Years after Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt‘s split, a new development involving their daughter Vivienne has renewed attention on the family’s ongoing estrangement.
As the former couple’s youngest children reach adulthood, legal experts say one of the last remaining ties between the exes has effectively come to an end.
The latest milestone comes amid growing scrutiny over several of the couple’s children distancing themselves from Brad Pitt’s surname and what that could mean for the actor’s public image.
A Decade After Their Split, One Of Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt’s Final Legal Ties Ends
With twins Knox and Vivienne recently turning 18, all six of the former spouses’ children are now legal adults, effectively bringing any remaining custody-related matters between Pitt and Jolie to a close.
According to family law professionals, the milestone removes one of the last legal connections that continued to bind Jolie and Pitt following their highly publicized split.
Jolie and Pitt, once considered one of Hollywood’s most influential couples, share six children together: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne.
Family attorney Holly Davis told Fox News Digital that the development represents a significant turning point, noting that custody issues are no longer subject to court oversight now that the youngest children have reached adulthood.
“For those that followed the Pitt/Jolie divorce since 2016, it should be no surprise that Angelina Jolie is finally able to achieve what she attempted to get in the 2016 divorce — a complete cutting of ties between the children and Brad Pitt,” Davis noted.
Expert Says Angelina Jolie Has Finally Reached A Long-Sought Turning Point
Davis suggested that the outcome aligns with what Jolie has been pursuing since initiating divorce proceedings in 2016, allowing her greater freedom in matters that previously were subject to legal restrictions related to the children.
“Because she was unable to achieve this result in the parties’ divorce, she had to wait until the youngest children were 18 to be able to do the things that the court would not allow her to do,” Davis explained.
At the same time, Davis acknowledged that the reasons behind the apparent estrangement between Pitt and several of his children remain unclear to anyone outside the family.
“Whether or not she influenced them in hating their father based on the legitimate problems in her romantic relationship with Brad, or whether they all suffered similar difficult moments as a family which leads to their decision to no longer see him, will be anyone’s guess,” the family attorney said.
Vivienne Jolie-Pitt Seeks Legal Name Change
The latest development comes as Vivienne seeks to formally remove “Pitt” from her surname.
According to reports, the 18-year-old has filed paperwork requesting a legal name change from Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt to Vivienne Marcheline Jolie, citing “personal” reasons.
A court hearing regarding Vivienne’s name change request has been scheduled for November 2, according to public court records.
Following news of the filing, a source close to Pitt commented on the development, telling USA Today that the actor’s previous efforts to maintain a relationship with his children during the lengthy custody dispute with Jolie.
“It is important to contextualize that Brad was awarded 50/50 custody of the children in 2021 following lengthy testimonies from witnesses, experts, therapists and other people who had been with the kids and around them,” the source pointed out amid growing scrutiny over the reason the actor’s kids are publicly disassociating with him.
However, that ruling was later set aside after a California appeals court disqualified the judge who presided over the case.
Vivienne Jolie-Pitt Is The Fourth Sibling To Take Legal Action To Change Her Last Name
Vivienne’s request follows a pattern seen among several of her siblings. Long before formally seeking to remove “Pitt” from her surname, she had already begun using a shortened version of her name professionally.
In 2024, she was credited as “Vivienne Jolie” while working on the Broadway production of “The Outsiders,” where she served as a producer’s assistant alongside her mother, who was one of the show’s producers.
Before Vivienne, her older sister, Shiloh, made the move to cut ties with Pitt by filing to change her last name on the day she turned 18.
Very recently, two other Jolie-Pitt kids, Maddox and Zahara, also decided to make their name change legal, opting to drop the Pitt from their last name.
This now leaves Knox and Pax, who have reportedly both been using just Jolie as their last name professionally, but have yet to make a legal request to make it official.
Experts Divided On Impact Of Family Rift On Brad Pitt’s Image
The ongoing family developments have also prompted debate about whether the situation could affect Pitt’s public image.
Some experts believe the impact on his Hollywood career will be minimal. Entertainment attorney Tre Lovell told Fox News Digital that Pitt’s reputation as an actor remains firmly established and that his family struggles have been publicly known for years.
In his view, “Most of the public would chalk it up to an unfortunate problem with the relationship with his kids, but as far as his brand, it’s still strong and would survive any type of criticism in this area.”
Others see the repeated decisions by several of Pitt’s children to distance themselves from his surname as more significant.
Crisis communications expert Kaivan Shroff argued that while Pitt’s professional accomplishments remain unquestioned, the discussion increasingly extends beyond his career.
“[Pitt’s] talent remains unquestioned. But when multiple adult children publicly choose to stop using your surname, the conversation inevitably shifts from career to character,” Shroff said. “Whether fair or unfair, that’s the kind of narrative no amount of good publicity can easily overcome.”