Brad Pitt’s son Maddox seeks to drop father’s surname

Brad Pitt once had six children all carrying his rather famous surname. These days, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find one who still uses it.

Maddox Jolie-Pitt has reportedly become the latest of the actor’s children to distance himself from the family moniker, filing to change his name to Maddox Chivan Jolie.

The 24 year-old is said to have listed the reason for the request simply as ‘personal’.

While the legal filing is new, the switch itself may not come as much of a surprise to the Fight Club actor. Earlier this year, Maddox appeared in the credits of his mother Angelina Jolie’s film Couture as ‘Maddox Jolie’, dropping the Pitt surname altogether.

More significantly, he’s far from the first sibling to do so. Last year, Shiloh legally changed her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Jolie shortly after turning 18. Her lawyer later described it as an ‘independent and significant decision’ and said she was merely following the legal process required to make the change.

Zahara has also publicly moved away from the double-barrelled surname. During a sorority ceremony and later at her graduation from Spelman College, she was introduced as Zahara Marley Jolie rather than Zahara Jolie-Pitt.

Then there’s Vivienne, who appeared as ‘Vivienne Jolie’ in the playbill for the Broadway musical The Outsiders. So that’s now four siblings and four variations on the same message.

The growing distance between Pitt and several of his children has become one of the most visible legacies of his split from Jolie. Hollywood break-ups rarely stay private. Few, however, have continued to generate headlines quite as consistently as this one.

The roots of the family divide stretch back to a private jet flight in 2016. Days later, Jolie filed for divorce and later alleged that Pitt had physically and verbally assaulted members of the family – including the Tomb Raider and Salt star – during the journey.

In legal filings connected to an FBI investigation, Jolie claimed that Pitt argued with Maddox during the flight and put his hands on the then-15 year-old. Pitt has repeatedly denied the allegations and the FBI ultimately cleared him of wrongdoing.

Nearly a decade later, reports continue to suggest that relationships within the family remain pretty strained. Maddox and his brother Pax are frequently cited as being the most distant from their father.

Pax previously made headlines after sharing a blistering social media post aimed at Pitt.

People close to Pitt have consistently rejected suggestions that he has given up on his children. Sources have maintained that he wants a relationship with all six and hopes that some of the divisions can eventually heal.

Although this latest news seems unlikely to indicate that any mending of relationships is on the horizon.

Those close to Jolie have offered a very different interpretation, arguing that the fractured relationships are a consequence of Pitt’s own actions.

Maddox was adopted by Jolie from Cambodia in 2002 before Pitt later adopted him after joining the family. More than two decades later, his decision to reportedly drop the Pitt surname appears to be the latest sign that the family divide is now deeper than ever.

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