Jon Voight hopes "things will work out" for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.

Jon Voight

Jon Voight

The 41-year-old actress filed for divorce from husband Brad Pitt - the father of her kids Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and eight-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne - in September but her father Jon is hopeful that things will improve.

He told E! News: "I appreciate everybody's concern and their prayers. Hopefully things will work out."

Speaking previously, Jon admitted he was shocked by the couple's split, but felt something "serious" must have happened for his daughter to take steps to end her 12-year relationship.

He said: "It's very sad. Something very serious must have happened for Angie to make a decision like this.

"I don't know what it is. It's a sad thing. Say a little prayer. I am concerned for Angie and the children and hopefully I will be seeing them very soon."

After Jon left Angelina's mother Marcheline Bertrand for a young drama student, the actress barred her former husband from seeing the kids, and to this day Angelina is said to have a strained relationship with the actor.

And her former nanny has warned the actress not to inflict a "lonely and traumatic" childhood on her children.

Krisann Morel, who cared for the actress and her brother James Haven when they were young, said: "I want to send a message to Angelina, who I care about very much. I want to tell her, don't cut Brad out of the children's lives. Don't demonise your husband. Because that is exactly what your mother did when she was breaking up with your father. And the result was you had a lonely and traumatic childhood. Why would you inflict the same tragedy on your kids?

"I am worried that Angie is repeating the past and the same mistakes her mother made during her divorce. I want to get this message across to her before it is too late."