Brad Pitt’s children Zahara and Maddox side with mother Angelina Jolie years after allegedly violent split

Brad Pitt has suffered a huge blow in his drawn-out split from Angelina Jolie, as the former Hollywood power couple’s children appear to side with their mother. 

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Katherine Kraayvanger
The Nightly
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Brad Pitt has suffered another blow in his drawn-out divorce from Angelina Jolie, as the former Hollywood power couple’s children appear to side with their mother.

The pair were together for 12 years and were married for two, before Angelina filed for divorce in 2016 — the divorce was finally granted in 2024.

Angelina and Brad share six children from their 12-year relationship, including daughter Zahara, 21, and Maddox, 24.

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In a humiliating update for Brad, Zahara and Maddox have revealed they will drop ‘Pitt’ from their surnames, according to documents unveiled by The Daily Mail.

According to the tabloid, the name changes were published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal over the past two months.

“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,” one statement said.

“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 said.

The two siblings are set to appear before a California court in September, for a procedural hearing to change their names.

Zahara and Maddox’s siblings Shiloh and Vivienne have also appeared to drop their father’s surname, and it is believed Brad has little to no contact with his elder children.

Angelina Jolie and her children (L-R) Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt and Knox Jolie-Pitt arrive for the world premiere of Marvel Studios' "Eternals” in 2021.
Angelina Jolie and her children (L-R) Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt and Knox Jolie-Pitt arrive for the world premiere of Marvel Studios' "Eternals” in 2021. Credit: VALERIE MACON/AFP

“He has virtually no contact with the adult kids,” a source told the Daily Mail.

“His engagement with the younger kids is more limited in recent months because of his filming schedule.”

Pitt’s relationship with his 22-year-old son Pax is also strained, despite being the only child to keep his father’s surname: He is on the record referring to Pitt as a “world-class asshole”.

Angelina and Brad — who were renowned as an ‘it’ couple when they were still together — were engaged in a tense legal battle during their divorce, which included allegations of domestic violence perpetrated by Pitt on a private aircraft.

In legal documents, Angelina alleged Brad slammed her against a wall of the aircraft and “violently” shook her, after allegedly choking one child and striking another in the face.

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