Back in 2024, Brad Pitt, 62, learned that daughters Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 19, and Vivienne, 17, whom he shares with ex-wife Angelina Jolie, 50, had dropped his last name amid their parents’ long-running divorce battle. And two years later, the couple’s eldest son Maddox, 24, has seemingly followed suit!
It’s unclear when exactly he made the switch, but he was listed as ‘Maddox Jolie’ in the credits for the movie Couture, where he worked as an assistant director. For what it’s worth, he was listed as ‘Maddox Jolie-Pitt’ in the credits of the 2024 film Maria, for which he worked as a production assistant.
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Brad Pitt Allegedly Points The Finger At Angelina Jolie
An insider reportedly told TMZ that the F1 actor believes the Maleficent star is behind the children's decisions to drop the 'Pitt' surname. Sources in Brad's camp have long claimed that she has influenced the children's views of their father amid the bitter split.
"It's sad – this is a textbook example of what a successful campaign to separate a family looks like," the source reportedly told TMZ.
The allegation that Angelina tried to turn their six children against Brad has surfaced repeatedly over the years, especially at the height of their custody battle. An insider told Heatworld last year: "He doesn't blame the kids, he blames Angelina and has told friends she's been poisoning them against him for years and painting him as some kind of monster."
The source added at the time: "He never imagined when he and Angelina split up that it would get this ugly. Sure he expected some wrath from her but in his view she's used their kids as pawns to hurt him."
The Eternals actress has consistently denied the allegations that she has attempted to damage the Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood actor's relationship with their children.
In past court filings, her legal team maintained that she prioritizes the children's wellbeing and has never sought to cut their father out of their lives. She has also remained in Los Angeles, where Brad is reportedly living with new girlfriend Ines de Ramon, allowing him continued proximity to 17-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, who turn 18 later this year.
Despite that, sources close to Brad reportedly suggest the strain with some of the children may now be permanent.
"Brad honestly considers his relationship with Pax unfixable," an insider told the Daily Mail, referring to Pax, 22. "Pax and Maddox have made it abundantly clear how they feel, and Brad has nothing to say about either of them," they added.
Brad Pitt Was 'Devastated' By His Other Children Choosing To Drop His Last Name
As we mentioned earlier, Maddox's decision follows a string of public name changes from his younger siblings. In a Playbill for the Broadway musical The Outsiders in May 2024, which Vivienne helped her mom produce, she was listed as 'Vivienne Jolie,' instead of 'Vivienne Jolie-Pitt.' As she is not yet 18, the change may not have been a formal legal name change.
That August, Zahara reportedly introduced herself at a college event by saying: "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."
And Shiloh reportedly filed to legally remove 'Pitt' from her surname just a few days after turning 18. At the time, her attorney described it as "an independent and significant decision following painful events." "He's aware that Shiloh dropped his last name," a source told People shortly after it happened. "The reminders that he's lost his children, is of course not easy for Brad. He loves his children and misses them."
Another source told Us Weekly in 2024: "It was a symbol of a deeper estrangement that has been brewing for years," while a separate insider said Brad was "devastated" by it, and was "finding it extremely difficult to come to terms with" the name change.
