Reason behind Angelina Jolie’s children’s name change amid Brad Pitt divorce
The divorce has caused a shift in the family's dynamic
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's divorce battle has finally come to a conclusion, eight years after they split.
The celebrity pair were the definition of a power couple, having fallen in love on the set of Mr and Mrs Smith in 2004. They wed in 2014 before splitting in 2016.
Over the course of the relationship, they shared six children together - Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, Zahara, 19, Shiloh, 18, and 16-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, and it probably came as a shock for most of the public when the couple announced their separation.
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In a divorce, kids are often put in awkward situations and made to feel like they're choosing sides. In the case of Jolie and Pitt, some of the children have made their feelings clear. Three have already opted to drop 'Pitt' from their names.
Eldest daughter Zahara was the first, introducing herself as 'Zahara Jolie' when she arrived at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia back in 2023. A few months later, it was reported that Vivienne had made the same decision. And then in May 2024, Shiloh followed in her big sister's foosteps once she turned 18.
The teen's lawyer Peter Levine told People: "The media should be more careful in their reporting, especially when covering a young adult who has made an independent and significant decision following painful events, and is merely following legal process."
As of 19 August 2024, her name was Shiloh Nouel Jolie.
Shiloh was born on May 27, 2006, and was the couple's first biological child.
Photos of her as a baby fetched millions of dollars.
Growing up, she was close to her dad. Pitt has not been photographed with his six children in years, according to Hello! magazine. Suffice to say, the divorce has not been smooth sailing for the family.
Pitt attempted to sue his ex-wife after she sold her portion of a jointly-purchased French vineyard to a third party. She sued him in return in 2022, alleging abuse had taken place on a 2016 private jet flight.
According to the documents filed, Pitt allegedly 'choked' one of the children and 'struck another in the face'. He is also alleged to have 'grabbed' his then wife 'by the head' and 'poured beer and red wine on the children'.
Pitt's representatives have consistently denied these accusations.
Topics: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Celebrity
Ben Thompson