FIGHT CLUB KIDS

Brad Pitt’s Kids Deliver Fresh Public Blow to Their Dad

The Oscar winner’s children continue to publicly distance themselves from him—this time, with the help of a Los Angeles newspaper.

Brad Pitt’s children have publicly and officially requested to drop his last name, placing legal notices in a local Los Angeles paper.

Maddox, 24, and Zahara, 21, both took out advertisements in the Los Angeles Daily Journal, according to Page Six. Zahara placed her petition once a week for four consecutive weeks. Maddox also placed four petitions throughout June and July.

“Petitioner Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie,” read one notice, according to the Daily Mail.

“Petitioner Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt to Maddox Chivan Jolie,” the other reads.

Petitions are a legal requirement in the state of California, where those seeking to officially change their names must publish an Order to Show Cause for four consecutive weeks prior to the scheduled court dates.

Maddox has a court date of September 14th, while Zahara has a court hearing scheduled for September 28th, reports the publication.

Maddox, the oldest child of Angelina Jolie and Pitt, filed to change his name in May, citing his reason as “personal.” He had teased the change in February, appearing in the credits of his mother’s latest film as “Maddox Jolie.”

His sister followed suit with a legal petition of her own in June. Zahara had previously dropped the “Pitt” from her name during her sorority induction at Atlanta’s Spelman College in 2023. She was also introduced as “Zahara Marley Jolie” at her graduation this year, foreshadowing the legal change to come.

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Pitt, 62, and Jolie, 51, share six children: Maddox, Pax, 22; Zahara, Shiloh, 20; and Knox and Vivienne, 17.

Vivienne also appeared as “Vivienne Jolie” in the playbill for Broadway’s The Outsiders in 2024. Only Pax and Knox currently use their original, hyphenated last names.

Shiloh became the first of the A-List couple’s children to drop her famous father’s last name. She did so on her 18th birthday in 2024.

That same year, People Magazine reported that Pitt has visitation rights with his younger children but “virtually no contact” with his adult children.

Pitt has been notably absent at family milestones. The Fight Club star has not been photographed with any of his kids since his divorce from Jolie, which was initiated in 2016.

The complicated divorce was finalized after eight years. Jolie has become more candid about her romantic past, saying her “fighting spirit” was “taken down” but is now returning.

“I lost it for a bit,” the Academy Award-winning actress said last month. “I got kind of taken down a little bit, and it’s coming back in large part thanks to my children, who are now older, and encouraging it.”

The Daily Beast has reached out to Brad Pitt’s representatives for comment.

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Meera NavlakhaEntertainment Reporter

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