Zahara Jolie-Pitt Files to Legally Drop Brad Pitt’s Surname Amid Ongoing Family Estrangement

Zahara Jolie-Pitt has taken a major legal step to formally remove her father Brad Pitt’s last name from her own.

According to a petition filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Zahara is seeking to legally change her name from Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie. Court records show that the filing was processed on June 5, 2026, although Zahara signed and submitted the paperwork on April 28.

The 21-year-old did not provide a specific reason for the requested name change in the legal documents. A hearing on the petition is scheduled for September 28, 2026, when a judge will review the request.

A Change Years in the Making

While the legal filing is recent, Zahara has been publicly using the name Zahara Marley Jolie for several years.

One of the most notable examples came in November 2023 during her induction into the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Spelman College in Atlanta. During the ceremony, Zahara introduced herself to the audience as "Zahara Marley Jolie," leaving out the Pitt surname entirely.

More recently, she continued that practice during her graduation from Spelman College on May 17, 2026. Zahara earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and was announced at the ceremony as Zahara Marley Jolie when she walked across the stage to receive her diploma.

Although her full legal name reportedly appeared in the commencement program, the public announcement reflected the name she has chosen to use socially.

Brad Pitt Absent From Graduation

Angelina Jolie attended Zahara’s graduation ceremony alongside several of Zahara’s siblings. Brad Pitt, however, was not present.

Reports indicate that Pitt did not attend the event, and sources have claimed there was no contact between father and daughter regarding the ceremony.

The absence further highlighted the long-reported estrangement between Pitt and several of his children following his highly publicized separation from Angelina Jolie in 2016. The former couple's divorce was legally finalized in December 2024 after years of legal disputes.

In the weeks before graduation, Zahara publicly praised her mother during a campus event, describing Angelina as a role model and speaking warmly about their close relationship.

Family Tensions Continue

The latest filing is likely to draw renewed attention to the strained relationship between Pitt and some of his children.

A source close to Pitt has reportedly suggested that Angelina Jolie played a significant role in the family division and described the situation as heartbreaking. The source claimed it was unfortunate when one parent allegedly prioritized alienating the other parent instead of focusing on family milestones and achievements.

Meanwhile, reports have suggested that Pitt was deeply upset by both his absence from Zahara’s graduation and her continued decision to distance herself from his surname.

Neither Zahara nor Angelina Jolie has publicly commented on the legal filing.

Part of a Larger Pattern Among the Jolie-Pitt Children

Zahara is not the first of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s children to distance herself from the Pitt surname.

Several of the couple’s six children have taken legal, professional, or public steps to remove or stop using the name.

Shiloh Jolie

Shiloh became the first sibling to formally change her name through the courts. On her 18th birthday, May 27, 2024, she filed a petition to change her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie.

She reportedly hired and paid for her own attorney to handle the process. After completing California’s legal requirements, including publishing notice of the name change, her request was approved in August 2024.

Maddox Jolie

The eldest child, Maddox, has long been known professionally as Maddox Jolie rather than Maddox Jolie-Pitt.

He has used the shorter name in film production and assistant director credits, including projects connected to his mother. Reports indicate that he has also pursued official legal steps to remove Pitt from his name.

Vivienne Jolie

Vivienne, one of the youngest Jolie-Pitt children, has also publicly moved away from the surname in professional settings.

When she worked on the Broadway production of The Outsiders, she was credited in the playbill simply as Vivienne Jolie. Because she is still a minor, it remains unclear whether any legal name-change process has been started.

The Remaining Children

Not all of the Jolie-Pitt children have formally changed their names.

Pax, who has previously been reported to have a strained relationship with his father, has not publicly filed paperwork to remove Pitt from his surname.

Knox, Vivienne’s twin brother, also continues to use the Jolie-Pitt surname, and no public efforts to change his name have been reported.

What Happens Next?

For now, Zahara’s legal request remains pending. If approved by the court later this year, her official legal name will become Zahara Marley Jolie, bringing her legal identity in line with the name she has already been using publicly and socially.

The filing represents the latest chapter in the ongoing and highly publicized family story surrounding Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and their children—a story that continues to evolve years after the couple’s separation.