Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s marriage ended messily in 2024. But ongoing legal actions show tension remains in their once-unified family.
During their 12 years together, until their 2016 split, Pitt and Jolie created a blended family of six children.
The former couple are parents to Maddox, 25, Zahara, 21, and Pax, 22 — all of whom were adopted — and their three biological children, Shiloh Nouvel, 20, and 18-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox Léon.
But an alleged 2016 incident fractured their family. Jolie alleged that Pitt became enraged while drunk and abused her and some of their children during a flight.
Their children have since distanced themselves from their father. All but one have also removed his last name from theirs.
Jolie’s daughter Zahara is the latest to do so officially after a California judge approved the name change on Sept. 28.
Instead of “Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt,” she will now be addressed as “Zahara Marley Jolie” legally.
The official name change comes nearly three years after Zahara introduced herself that way during her 2023 initiation into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at Spelman College. Pitt was absent from the ceremony, while her mother attended.
At the time, Zahara was just 18 years old. She turned 21 in January this year and filed to remove Pitt’s name from hers in April.
She is the third child of the Jolie-Pitt bunch to have the name legally dropped. Maddox changed his name last month, and Shiloh did hers back in 2024.
Vivienne is presumably next, as she filed her documents in June this year. She has a pending court hearing in November.
Knox has not legally changed his name in court proceedings yet. But he has also shown signs of distancing from his father. He only used “Knox Jolie” on his Fusion Academy high school diploma in June.
Pax allegedly no longer speaks to his father. However, he still maintains a relationship with his siblings and the actor’s family.
Fans reacted to the news about Zahara in People’s comments.
Many seem skeptical of Jolie’s involvement in the children removing Pitt’s name. One person said, “I feel sorry for those kids. Their mom certainly has something to do with all the ill will!”
Someone else disagreed, writing, “These are grown adults making a choice for a reason. She might not be perfect but there is reason they went this far to cut ties with him.”
A third person empathized with the children, wondering if and how bad Pitt “must have really hurt them.”
“Who knows what really happened to this family? But does Brad Pitt really have to read about his kids dropping his last name in tabloids and the whole world knows about it? Jolie is really one broken woman,” added a third voice.
Another said, “Everyone blames Angelina.”
In her countersuit against Pitt over the sale of their French winery, Jolie filed documents detailing an alleged airplane altercation.
Jolie claimed Pitt pulled her into the bathroom during an argument about their children. She said he grabbed her head, shook her, seized her shoulders and pushed her into the bathroom wall.
One of their children, whom the filing does not identify, allegedly intervened. Jolie claimed Pitt lunged at the child.
Jolie claims she tried to grab Pitt from behind to stop him. She alleged he then threw himself into an airplane seat to knock her off him, injuring Jolie’s elbow and back.
The filing said, “The children rushed in and all bravely tried to protect each other. Before it was over, Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face.”
After investigators and federal prosecutors met over the incident, all parties agreed not to press charges.
As for their winery, Château Miraval, the next court date is set for next month. A mediator will be present to determine if they can settle this matter before trial.
The legal battle for the winery began in 2021, when the “Salt” actress sold her share to a Russian billionaire. Jolie initially planned to sell her 50% stake to Pitt until he presented her with an NDA.
She claims the agreement aimed to stop her from speaking about the airplane altercation.
Pitt responded by suing his “Mr. and Mrs Smith” co-star. Jolie countersued, claiming he was “waging a vindictive war” against her.
If the two don’t settle in October, their trial is scheduled for Feb. 1, 2027.
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