Maddox Chivan Jolie, the eldest child of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, filed legal paperwork in May 2026 to drop his father’s surname. This move follows similar legal or informal name changes by siblings Shiloh, Zahara, and Vivienne, signaling a deepening estrangement between the actor and several of his six children.
The legal process for Maddox, 24, began on May 28, 2026, according to court documents cited by EL PAÍS English. To satisfy California law, he published a name-change petition in the Los Angeles Daily Journal on June 10, 17, 24, and July 1. His official hearing is scheduled for September 14, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
This formal filing follows a professional shift. Maddox was already listed as Maddox Jolie
in the credits of his mother’s recent film, Couture, where he served as an assistant director, as reported by TMZ.
Legal Timelines for Zahara and Shiloh Jolie
Maddox is not the only child pursuing a court-mandated change. Zahara, 21, began her legal process in June 2026. She published her petition in the Los Angeles Daily Journal on June 16, 23, 30, and July 7. Provided no objections are filed, her hearing is set for September 28, when she will officially become Zahara Marley Jolie, according to EL PAÍS English.
Shiloh, 20, was the first to make the change permanent. She filed the paperwork on May 27, 2024, her 18th birthday, and a Los Angeles court granted the petition a few months later in August 2024, EW reports.
The legal requirement to publish notice in a newspaper—which some outlets mischaracterized as a public announcement—is a mandatory step under California law, as noted by HOLA.
Informal Changes: Knox and Vivienne
While some siblings have used the courts, others have distanced themselves through professional or academic credits. Vivienne, 17, was listed as Vivienne Jolie
in the Playbill for the musical The Outsiders, which she helped produce with Angelina Jolie.
Knox, 17, reportedly debuted the change on his high school diploma on June 5, 2026. According to InStyle, he went by Knox Jolie
on his certificate during a graduation ceremony in Los Angeles. The twins reached adulthood on July 12, 2026, and have publicly expressed interest in removing the Pitt name, though they have not yet filed legal petitions.
Pax, 23, remains the only child who has not changed his surname.
The Psychological and Legal Stakes of Estrangement
Experts suggest these decisions often serve as emotional boundaries. Dr. Becca Bland, a family counsellor specializing in estrangement, tells the BBC that changing a surname can act as a psychological defence mechanism
to help individuals separate themselves from something that could be problematic or traumatic
.
For Brad Pitt, the moves are seen as a symbol of deeper estrangement
. Sources claim the actor is devastated
by Shiloh’s legal filing and finds it extremely difficult to come to terms with
the lack of relationship with his children.
Ongoing Legal Conflicts and the Miraval Dispute
The name changes occur against a backdrop of a decade of legal volatility. The couple split in 2016 following an alleged altercation on a plane, where Jolie claimed Pitt physically and verbally abused her and the children. While Pitt’s representatives state he has accepted responsibility for what he did but will not for things he didn’t do
.
The legal battle has extended to the ownership of Château Miraval.
| Child | Status of “Pitt” Surname | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Shiloh | Removed | Legal filing (Aug 2024) |
| Maddox | Pending | Legal filing (Hearing Sept 14, 2026) |
| Zahara | Pending | Legal filing (Hearing Sept 28, 2026) |
| Vivienne | Informal | Professional credits (Playbill) |
| Knox | Informal | Academic (High school diploma) |
| Pax | Retained | N/A |
While Pitt has expressed a desire to forge
a bond as his children age, sources report that he feels the negative narrative Angelina presents to the kids is a major obstacle
in his efforts to reconnect.
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