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Why Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s kids have distanced themselves from their father: Report

Over the past year, Pitt’s kids have dropped his last name


Maria Loreto
Senior Writer
JUNE 12, 2024 5:06 PM EDT

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s kids have sided with their mother. Over the past couple of months, Shiloh, Zahara, and Vivienne have publicly used the surname Jolie, resulting in people speculating over the state of the relationship with their father. According to new sources, the change of last name is representative of the kids’ allegiances.

"Unbroken"   Los Angeles Premiere   Arrivals© GettyImages
Pitt and some of his children

US Weekly spoke with various sources, who claim that Pitt is “devastated” by the choices the kids have made. “To him, it was more than a change of name — it was a symbol of a deeper estrangement that has been brewing for years,” continued the source.

Another source revealed that the distance between Pitt and the children has been growing over the past years, deepening in the face of the legal issues that have plagued Pitt and Jolie’s divorce. “They’ve struggled to forgive and connect with Brad since the divorce,” said the source. “Their mom is the head of the household, and she’s raised them with love and selflessness their whole lives. Once Brad left, it was very hard for them to see him go to war with her.”

While Shiloh, Zahara, and Vivienne have opted to publicly embrace their mother’s surname, the source claims that Pitt’s other children also have a strained relationship with their father. “Brad’s relationship with Maddox and Pax is nonexistent at this point, and he barely, if ever, hears from Zahara,” concluded the source.

Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt Arrive In Tokyo© GettyImages
Pitt, Jolie, and their kids

Shiloh, Vivienne and Zahara’s decision

Earlier this year, Shiloh celebrated her 18th birthday and filed to have “Pitt” legally removed from her last name. A video of her sister, Zahara, was also shared online, showing her sharing her name with her sorority as Zahara Marley Jolie. Lastly, Vivienne’s name was listed as “Vivienne Jolie” in the play “The Outsiders,” where she’s listed as a producer alongside her mother.