, Brad Pitt hits back against claims that his common-law wife, Oscar-winner Angelina Jolie, is responsible for the demise of his marriage to America’s Sweethheart Jennifer Aniston.

“What people don’t understand is that we filmed ['Mr. & Mrs. Smith'] for a year. We were still filming after Jen [Aniston] and I split up,” the 45-year-old Benjamin Button star.

“Even then it doesn’t mean that there was some kind of dastardly affair. There wasn’t. I’m very proud of the way that it was handled. It was respectful.”

Brad also downplays that there is any animosity between himself and his ex–wife. “Listen, man, Jen is a sweetheart. I think she got dragged into that one, and then there’s a second round to all that Angie versus Jen. It’s so created,” he claims. “We still check in with each other. She was a big part of my life, and me hers. I don’t see how there cannot be [that]. That’s life, man. That’s life.”

Brad Pitt on W hits newsstands Jan. 20.