Brad Pitt's relationship with his children has grown increasingly fractured since his 2016 split from Angelina Jolie. The latest development: his youngest daughter, Vivienne, 18, has legally filed to remove 'Pitt' from her surname, becoming the fourth sibling to formally distance herself from her father's name.
Court records list the reason for the change simply as 'personal,' with a hearing scheduled for November. Vivienne's filing follows similar actions by siblings Shiloh, Zahara, and Maddox.
Pattern of name changes
In 2024, on her 18th birthday, Shiloh filed paperwork to change her name to Shiloh Jolie, dropping Pitt from her last name, according to TMZ. A source told People that Pitt was 'aware and upset' by the decision, adding: 'He's never felt more joy than when she was born. He always wanted a daughter.' The source added: 'The reminders that he's lost his children, is of course not easy for Brad. He loves his children and misses them. It's very sad.'
Adopted siblings Zahara, 21, and Maddox, 24, also began the legal process of removing Pitt from their surnames earlier this year. According to court documents obtained by the Daily Mail, both published notices of their intentions in the Los Angeles Daily Journal as required under California law. Their court hearings are expected in September.
Before formal legal action, both had publicly used Jolie instead of Jolie-Pitt. Zahara introduced herself as Zahara Marley Jolie when joining the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority in 2023 and was announced by the same name during her university graduation earlier this year. Maddox was credited simply as Maddox Jolie on Angelina Jolie's recent film Couture.
Family tensions and allegations
In 2022, a source told People that Pitt was hoping to improve his relationship with his children, which had been 'in a bad situation for years.' 'Since Angelina filed for divorce, Brad has been focused on having the best relationship possible with his kids. It's been very difficult for him. Many times, there have been long gaps where he didn't see the kids at all,' the insider said.
The rift stems from a private plane journey from France to California in 2016, during which Jolie accused Pitt of being drunk and aggressive. She claimed he grabbed her by the head, injured her back and elbow, choked one of their children, and struck another. The altercation reportedly started between him and one of his children and escalated, with Jolie alleging he poured beer and wine over his family. Five days later, Jolie filed for divorce.
Authorities received an anonymous tip-off, sparking an FBI investigation, which was closed with no charges. Pitt has always denied all claims, with his lawyer stating: 'Brad has owned everything he's responsible for from day one – unlike the other side – but he's not going to own anything he didn't do.'
Legal battles over winery
The former couple have been locked in a lengthy legal battle over Château Miraval, a French winery. In October 2021, Jolie sold her half for $67 million (£51 million) after discussions for Pitt to buy her out fell through. Pitt sued her in 2022, claiming the sale violated their agreement not to sell without mutual approval. In a countersuit, Jolie accused Pitt of secretly maneuvering to take control of the winery and 'waging a vindictive war' against her since the divorce filing.
In a motion filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court, Jolie claimed Pitt conditioned the sale on her signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that 'prohibited Jolie from speaking (other than in court) about Pitt's abuse of Jolie and their children by attempting to tie Pitt's personal reputation to Miraval's business.' The filing added: 'At trial, Jolie will prove through testimony, emails, photographs, and other evidence why Pitt was so concerned about his own misconduct that he blew up his own deal to purchase Jolie's interest in Miraval because she refused to agree to his new, expansive NDA.'
Pax's public condemnation
In 2020, Pitt's son Pax, then 16, shared a scathing Father's Day message on Instagram, calling Pitt a 'world-class a**hole' and 'terrible and despicable person.' The post, unearthed by MailOnline, read: 'You have no consideration or empathy towards your four youngest children who tremble in fear when in your presence. You will never understand the damage you have done to my family because you are incapable of doing so.' People in Pitt's circle branded the allegations a 'depressing smear.'
