Brad Pitt continues to grapple with family heartbreak after his daughter Shiloh officially dropped his last name in August 2024, with sources revealing the 62-year-old actor was “hurt” by the decision but remains hopeful for an eventual reconciliation with his estranged children.
Shiloh Nouvel Jolie’s name change petition was approved on August 19, 2024, nearly three months after she filed to remove “Pitt” from her surname on her 18th birthday in May. California law required a legal notice to be published in the Los Angeles Times for four weeks before the hearing—a procedural step that publicly confirmed her intentions.
The move follows a troubling pattern for Pitt, who has watched multiple children distance themselves from him in recent years. Zahara dropped “Pitt” from her name when she joined Spelman College in 2023, while Vivienne omitted his last name from her Playbill credit for “The Outsiders” on Broadway.
“It’s sad but Brad’s strained relationship with his kids and Angelina is just a way of life for him now,” a source told the Daily Mail.
Pitt and Angelina Jolie, 50, met on set while filming “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and married in 2014. The couple shares six children: Maddox, 24, Pax, 21, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 19, and 17-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016 following an alleged physical altercation on a private plane. The FBI and Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services investigated but did not file charges. The incident nevertheless fractured Pitt’s relationships with several of his children.
Despite the ongoing pain, Pitt has not abandoned hope that time will heal the wounds. A source said the actor believes his biological children will eventually see past the turmoil of the divorce and custody battle.
“He truly feels that with Shiloh, as well as Vivienne and Knox, when this divorce is over, and the lawsuits are far behind them, they will take a good look in the mirror and realize that their father is a part of them,” the source explained.
According to RadarOnline.com, an “insider” has been saying that Pitt’s only recourse is to reveal Jolie’s “secrets.” The insider said: “Brad knows his legal options are limited, but he’s not going to let this pass without taking some type of action.
Under their divorce settlement, Angie will be allowed to relocate outside the United States once all six of their children reach adulthood, which is set to occur in July on the twins’ birthday.
Insiders say Pitt has always had a deep attachment to Shiloh—and that the move will be devastating for him.
The custody battle has been marked by legal complications. In December 2016, Pitt filed a motion to seal his children’s records in Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing Jolie of compromising their privacy. His lawyers claimed Jolie “exposed the children by making public the names of their therapists and other mental health professionals.”
Judge John W. Ouderkirk, who officiated the couple’s 2014 wedding and later presided over their divorce, granted Pitt joint custody in May 2021. However, the decision was overturned in July 2021 when California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal disqualified Ouderkirk for failing to adequately disclose business relationships with Pitt’s attorneys. The appeals court ruled the ethical breach “might cause an objective person, aware of all the facts, reasonably to entertain a doubt as to the judge’s ability to be impartial.”
Maddox allegedly testified against his father during custody proceedings, while Pax posted a scathing social media message claiming his younger siblings feared Pitt. The adult children—Maddox, Pax, and Zahara—reportedly have no contact with the actor.
Shiloh’s transformation has been particularly striking. The teenager got a Gemini tattoo representing her astrological sign, which she shares with her mother. She has also adopted braids similar to those Jolie wore playing Lara Croft in “Tomb Raider.” Sources close to Shiloh revealed she hired her own lawyer and paid for the name change herself, demonstrating her independence in the decision.
Pitt has attempted to maintain relationships with his younger children when possible. An insider told OK! Magazine the actor sees them once or twice a week when he’s in town. “After all Brad’s been through, seeing his children is still very emotional for him,” the insider said.
Jolie’s brother James Haven has stepped into a more protective role since the separation, acknowledging the importance of being present during what he called “massively formative years” as the children become young adults.
The court declared Pitt and Jolie legally single in April 2019, and their divorce was finally settled in December 2024 after more than eight years of legal battles. However, a contentious lawsuit over their French winery, Château Miraval, remains ongoing.