Angelina Jolie deliberately cancelled an appearance at a pre-Oscars fundraiser co-hosted by Brad Pitt's ex-wife Jennifer Aniston last month, because she didn't want to hurt the Friends star's feelings, her brother James Haven has claimed.

Jolie, her boyfriend Pitt and Aniston were all due to attend the sixth annual Night Before charity event on the eve of the Academy Awards, but the Mr. and Mrs Smith stars were noticeably absent from the glitzy fundraiser, which was also attended by Hollywood superstars including George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

And while Internet gossips claimed a pregnant Jolie and Pitt had pulled out of the event for fear of a showdown with Aniston, Haven insists the rumors couldn't be further from the truth.

He says, "Angie is an incredibly strong but also incredibly sensitive woman, and she would always be careful when another woman's feelings are concerned."

"She'd go out of her way to make sure there was no situation that would hurt another woman because of her, and I'm talking about a situation like one of Brad's ex partners or his ex-wife."