In June, there was a flurry of news about Angelina Jolie and her children. Knox and Vivienne graduated from high school and their father didn’t show up or mark the occasion in any way. Ditto for Zahara’s graduation from Spelman College in Atlanta. Around all of the graduation news, we learned that both Zahara and Maddox had recently begun the process to legally change their names – much like Shiloh, they decided to formally drop “Pitt” from their surname and just use “Jolie.” As you can imagine, Brad Pitt continues to be very huffy and stupid about all of this. Well, changing your name is a months-long process in California, and it involves a few different steps. One of those steps is putting an ad in a local newspaper to announce the name change. That’s what Zahara has done.
Another kid of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie is getting closer to closing the book on the family name … Zahara has taken the next legal step to become Zahara Jolie.
Court documents, obtained by TMZ, show Zahara has completed one of California’s required hurdles for a legal name change by publishing notice of her petition in the Los Angeles Daily Journal once a week for four consecutive weeks and calling for anyone opposing the change to submit a written opposition before the final hearing.
As TMZ previously reported, the 21-year-old filed her petition in June asking to legally change her name from Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie. The filing states the notice ran on June 16, June 23, June 30, and July 7 … and next up is Zahara’s September 28 hearing, where a judge can approve the request if no one objects.
A source close to Brad tells TMZ … they believe Angelina has caused the rift between Brad and the children … and this is just the latest chapter in the very sad and never-ending campaign to alienate children from their father.
Zahara hasn’t been using Brad’s last name for a while now … but the move follows a path already taken by sister Shiloh, who published a similar legal notice before officially dropping “Pitt” from her name in 2024.
And she’s far from the only one distancing herself from the family name. Maddox and Vivienne have also stopped publicly using “Pitt” in recent years … making Zahara the latest of Brad’s children to move away from the surname.
If the judge signs off, Zahara will officially become Zahara Marley Jolie.
Page Six points out that Maddox’s ads ran in the same newspaper on the same days, so this is like a special bonding project for Zahara and Maddox. That’s pretty cool!! “A source close to Brad tells TMZ … this is just the latest chapter in the very sad and never-ending campaign to alienate children from their father.” Again, Zahara is 21 years old and a college graduate. She’s not a vulnerable child right now. She actually was a vulnerable child ten years ago, when Brad terrorized and abused Angelina and all of the kids on a private plane. Let’s just keep it real. Same with Maddox – he’s 24 years old, not a child. He graduated from college years ago. It’s not “parental alienation” as much as grown-ass siblings deciding they don’t want to carry the name of their abusive father.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.
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- BEVERLY HILLS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – JANUARY 05: Zahara Marley Jolie and mother Angelina Jolie arrive at the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 5, 2025 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 952087851, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Zahara Marley Jolie, Angelina Jolie, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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- BEVERLY HILLS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – JANUARY 05: Zahara Marley Jolie and mother Angelina Jolie arrive at the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 5, 2025 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 952078915, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Zahara Marley Jolie, Angelina Jolie, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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- Angelina Jolie with daughters Knox Jolie-Pitt and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt during the Red Carpet of movie ‘Eternals’ at the 16th Rome Film Festival, Rome, ITALY-24-10-2021,Image: 639688245, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Maria Laura Antonelli / AGF Foto / Avalon
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- BEVERLY HILLS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – JANUARY 05: Zahara Marley Jolie and mother Angelina Jolie arrive at the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 5, 2025 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 952087846, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Zahara Marley Jolie, Angelina Jolie, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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- ** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES ** Tokyo, JAPAN – Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Zahara Jolie-Pitt at the premiere of the feature film ‘Maleficent: Powers of Darkness / Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ at the Roppongi Hills Arena. Tokyo. Pictured: Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Zahara Jolie-Pitt BACKGRID USA 3 OCTOBER 2019 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES ** Tokyo, JAPAN – Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Zahara Jolie-Pitt at the premiere of the feature film ‘Maleficent: Powers of Darkness / Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ at the Roppongi Hills Arena. Tokyo. Pictured: Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Zahara Jolie-Pitt BACKGRID USA 3 OCTOBER 2019 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES ** Tokyo, JAPAN – Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Zahara Jolie-Pitt at the premiere of the feature film ‘Maleficent: Powers of Darkness / Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ at the Roppongi Hills Arena. Tokyo. Pictured: Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Zahara Jolie-Pitt BACKGRID USA 3 OCTOBER 2019 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Angelina Jolie, accompanied by her children, attends the “Maria” premiere at Alice Tully Hall during the New York Film Festival. The family arrived in style for the highly anticipated screening in NYC. Pictured: Pax Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Zahara Jolie, Maddox Jolie-Pitt BACKGRID USA 29 SEPTEMBER 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Angelina Jolie attends the “Maria” Premiere during the 62nd New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall in New York City. Pictured: Pax Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie and Maddox Jolie-Pitt BACKGRID USA 29 SEPTEMBER 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ROME, ITALY – OCTOBER 24 Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie ,Shiloh Jolie-Pitt,attends the red carpet of the movie “Eternals” during the 16th Rome Film Fest 2021 on October 24, 2021 in Rome, Italy. Where: Roma, Italy When: 24 Oct 2021 Credit: Rocco Spaziani/DPA/Cover Images **ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE UK AND USA**
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- UK gala screening of Marvel’s ‘Eternals’. Featuring: Angelina Jolie, Zahara Jolie-Pitt Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 27 Oct 2021 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages/Cover Images **ONLY AVAILABLE FOR NORTH AMERICA**
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- UK gala screening of Marvel’s ‘Eternals’. Featuring: Angelina Jolie, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Knox Jolie-Pitt Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 27 Oct 2021 Credit: Steve Vas/DDP/INSTARimages/Cover Images **ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE USA**
I continue to be baffled why it’s such an arduous process to change one’s name in the USA. Do people from other countries commenting here have processes like this in their countries?
I came here to say the same thing. I can kind of understand having to announce the name change in case creditors or the law or someone trying to sue you. Even still a name change is a matter of record and if someone was trying to find you they could (unless it sealed or something)
But the statement about anyone opposing the name change is just bonkers. What possible legal reason could another person have that would give them the right to stop you. Even if you are married you are allowed to have whatever name you want. That part seems to be very antiquated and maybe should be reviewed.
There are many old laws on the books that haven’t been removed. This is likely one of them. Most people don’t have everything they do reported on, so no one has noticed this law that ‘inconveniences’ only a few people. When I got married I didn’t have to go through all this to change my name.
It’s so law enforcement wouldn’t think you were changing your name to evade the law.
In France you’re not allowed to change your name at all, other than when you get married.
Really? And in cases of divorce, is a woman stuck with her ex’s name or can she take back her own name?
Same in Germany (but in answer to BeanieBean’s question: you can go back to your maiden name.
@BeanieBean You wouldn’t be stuck with your ex’s name: Quebec is the same, you don’t generally take your husbands name officially on documentation because you’re not allowed to (in Quebec, you can change your name if you’re married out of province, but you’re still known by your maiden name) So taking out an official notice is very much in line with Italy, or France etc.
I don’t think this is any more arduous than having to change your name when you get married, even though the steps are different. When you get married you have to change your SSN, driver’s license, and file paperwork with the court, all of which requires other documentation, including your court-certified marriage certificate. And when you apply for a marriage license through the court, that gets published in the local newspaper.
It’s possible but you have to have a really really good reason for it. I knew a guy who was able to change his last name from Verge (penis) to Verger (orchard).
Yes. In my country (Trinidad & Tobago), you have to get a deed poll from an attorney, then submit it to the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the AG. Processing takes 3 months (on a good day). Then you have to update your national ID and every other government card/document and financial institution. As a Commonwealth country, we’re still under the Westminster system.
Not in Maine in my experience anyway. When I got married I wanted to keep my name. For some reason I didn’t do anything at the time. But five years later I decided to fix that. My father had just died. I wanted to have my family name back. I talked to a probate judge and filled out a form. I had my SS card, license and birth certificate to show ID. It cost me $25.00. I never had my birth certificate changed, I never heard of doing that until reading comments here today!
Good for them.
They are in their 20s and of sound mind. Please.
I was reading that the newspaper announcement thing is a bit of a relic of a California law from back in the day when criminals could just move and change their names to start over in order to evade the law. I hope there are exceptions to it these days, because that kind of red tape feels especially unfair and dangerous for trans people or people fleeing domestic violence.
I find it so bizarre. It’s not like women in California have to take out ads if they change their last names when they get married. Or is this process about changing your birth certificate?
When you apply for a marriage license, it does get published in the local newspaper. And you can’t change your birth certificate unless you have a legal name change first, and it’s also a separate process.
Incorrect, you do not have to publish your application for a marriage license in a local paper in California.
The law in California has just changed as of 7/1/26 regarding name changes/birth cert changes (made it more streamlined) so I am not going to cite the above as wrong or right but do review the recent changes closely if this is of personal interest. I *think* it has removed the ability for someone to object but don’t quote me on that.
The hate Angelina and adopted children are getting online is sickening. All pro-pitt media outlets piling it on and using the story for hate clickbait. How much more abuse do they have to tolerate before something is done about it?
I’m not sure what could be done about it. But I agree it’s awful.
Maybe he shouldn’t have been a terrible father and refused to take responsibility for what he did.
Generally speaking, if someone has a reason for wanting the record to be sealed (DV and transgender status are almost universally accepted reasons), judges will not require publication and will seal the record.
In the case of the Jolie family, this is already very public, so asking them to follow the rules as written is not burdensome or dangerous to them (or is not adding to the stress of their already stressful lives).
The reason for publication and making it a public process is so that people have a harder time fleeing debts or sanctions on professional licenses simply by changing their name.
Signed, retired lawyer and parent of a transgender young adult.
If you change your name in the U.K., you have to publish an announcement in the London Gazette, which we did. It’s really not a big deal. But it does create a paper trail, so you can’t go underground, assuming you were fleeing debt / bankruptcy / previous spouses / committing bigamy / abandoning minor children / etc…. There are sound practical reasons to advertise a change that is voluntary, and it’s just a formality.
But, but, but….is it safe for the girls, especially, to change their names from what’s on their birth certificates?? Won’t they lose their right to vote? I worry for women in the USA, every day.
Autocorrect changed the spelling of my name?! Sorry, I didn’t notice until I’d already posted.
They will not lose their right to vote. The SAVE Act requires that they have a passport with their current legal name, OR that they have a copy of their court approved name change, birth certificate and current government issued photo ID to vote. IF the act is passed by the Senate, then the girls would need to bring a certified copy of their birth certificate and a certified copy of their name change with them to vote.
The issue is that there was a new Driver’s license issued in 2024 that is called “RealID”, that probably 80% of Americans think is sufficient to meet the requirements of the SAVE Act, but it is not. The RealID does not prove citizenship by default. A few states – i think 4 of them – have enhanced RealIDs that *do* prove citizenship, but these are the exception.
The Republican party has intentionally been claiming the SAVE Act is a “voter photo ID” law – but it’s not, we already have those. It’s requiring proof of *citizenship* to vote. It is already a felony to vote if you are not a citizen, and even right-wing think tanks agree this is not an issue in the US now or in the past, including the Heritage Foundation that published the Project 2025 manifesto.
If you are someone who doesn’t have a passport – as the majority of Americans do not, if you married or divorced, you have to bring a copy of your legal name change from the court, and if you can’t find your original one you need to pay $25-50 to get a certified copy. Then you ALSO need a certified copy of your birth certificate, which is another $25-50. You can order these online, but you need a credit card to do that in most cases. And it takes WEEKS to get it processed.
So the problem is, if this Act passes the Senate in September, and people finally realize that they can’t vote with their regular Driver’s License, you will have millions of women at the same time flooding their state’s department of records with the same request – and there is no way the state department can process all the requests in time for the election.
In addition, you will have hundreds of thousands of women who do not have $100 (with the cost to mail them certified mail, due to their sensitive nature, ~$150) to spend on these documents, and many will simply choose to not vote. And that, of course, is the goal – because women, especially with families, are disproportionately voting for the Democratic party.
So first they’re intentionally misleading women into thinking their drivers’ license is sufficient, knowing if the law passes in Sept. after they’re back from Summer Recess, and peole suddenly realize the requirement, there won’t be enough time to get the papers they need, IF they can afford them.
But Angelia Jolie certainly knows this, and her daughters do to – so don’t worry for them. They’ll 100% know what’s needed and be able to afford to get the paperwork done in time.
‘IF the act is passed by the Senate, then the girls would need to bring a certified copy of their birth certificate and a certified copy of their name change with them to vote.’
Which is all bullsh*t. There’s no reason why girls & women should have a harder time voting than men, or have extra steps to go through than men.
And of course not everyone has a passport nor can afford one; just getting a photo ID can be a bit much. Again, just bullsh*t aimed at disenfranchising girls, women, and transgendered people.
So as far as we know, Pax is the only one who hasn’t changed his name?
Legally? The twins have not either. But they’ve called themselves by just Jolie at Knox’s graduation and I believe Vivian’s name in the Outsiders playbill. This was just Maddox and Z. And Shiloh before.
Yes but from what I can find, Pax has made no similar moves.
Pax was listed as Pax Jolie in Couture credits.
I thought that was maddox?
Three weeks ago, vanity fair reported pax is the only one not to change his name legally or privately.
My assumption is he will, but there’s no public confirmation.
Vanity Fair doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
Here is a screenshot of a pax’s credits in couture as PAX JOLIE
https://x.com/lyntwig_/status/1988044254690660802?s=46&t=lia_TL_BgLyh4ad0uCTSLg
That is excellent news.
The advertisements are a legal requirement. I’ve used my mother’s maiden name as my middle name since the 1980s, but paid to have it legally changed last year to synch up with social security. Had to run those ads for a month. It was part of the whole process.
The whole alienation argument is such an eye roll. As if it’s that simple for a parent to convince teenagers to do something they don’t want to do.
It was, they would all have immaculate bedrooms, finish homework every night, take their dirty clothes to the laundry…
The amount of racism throwned towards Angelina Jolie and her Adopted children as seen on TMZ , Daily Mail ,People Magazine , on Instagram YouTube, X , is soo disheartening to see how adults think its right to be racists towards Adopted children and Angelina Jolie, yet only concern for Pitt is he should disinherit the ungrateful children, which is disgusting to read. As if Pitt would give anything to children who still are traumatised by him & children he doesn’t care for
I know you’re well-meaning here, but her children aren’t her adopted children. They’re her children, period.
I agree with your larger point.
I’ve not seen once Brad Pitt stopping media to abuse his children, but more evidence of him treated as a hero, by not acknowledged their existence
My Dad was awful to my mother and in turn us growing up so I HATED having his name. I used to write my mum’s surname on my school when I was younger because that was who I wanted to be and who I knew I was. Of course I was made to stop but I always swore once I left school I was changing my name. I left school in ‘08. By the end of that year I had changed my surname to my mother’s. I remember like yesterday how important it had been to me because of what he put us through. He and I have a good relationship now because he’s made some changes but I’ve never doubted my decision
It would be great if her name could just be Zahara Marley. Then everyone would assume she was one of the descendants of Bob Marley.
But she loves her mother very much and based on that speech she gave at her induction ceremony on entering Spelman, she’s proud and honored that Angie is her mom.
I simply love it. Those kids are the best!