Brad Pitt is opening up in an all-new interview with W magazine about the possibility of marriage with Angelina Jolie and his friendship with Jennifer Aniston.

In the issue on stands January 20, Brad tells W how he feels about his ex-wife Jennifer Ansiton's recent headline-grabbing interview where she told Vogue it was "uncool" of Angelina Jolie to publicly comment about forming a connection with Brad while he was still married to Jennifer.

"Listen, man, Jen is a sweetheart," Brad says. "I think she got dragged into that one, and then there's a second round to all of that Angie versus Jen. It's so created."

"We still check in with each other. She was a big part of my life, and me hers," Brad tells the mag about his friendship with Jennifer. "I don't see how there cannot be [that]. That's life, man. That's life."

The 45-year-old actor went on to defend his relationship with Angelina, saying, "What people don't understand is that we filmed [Mr. & Mrs. Smith] for a year …We were still filming after Jen and I split up. 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. [The film] will mean something to our kids. It will, that's all."

As for marriage with Angelina, Brad says the couple will not wed until the right to marry is extended to all.

Brad also tells the magazine what it felt like taking intimate photographs of Angelina and their family for a W magazine photo spread.

"We have fun working together; these things bring you closer," he says. "And let me tell you, it's really sexy to see your loved one through the lens. I went much further [than the shot of Jolie breast-feeding]. I didn't show those."