Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Brad Pitt in 2016, following an alleged incident on a private jet as they travelled with their six children from their home in France back to Los Angeles.
Eight years later, the former couple reached a settlement in December 2024. Both parties signed off on their divorce, with both requesting a jury trial.
However, the lawsuit continues over Château Miraval — the French winery where Jolie and Pitt married in 2014 and Jolie later sold her stake.
The ongoing lawsuit, in combination with their lengthy divorce, has seen Pitt’s now-adult children — Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 17 — distance themselves from their father.
Now, Zahara has made a very pointed move — and she’s the third of Jolie and Pitt’s children to do so.
Here’s what we know about the ongoing family drama.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt together in 2015. Image: Getty.
Zahara files to drop ‘Pitt’.
Jolie and Pitt’s eldest daughter has made an official move to step away from her relationship with her father.
Zahara filed a petition in the Superior Court of California to have ‘Pitt’ removed from her last name, according to documents obtained by People.
If the petition is approved, she will officially be known as Zahara Marley Jolie. It is understood that a court hearing is scheduled for September.
Zahara’s latest move follows her decision to drop Pitt’s name at her graduation from Spelman College in Atlanta where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
While, People reports, the university’s commencement program listed her as Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt, when she walked across the stage to collect her diploma, Zahara was announced as “Zahara Marley Jolie” — pointedly leaving “Pitt” out of her name.
Jolie was reportedly in attendance with Maddox, Knox and Pax, but Pitt was notably absent.
She also dropped her father’s name during a college event in 2023, stating, “My name is Zahara Marley Jolie” during a video of her joining a college sorority.
She’s not alone.
Zahara has followed suit from her older brother Maddox and younger sister Shiloh, who was the first of the former couple’s children to do so.
Shiloh requested a legal name change to go solely by Shiloh Jolie on her 18th birthday in 2024.
“Shiloh hired her own lawyer and paid for it herself,” a source told People, referring to the abuse allegations against her father as the reason for doing so.
Jolie and Pitt’s eldest son Maddox followed suit. He filed legal paperwork to drop ‘Pitt’ from his surname last month, according to court documents obtained by E! News.
If approved, he will become officially known as Maddox Chivan Jolie.
People reported Maddox unofficially dropped his dad’s last name earlier this year and was listed only as Maddox Jolie in the credits for Jolie’s film, Couture, on which he worked as an assistant director.
Brad Pitt’s response.
Pitt is said to be “hurt” by his children’s decision to publicly distance themselves from him.
“He feels most hurt out of everything that happened with Angie that his chidlren don’t want a public association with his last name,” a source told US Weekly. “It’s been very difficult.”
That source added that Pitt “still does hope and keeps the door open to eventual reconciliation, hopefully with all of them, but it is their decision.”
“He has no power and he can’t force them.”
A source close to Pitt told People: “It’s sad to see someone repeatedly publicise their successful alienation of their children from the other parent”.
Brad Pitt’s relationship with his kids.
According to US Weekly, Pitt dropped his fight for shared custody of the children in March 2024.
“The negotiation process was agonising, but the financial docs were filed,” a source told the publication. “Brad just wants to move on with his life, and this final step symbolises relief and a definitive end to their relationship.”
Under the current custody agreement, Pitt has visitation rights with Vivienne and Knox. This will change once the pair turn 18.
People reported Pitt had minimal contact with the twins while busy filming his F1 film.
According to sources, Pitt has “virtually no contact” with his older children, who are now legally adults. However, his older children regularly attend premieres for their mum’s latest films.
Zahara and Shiloh have both dropped their father’s surname. Image: Getty.
Last January, sources close to Pitt and Jolie told People the children had wanted Jolie to “defend herself” amid negative stories online.
“The kids have grown up seeing that some people have so much power and privilege that their voices don’t matter. Their pain doesn’t count,” the source told People.
“They have wanted her to speak up for herself, to defend herself over these years, but she reminds them to focus on changing laws over telling public stories.”
While Maddox, Zahara and Shiloh have officially dropped Pitt’s name. More of the former couple’s children have made their feelings known in other ways.
Vivienne was listed as Vivienne Jolie on the 2024 playbill for her mother’s Broadway production The Outsiders, where Vivienne worked as a producer.
Watch Zahara’s sorority performance here. Post continues after video.
Pax Jolie-Pitt has also expressed his disdain towards his father.
In November 2023, Pax’s old social media post about his father resurfaced — and it didn’t paint a pretty picture of the famous family’s dynamic.
It was the first time one of the kids — who Jolie claimed wanted to testify against their father during a 2020 trial — had publicly spoken out against their dad.
In the 2020 post, a then-16-year-old Pax posted from his private account on Father’s Day about Pitt.
Angelina Jolie and her daughter Vivienne at The 77th Annual Tony Awards. Image: Getty.
Pax shared an image of his dad accepting an Oscar with the caption: “Happy Father’s Day to this world-class a**hole!! You time and time again prove yourself to be a terrible and despicable person.”
“You have no consideration or empathy toward your four youngest children who tremble in fear when in your presence,” he continued.
“You have made the lives of those closest to me a constant hell. You may tell yourself and the world whatever you want, but the truth will come to light someday. So, Happy Father’s Day, you f-ing awful human being!!!”
Brad Pitt, Pax Jolie-Pitt, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt and Maddox Jolie-Pitt. Image: Getty.
The Fight Club actor has not been photographed with any of his children since Jolie filed for divorce in 2016.
In an interview for his 2025 film F1, Pitt reflected on what he’s learned in his later years.
“No matter the mistake, you know, you just learn from it and move on,” he told Entertainment Tonight.
“It’ll lead to the next success.”
Château Miraval lawsuit.
The lawsuit began in 2022, when Pitt sued Jolie for selling her stake in their business — and it’s still ongoing.
In response to the lawsuit, Jolie filed court documents on October 6, reviewed by E! News, detailing why she and their six children have not returned to the estate since Pitt and Jolie’s 2016 divorce.
In a declaration submitted to a California court, Jolie outlined the circumstances leading to her separation.
“The events leading to my need to separate from my ex-husband were emotionally difficult for me and our children,” Jolie penned in the filing.
“Upon filing for divorce, I left him control (and full residency) of our family homes in Los Angeles and at Miraval, without compensation, which I hoped would make him calmer in his dealings with me after a difficult and traumatic period.”
She further explained the lasting impact of those events on their family’s relationship with their home.
“To this day, the children and I have never again set foot on the property, given its connection to the painful events leading to the divorce.”
Jolie did not provide details about the specific events she referenced in the filing, but it painted a troubling picture of the couple’s split and what may have transpired in their family home.
As part of a dispute over the exes’ French home and winery, Page Six published court documents from October 2022 that included Jolie’s claims the children were left “traumatised” by Brad’s behaviour, which reportedly included physical assault, emotional abuse, and intimidation while under the influence of alcohol.
Jolie alleged that Pitt “choked one of the children and struck another in the face,” during a 2016 dispute on a plane as the family travelled from France to California.
The filing also claimed that Pitt “grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her,” and “at one point, he poured beer on Jolie; at another, he poured beer and red wine on the children”.
Jolie shared photos from the alleged attack with the federal authorities, which showed the actress had sustained injuries to her hand, back, and elbow.
An FBI investigation was launched into Brad’s alleged child abuse, but no criminal charges were pursued.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s divorce is still ongoing. Image: Getty
In 2024, a judge ordered Pitt to disclose documents that Jolie’s lawyers said would bring to light “crucial evidence” that Pitt has “fought for years to hide”.
“His actions harmed Angelina and their children and are central to this case,” her attorney Paul Murphy said. “She wants this to end, the children want this to end, and Mr. Pitt should focus on healing their family, not pursuing lawsuits.”
Most recently, in December 2025, a judge ordered Jolie to turn over previously withheld communications related to the legal battle, per court documents cited by People.
But now, that’s all changed.
The actress scored a small win when an LA court ruled she no longer has to provide Pitt’s team access to the 22 unredacted emails, according to USA Today.
The court found Pitt failed to provide enough evidence to refute Jolie’s claim that the messages were covered by attorney-client privilege. However, the request was dismissed without prejudice, meaning Pitt’s team can challenge it.
Jolie’s request for monetary sanctions against Pitt was rejected.
In a statement to the outlet, Jolie’s team praised the decision, labelling it an “important victory” for Jolie.
“The decision shows that Mr. Pitt was completely out of bounds when he sought access to obviously privileged documents … Mr. Pitt is getting nothing, zero,” her attorney, Paul Murphy, said.
“This is part of Mr. Pitt’s pattern of demanding control over anything Angelina, including control over her communications with her own attorneys. We are extremely gratified that both the Court of Appeal and the trial court ultimately put a stop to it.”
Pitt’s reps have not addressed the ruling. However, a source close to Pitt told People: “The judge allowed Pitt’s team to revisit [the decision] as evidence develops. It’s notable how Jolie has withheld so many documents as privileged. It’s just some of the evidence in the case.”
Read more about Pitt and Jolie’s ongoing legal battles, here.
This story was originally published in March 2024, and has since been updated with new information.
Feature image: Getty.
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