Brad Pitt’s estranged relationship with several of his children has made headlines once again.
According to legal documents obtained by Us Weekly on May 28, the 62-year-old’s eldest son, Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt, has filed paperwork requesting that his name be changed to Maddox Chivan Jolie.
The move follows earlier signs that the 24-year-old had already begun distancing himself from the Pitt name professionally.
Maddox (right) has filed paperwork requesting that his name be changed to Maddox Chivan Jolie. Credit: Jason Mendez / Getty Images.
Earlier this year, Maddox worked as an assistant director on his mother Angelina Jolie’s film Couture, which recently premiered in French theaters.
In the credits, he was listed as “Maddox Jolie” rather than his birth name, “Maddox Jolie-Pitt.”
Maddox joins siblings who have dropped the Pitt name
The 24-year-old is not the only member of the family to have stepped away from the Jolie-Pitt surname.
Jolie, 50, and Pitt share six children: Maddox, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 17.
Several of the siblings have either publicly or legally stopped using “Pitt” since their parents’ split.
Earlier this month, Zahara graduated from Spelman College, where she was listed as “Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt” in the commencement program.
But she had already introduced herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie” during her induction into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in November 2023.
Vivienne also appeared to make the same choice in 2024. While helping produce The Outsiders alongside her mother, the teenager was reportedly credited in the Playbill as “Vivienne Jolie” rather than “Vivienne Jolie-Pitt”.
At the time, her attorney, Peter Levine, released a statement defending her decision.
“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,” Levine told PEOPLE.
Maddox is not the only member of the family to have stepped away from the Jolie-Pitt surname. Credit: Monica Schipper / Getty
Fallout from Jolie and Pitt’s split continues
The latest development comes almost a decade after Jolie and Pitt’s highly publicized breakup.
In 2022, Jolie filed a lawsuit alleging that the F1 actor had been abusive toward her and their children during a 2016 flight, an incident she claims contributed to the end of their marriage.
Pitt’s legal team has consistently denied the allegations.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt got a divorce after two years of marriage. Credit: Michael Kovac / Getty
Another legal battle
The Oscar winner launched skincare company Le Domaine in 2022 with the Perrin wine-making family before rebranding the business as Beau Domaine last year.
According to AirMail, the new name has triggered legal action from Malibu skincare company Beau D., which alleges “trademark infringement, false designation of origin, and common-law unfair competition under California’s Business and Professions Code”.
Beau D., founded by former Men’s Vogue fashion editor Brandon Palas in 2020, reportedly tried to negotiate a private settlement three times before filing suit.
The company is seeking more than $75,000 in damages and a “permanent injunction” that would prevent Pitt’s business from using the Beau Domaine name and branding.
“This isn’t about publicity or punishment,” Palas said. “It’s about protecting the integrity of what we’ve spent years building and ensuring independent brands have the right to grow without being overshadowed or diluted.”
At the time of reporting, Beau Domaine had not yet filed a formal legal response.
