Brad Pitt faces fresh family heartache

Brad Pitt is facing another painful reminder of his fractured relationship with his children after two more of the six he shares with Angelina Jolie reportedly began the legal process of dropping "Pitt" from their last names.

According to court filings published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal, Maddox, and Zahara, have petitioned to legally change their names to "Jolie," following a path already taken by their sister Shiloh, who officially removed "Pitt" from her surname after turning 18 in 2024. 

Their younger sister Vivienne has also publicly used "Jolie" in professional credits, as per Daily Mail.

The latest developments underscore the continuing divide within the Jolie-Pitt family, nearly a decade after the former Hollywood couple separated in 2016. 

While their divorce was finalized in 2024, their legal disputes and reported family tensions have continued in the years since.

Pitt and Jolie share six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne. 

Moreover, reports have long suggested that Pitt has limited contact with several of his children, although neither he nor Jolie has publicly commented on the latest name-change petitions.

Under California law, people seeking a legal name change must publish notice of their petition in a newspaper before a court hearing.