Brad Pitt's daughter, Shiloh Jolie, has legally dropped her father's last name. Shiloh, who hired and paid for her own attorney, filed to drop the Pitt surname on her 18th birthday in May. She requested to change her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie.
According to TMZ, the name change was approved on Monday without a formal hearing, as stated in official court documents. Last month, Shiloh placed a newspaper ad to announce her name change, a routine procedure required before the court can approve such a request. The notice also stated that anyone who has any objections to the petition should immediately appear in the court.
Shiloh Detaches Herself Completely from Father
A source familiar with the situation told Dailymail.com, "Shiloh hired her own lawyer and paid for it herself, so Angie doesn't know and can't speak for it. But, if you're asking if this is connected to the abuse history or the violation of Shiloh's victims rights, yes, that's part of it."
The fact that Shiloh covered the legal costs herself hints that the ongoing tension between Pitt, 60, and Jolie, 48, might continue through potential legal actions involving their six children.
Their prolonged custody battle ended with a temporary win for Pitt, who was granted 50-50 custody in 2021, only for it to be overturned on appeal. A judge had to step in, ordering Angelina not to eavesdrop on Pitt's phone conversations with the kids.
The judge also mandated "reunification therapy" for Pitt and the children.
Pitt made efforts to bond with Shiloh by installing a skate park and, more recently, an art studio at his home to nurture their shared interest in art.
He has also arranged transportation and security to bring the children from Jolie's home to his during scheduled custody visits. Unfortunately, these efforts haven't strengthened their bond.
In fact, in a 2016 Instagram post, son Pax claimed that all four of the younger children—including Shiloh—"tremble with fear" when they are around Pitt. At that time, the two oldest children were already refusing to see him.
Currently, the children—Maddox, 22, Pax, 20, Zahara, 19, Shiloh, 18, and Knox and Vivienne, 16—have formed a close-knit group with Jolie.
Don't Want Father In Their Lives
A key point of contention appears to be the infamous private jet incident that occurred in 2016. An FBI report on the 2016 incident, released in 2022, detailed Jolie's accusations that Pitt physically assaulted her while they were flying to California. According to Jolie, Pitt was drunk, grabbed her by the head, shook her, and later pushed her during a confrontation allegedly involving their children.
Jolie also claimed that Pitt told the children she was "ruining this family" and punched the airplane ceiling four times. She further alleged that at one point, he poured beer on her and a blanket under which she and several of the children were sitting.
Sources close to Pitt later claimed that he never hit any of the children, though they acknowledged he had been drinking.
These revelations come amid recent reports that Pitt and Jolie's divorce, now stretching on for eight years, remains unresolved, as both stars struggle to move on. A source told People that their conflicts overshadowed the relationship, turning things "nasty" and creating a difficult situation for everyone involved.
"All the bitterness is partly why the divorce has dragged on for so many years. Neither will let it go. You'd think they would be over it and just settle."
Another insider said: "Both of them were having issues with each other. The differences added up over time. It's really sad for the children, but also the parents. Divorce, especially one so high-profile, can be challenging for the whole family.
"They both care. They both care about the children."
Pitt and Jolie went public with their relationship soon after he and his former wife, Jennifer Aniston, revealed their separation in 2005.
The Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-stars stayed unmarried for many years, even after adopting and having several biological children together. They got engaged in 2012 and eventually married in 2014.
However, their marriage lasted only about two years before the Maleficent star filed for divorce in 2016. They were officially declared single in 2019.
Pitt is currently in a relationship with 35-year-old Ines de Ramon.
