A few weekends ago, Zahara Jolie graduated from Spelman College. After her graduation, Angelina Jolie’s people briefed TMZ about Brad Pitt doing and saying nothing about the graduation. Ever since that TMZ briefing, Team Pitt has been in shambles. They’ve been briefing the Daily Mail and Page Six, desperately trying to convince everyone that Brad’s adult children are somehow still being alienated and it’s all Angelina’s fault. Well, the Jolie clan is doubling-down. A few days ago, we heard that Maddox, the oldest at 24, has filed the legal paperwork to legally drop “Pitt” from his surname. Maddox is the second kid to make this move, after Shiloh legally dropped Pitt from her name in 2024. So far, Maddox’s name-change petition hasn’t been granted, but I assume it will be eventually. So what is Brad’s reaction to this latest story about his deadbeat fatherhood? No official reaction, but Team Pitt made sure to get a sympathetic story in Us Weekly:
Brad Pitt wishes things were different with the children he shares with ex-wife Angelina Jolie.
“He feels most hurt out of everything that happened with Angie that his children don’t want a public association with his last name,” a source exclusively shared with Us Weekly. “It’s been very difficult.”
Earlier this week, Maddox Jolie-Pitt filed to remove his father’s surname from his own, according to legal documents seen by Us. If the request is granted, Maddox will legally be known as Maddox Chivan Jolie in the future. (Chivan is his middle name.)
“[Brad] still does hope and keeps the door open to eventual reconciliation, hopefully with all of them, but it is their decision,” the source explained. “He has no power and he can’t force them.”
“[Brad’s] biggest fear is to be permanently disconnected from the kids because he does want to find a way to make things right,” the insider explained to Us. “His biggest fear is that too much time is going by and the more time without something happening, the harder it will be to reconcile.”
This entire time, I assumed that the kids were dropping his name socially, scholastically and professionally because they simply don’t want to carry the same name as the man who terrorized them on a plane and abused their mother. While I’m sure that’s the main reason, perhaps a secondary reason is that they all know that dropping the “Pitt” name is what bothers Brad most of all. “He feels most hurt out of everything that happened with Angie that his children don’t want a public association with his last name…” THAT is what hurts the most? Not that his own actions caused a permanent rift in the family, not that he terrorized them in the first place? I’d love it if all of the kids go the legal route to drop his name, but it’s their call!
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
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- Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS Brad Pitt is seen on set as he films scenes for the upcoming Hollywood movie “The Riders” in Amsterdam. The actor continues production on the project as filming takes place across the city. Pictured: Brad Pitt BACKGRID USA 25 MARCH 2026 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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- London, UNITED KINGDOM – Angelina Jolie with her 5 kids at the “Eternals” UK gala screening, BFI Imax Waterloo, Charlie Chaplin Walk in London, England, UK. Pictured: Angelina Jolie, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt, Maddox Jolie Pitt, Knox Jolie-Pit BACKGRID USA 27 OCTOBER 2021 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 – Angelina Jolie and her daughter Shiloh Jolie-Pitt enjoy ‘mommy-daughter time’ at the Maneskin concert for the world premiere of the “Loud Kids Tour” at the “Circo Massimo” in Rome, Italy. Pictured: Angelina Jolie – Shiloh Jolie-Pitt BACKGRID USA 9 JULY 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Cobra Team / 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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- Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS Brad Pitt is seen on set as he films scenes for the upcoming Hollywood movie “The Riders” in Amsterdam. The actor continues production on the project as filming takes place across the city. Pictured: Brad Pitt BACKGRID USA 25 MARCH 2026 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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- Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS Brad Pitt is seen on set as he films scenes for the upcoming Hollywood movie “The Riders” in Amsterdam. The actor continues production on the project as filming takes place across the city. Pictured: Brad Pitt BACKGRID USA 25 MARCH 2026 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*
Doesn’t surprise me at all that the symbolic act is what bothers him most. Patriarchal BS.
The name stuff just makes me think – he’s upset he’s losing “ownership” of the kids, since the actual losing a relationship with his kids isn’t a big enough motivator for him to actually take responsibility for his actions and attempt to rebuild those relationships.
Ownership- that captures it perfectly!
Ownership is a perfect term for it. He’s also probably concerned about his “legacy”. He will never be able to take any credit for their future successes
Yup. Kind of similar, I had always thought when I was younger, I would keep my maiden name when I got married. Then when I actually met my husband, my father engaged in all sorts of petty power games to basically prove that he was still going to be the alpha male in my life. The signs had been there all along and he had been physically abusive of me in my childhood but I was basically willing myself to pretend everything was fine until it completely wasn’t. Anyway, once I got married and it became obvious my father’s bullshit was not going to end, I immediately changed to my husband’s last name. Some snarky comments were made. Names are powerful and my dad definitely understood that the decision to change mine was a critique of him (not that it changed his behavior…we are now no contact).
Angelina made sure to make public that she was following whatever the professionals said was required for her family to heal. So the name drop is probably part of what is needed to heal. If everyday your own name reminds your of your abuser or your trauma, hell yeah I want to erase that. Brad adresses how hurt he is but never what brings the kids to drop him like that and what he caused the day of the terror flight
I never thought I’d be quoting Jennifer Aniston, but a long time ago, she said that Brad Pitt “lacks a sensitivity chip”. If he really wants to make things right, he needs to do a lot more than “hope”.
I remember when she said that. Brad and Angelina did a magazine spread looking like a happy, loved up family before the ink was even dry on the divorce papers. I love that picture of him. Despite all the work he gets done he is not aging well. Ending up with face he deserves.
I think that’s from a set tbh.
He’s missing a sensitivity chip ended up being a wild understatement.
So the abuser feels hurt that his children don’t legally want his last name. So sad cry harder you total POS!!
Honestly, I don’t think he cares.
These standard leaks to tabs are one thing, but his actions are entirely another.
He only cares about it having an impact on his image.
Exactly in that dailymail one it said he was bothered by the backlash and people calling him a deadbeat. He cares his image is stained now. Thats all
His PR manager cares, Brad does not.
Ummm but he pays his pr manager. He can tell them what he’s okay with or not. He’s not a child. If he truly doesn’t care, then he would’ve told his pr manager to lay off a long while ago, come on now.
Sorry just realized you meant he doesn’t care about the relationship with the kids but his pr manager does.
Pitt DGAF about his adopted children. He only cares about his biological (white) kids. I remember when Shiloh was born, he gushed about “finally” having a daughter. They had already adopted Zara years before. Brad Pitt is a POS.
He feels …
His name …
He’s hurt …
He wants …
If his camp is trying to build support, sympathy for him, banging a I Me Mine drum is not the way to do it.
Where’s his concern about the trauma, pain, alienation they’ve felt?
If his sources want to keep the focus he, him, his messeging WRT his children, adult children they can start with
HE… realizes how HIS actions have harmed the kids.
HE regrets the pain HE’s caused them
HE’s sought help for HIS anger and substance abuse issues.
HE knows it’s up to HIM to be a better parent going forward, starting with moving forward as a more collaborative, less litigious co-parent with HIS EX Angie
And how about something more about them and what they want ie HE’s happy for them -seeing them thriving, accomplishing goals they’ve set for themselves and making their way in the world.
HE supports them 100% in whatever choices they make, etc
Brad Pitt is aging into the face he deserves.
His PR team released another hit piece on Angelina from his favourite media outlet Page Six. Matt Hiltzik (publicist) has deals with all the toxic tabloid sites,
Unless there are consequences, there is no reason to change. I’m sure the kids have had a ton of counseling and they must realize the full import of what they are doing. He could have been married to another kind of woman who would not have tried to protect his “good name” as Angie has.
But of course he feels hurt and despair they are dropping his name and dropping all association with him.
These kids are young, well educated, well rounded, and appear to have goals and aspirations. Especially in the entertainment industry, whether it be Hollywood or Broadway, they do have a step in the door already. Imagine if any of them take the steps they are granted in whatever industry and do something absolutely great and amazing! Imagine even just one of them in the future is celebrated for accomplishing something at the height of their chosen field!
….Brad’s association with them will be dimmed and dulled.
Imagine (made up in my mind as an example 20 years from now) Vivienne Jolie, Tony award winning and visionary Broadway director of Blah Blah, accepted her Important Prestigious Award today. Jolie, daughter of actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, made an appearance at Somewhere Important to accept her Important Prestigious Award today with her (maybe) partner, kids, and mother beaming with support.
After a side mention of Pitt, no further mention. No legacy.
We saw a glimpse of this when Shiloh was in the music video. A majority of headlines and focus was her being Angelina’s daughter. Of course Brad mentioned but really only in a side character way kind of like that example you gave. For the most part people will respect the estrangement.
Someone close to me was adopted (as an adult) by his stepfather. His POS biological father, whom he hadn’t heard from in years, sent him an aggrieved letter chastising him for changing his last name and begging him to reconsider. Patriarchal BS.
Viva la nome “Jolie”.
Can’t believe he actually used the phrase “make it right” when that was the name of his deplorable house-building program in New Orleans– the same houses that got mold and are falling apart. And he still refuses to “make it right” either with his p.r. project or his family. Brad is the pits.
And why does Brad look like such shit in all the pictures in this story? I thought he got a face lift to up his game? He really has to do something else, IMO.
I’m finding it very hard to believe this article.
Which is it? Brad doesn’t want to see his kids/his kids don’t want to have anything to do with him/is mad at his birth kids dropping his name?
I’m taking everything I read about that family with a VAT of salt.
They make it sound like Brad is crying somewhere but I really doubt that’s the case. It seems the children have decided they don’t want him, and he knows he can’t force them to see him. So they stay apart/mutual moving on.
He had the right to move on, marry again and rebuild his life.
All I would say is: any birth child of mine who drops my surname is not part of my estate. If they are saying that they are no longer part of me, won’t see me – I can only move forward. That’s life.
For adult children of abusive parents, in many cases getting a piece of that parent’s estate is not something they are interested in.
Getting free from the abusive parent’s control, harm, abuse
Protecting themselves, their loved ones from covert attacks by the abuser and flying monkeys acting on the abuser’s behalf
Healing from the damage that parent caused
Rebuilding their sense of self
Finding a way to reclaim a sense of emotional, physical safety
Moving forward, making their way in the world
Those things are what matters more than anything. Including money.
In last 10 year,we’ve seen empty words and no concrete gestures by Pitt towards reconciliation & healing with ALL HIS CHILDREN, NOT JUST BIO CHILDREN. last 10 years we seen his main priorities were laundering his image making one movie after another, having affairs with young married women & others whilst acting he was single. He used his Ex’s to launder his image even on farher day interview with Paltrow ge didn’t mention his 6 children nor about HIM BEING A FATHER HIS PRIDE IN THEM, NOTHING.
He continues to accuse Angelina Jolie of alienation yet he’s the one whose donde alienation to his children by his continues media outlets gaslighting and legal abuse by financially & mentally hurting them.