Brad Pitt is reportedly distraught about the latest development involving his eldest son, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, who has now taken legal steps to drop the actor’s name.
Maddox recently filed documents requesting to go only by his mother Angelina Jolie‘s last name, a move reminiscent of one made by his younger sister, Shiloh Jolie, when she turned 18.
Despite the worsening estrangement from all six of his children, insiders claim Brad Pitt remains hopeful for reconciliation.
According to a new report, Maddox’s decision to officially drop Pitt’s name has completely shattered the actor, as he wished things were different between him and his six children, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Jolie.
“He feels most hurt out of everything that happened with Angie that his children don’t want a public association with his last name,” a source told Us Weekly. “It’s been very difficult.”
Before Jolie met Pitt, she had already adopted Maddox while in Cambodia, a country she had grown fond of due to her time filming the hit movie “Tomb Raider.”
Pitt later legally became Maddox’s father in 2006, a year after starting a relationship with Jolie. The duo went on to have five more kids, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and twins, Knox and Vivienne, 17.
Now, according to legal documents, Maddox, 24, is requesting for a name change as he wants to be known as “Maddox Chivan Jolie,” instead of the usual “Jolie-Pitt.”
According to an insider who spoke to the publication, the Oscar winner is optimistic about reuniting with his children, despite the ongoing estrangement.
“[Brad] 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,” the insider said.
They further noted that Pitt’s “biggest fear is to be permanently disconnected from the kids because he does want to find a way to make things right.”
“His biggest fear is that too much time is going by, and the more time without something happening, the harder it will be to reconcile,” the insider added.
The Actor’s Circle Claims He Was ‘Alienated’ From His Kids By Their Mother, Angelina Jolie
Shortly before Maddox’s bold move, sources close to Pitt accused Jolie of being the mastermind behind his estrangement from the children.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, an insider claimed that there was a “campaign of alienation [by Jolie] which has been successful.”
“The antagonism is huge,” the source noted. “He has been alienated from the kids completely. It is devastating to him.”
While Pitt’s four adult kids have the right to cut ties with him and can choose not to see him, the actor has court-mandated visits with the twins, Knox and Vivienne, as they are still considered minors.
However, according to the news outlet, Pitt still hardly ever gets to see them, with his busy work schedule recently adding to the challenges.
Brad Pitt Skipped Zahara’s Graduation And Never Reached Out
A recent major family event revealed how bad things had gotten between Pitt and his kids.
The actor was nowhere to be seen at his daughter, Zahara’s graduation from Spelman College, with a source telling TMZ that Pitt never “reached out” or tried to see if he could attend the ceremony.
They further claimed that “nothing prevented him from showing up for her. Or ever visiting her.”
It is worth noting that Zahara made a public move to distance herself from Pitt when she first entered college, opting to use only Jolie’s last name. However, unlike Shiloh and Maddox, she has yet to make this official.
Jolie and all three of her sons, Maddox, Pax, and Knox, were the siblings at the graduation to support Zahara.
Insider Claims Angelina Jolie Made It Difficult For The Actor To Reach Out
Amid the criticism over Pitt’s absence from Zahara’s graduation, a source blasted Jolie, accusing her of creating a situation that made it impossible for the actor to participate in his children’s milestones.
“You can’t have it both ways – to promote a complete estrangement and then criticize someone for not going to an event when you’ve made sure that they would not be welcome,” the source told the Daily Mail. “That’s not a situation which he created.”
They then described Jolie as “evil” and “manipulative” for allegedly driving a wedge between Pitt and the six children.
Besides Zahara’s graduation, Pitt has notably been absent from other major milestones, like his son Knox’s win at a Muay Thai competition on his 17th birthday in 2025.
Shiloh Jolie Dropped Brad Pitt’s Name Once She Turned 18
Maddox is only the second sibling to legally cut ties with Pitt, as the actor’s biological daughter, Shiloh, was the first to kick things off on her 18th birthday.
At the time, a source said Shiloh’s decision was tied to her parents’ custody battle during their bitter divorce, after she and her siblings were prevented from testifying despite Jolie’s request that they be allowed to testify.
“The name change goes back to the custody battle, and Shiloh’s belief that her rights as a victim were violated,” an insider told the Daily Mail. “Shiloh believed she had the right, as a victim of crime, to testify — and was prevented from doing so.”
Shiloh’s lawyer also hinted at this reason, telling People Magazine that the teenager “made an independent and significant decision following painful events.”
The move was said to have deeply “hurt” Pitt, but a source insisted that “he will be there for Shiloh and any of his kids whenever they need, no questions asked.”