Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s eldest son, Maddox, has officially removed “Pitt” from his surname, marking the fourth of their six children to adopt their mother’s last name since the former couple’s separation. This change aligns with Maddox’s growing professional involvement, as he is credited as “Maddox Jolie” while working on his mother’s recent film projects.
The children shared by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne. Since Pitt and Jolie ended their relationship, multiple kids have distanced themselves from their father by altering their names.
Background on Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Family and Separation
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, co-stars in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, were together for more than a decade before finalizing their divorce in December 2024. Angelina had initially filed for divorce eight years earlier, following a long and tumultuous separation. The dissolution of their marriage came amid serious allegations and legal conflicts that have kept the family dynamics in the public eye.
Maddox’s Professional Credits Reflect Name Change
Maddox, now 24, is credited as an assistant director for Angelina Jolie’s drama Couture, which premiered in French theaters on February 18, 2026. In the film’s official credits and production notes, he is listed as “Maddox Jolie,” aligning with the name change.
Previously, Maddox was credited as “Maddox Jolie-Pitt” in his mother’s 2024 film Maria, which featured the story of opera singer Maria Callas, where he worked as a production assistant. The change from Jolie-Pitt to Jolie in recent work highlights his ongoing disassociation from his father’s surname.
Other Children Have Also Switched to Jolie Surname
Maddox follows siblings Vivienne, Zahara, and Shiloh in dropping “Pitt” from their names publicly. Vivienne was credited as “Vivienne Jolie” in the May 2024 playbill for the Broadway musical The Outsiders, which she helped produce with Angelina Jolie.
Three months later, Zahara identified herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie” in a video introducing herself at a sorority event at Spelman College in Atlanta.
“My name is Zahara Marley Jolie. And [I] landed all the way from the Golden State in the city full of angels: Los Angeles, California,”
Zahara Marley Jolie
In August 2024, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt legally changed her last name to Shiloh Jolie shortly after turning 18. Shiloh’s attorney described the decision as
“made an independent and significant decision following painful events.”
Shiloh’s attorney
It remains uncertain if the name changes for Maddox, Vivienne, or Zahara have been formalized through legal channels, but the public use of “Jolie” indicates a broader family trend.
Allegations of Abuse Cloud Family History
The complex relationship between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie intensified after a 2016 incident on a private plane that reportedly involved alleged physical abuse. Angelina claimed that Pitt struck her and two of their children during a flight from France to California, just days before she filed for divorce.
According to Jolie, Brad Pitt yelled at her, grabbed her head, pushed her into a bathroom wall, poured alcohol on her and the children, and physically assaulted two kids who attempted to defend their mother.
The allegations include claims that some of the children pleaded with Pitt to stop and were left frightened and frozen during the confrontation. Brad Pitt has denied all accusations of abuse.
“the confrontation was spiraling out of control” but claimed that “no one was physically harmed.”
Insider close to Brad Pitt
Legal Proceedings and Family Dynamics Following the Incident
Investigations by the FBI and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services concluded without charges. The plane incident came to public attention in 2022 when Pitt sued Jolie over a dispute involving the sale of their joint French winery. Jolie countered with allegations of abuse and said Pitt demanded an $8.5 million nondisclosure agreement to silence her about the accusations.
Jolie has also accused Pitt of a vindictive legal campaign. The couple remains embroiled in a bitter legal battle, and sources report that Pitt is estranged from several of his children.
“The reminders that he’s lost his children, is of course not easy for Brad. He loves his children and misses them,”
Insider speaking to People
“have made it abundantly clear how they feel, and Brad has nothing to say about either of them.”
Source quoted by The Daily Mail regarding Pax and Maddox
Children’s Emotional Statements and Brad’s Response
On Father’s Day 2020, Pax publicly criticized his father on Instagram, calling him “a world-class a**hole” and accusing him of being “a terrible and despicable person.” He claimed Brad showed no empathy toward the younger siblings, describing their fearful reactions around him.
“no consideration or empathy toward your four youngest children who tremble in fear when in your presence.”
Pax Pitt
Despite the family rift, sources indicate Brad Pitt hopes to reconcile with his children, believing that time may heal some wounds.
Angelina Jolie told British Vogue in 2020 that she ended the marriage for the well-being of their family and remains focused on their healing.
“I continue to focus on their healing.”
Angelina Jolie
In a 2017 GQ interview, Brad commented on the separation’s impact on their children, stating,
“It’s just very, very jarring for the kids to suddenly have their family ripped apart.”
Regarding controlling the narrative surrounding the split, he remarked,
“What did Churchill say? History will be kind to me: I know because I’ll write it myself. I don’t really care about protecting the narrative.”
Brad Pitt
Public and Social Media Reactions to Name Changes
Maddox’s choice to remove “Pitt” from his surname has sparked conversations online, with fans sensing a deeper message behind the change.
“Kids don’t do this for no reason,”
one netizen commented in response to Maddox’s name change, reflecting a widespread interpretation of the children’s decisions as expressions of their fractured family relationships.
Ongoing Legal Battles and Family Uncertainty
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie continue to contest their legal issues, notably over the French vineyard they co-own, while their family remains divided. The children’s name changes symbolize a growing emotional and physical distance between Pitt and his offspring, underscoring the lasting impact of their parents’ troubled history.
As the family navigates these challenges, the public and media watch closely, anticipating how these developments will shape the relationships and futures of all involved.
