Angelina Jolie's Kids Ditching Brad Pitt's Name: A Family in Turmoil
Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, the latest child of Angelina Jolie, has filed to legally drop her father's last name, escalating the family drama surrounding Brad Pitt.
A source close to Jolie claims, “Angie hasn’t been fighting and isn’t angry. She just wants everyone to heal.”
The insider added that if the public knew the full story, they would show more sympathy for the children. “The fact they aren’t speaking ill or sharing things publicly only shows their decency,” the source stated.
Representatives for both Pitt and Jolie have not responded to requests for comment.
On July 20, Vivienne submitted paperwork in Los Angeles Superior Court to change her name from Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt to Vivienne Marcheline Jolie.
Marcheline Bertrand, Jolie’s late mother who passed away in 2007 after battling ovarian and breast cancer, is the namesake she honors.
In court documents obtained, Vivienne cites “personal” reasons for the name change.
This filing is part of a long-standing family rift that has intensified since Pitt and Jolie’s split in 2016.
The couple finalized their divorce in December 2024 after more than eight years of legal battles initiated by Jolie in September 2016.
They share six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne.
Several siblings have already taken similar actions. Shiloh successfully petitioned a Los Angeles court in May 2024 to remove Pitt from her last name shortly after turning 18.
Maddox also filed legal paperwork in May to drop Pitt from his surname, citing personal reasons.
Before filing, Maddox had begun using “Maddox Jolie” professionally, including credits for the film “Couture,” where he worked as an assistant director while Jolie starred.
On June 9, Zahara filed to change her name from Zahara Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Jolie.
Knox appeared to distance himself from the Pitt surname before Vivienne’s filing. He used “Knox Jolie” on his high school diploma after graduating from Fusion Academy in Los Angeles.
A source revealed that Knox celebrated his graduation with Jolie and his siblings Pax, Zahara, and twin sister Vivienne.
Vivienne also dropped her father’s last name publicly in May 2024 when credited as “Vivienne Jolie” in the Playbill for the Broadway production of “The Outsiders,” which she helped produce.
Pax maintains ties with Pitt’s extended family despite a strained relationship with his father. He recently dined with them to celebrate his cousin Sydney’s engagement to Archimede Jerome.
Pitt’s sister, Julie Pitt Neal, and niece Reagan Pitt were present at the gathering along with other relatives.
However, a second source noted that while Pax has a relationship with his paternal relatives, he “doesn’t have much of a relationship with Brad.”
