Brad Pitt may be facing another painful development in his strained relationship with his children as his youngest son, Knox, appears to be moving toward distancing himself from the actor’s famous surname.
The 18-year-old has not yet taken legal steps to change his name, but sources say he has already started using his mother’s surname in certain settings.
If he makes the change official, he will become the fifth of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie‘s six children to stop using their father’s last name.
Brad Pitt’s Youngest Son Is Preparing To Drop The ‘Pitt’ Surname In Latest ‘Heartbreaking’ Move
According to Page Six, Knox is expected to follow his siblings by removing Pitt from his surname, although he has not submitted a formal petition.
A source familiar with the situation suggested that the decision is likely to happen eventually, explaining, “Knox hasn’t filed anything yet, but it’s only a matter of time before he drops Pitt from his last name.”
The insider added that there is no specific date for the move, but believes it is unavoidable.
“It’s inevitable. It’s just a question of when, and there’s no timeline for that right now,” the source said. The possibility has reportedly been difficult for the actor, with the insider describing the situation as “heartbreaking for Brad.”
Knox has, however, already shown a preference for using Jolie rather than Pitt in public. When he graduated from Fusion Academy in Los Angeles in June, his high school diploma identified him as Knox Jolie. He celebrated the occasion with his mother and several of his siblings.
Knox Will Not Be The First To Dump The ‘Pitt’ Name
Knox would not be the first of the former couple’s children to make this decision. Knox’s decision to change his surname comes days after a Los Angeles judge approved his sister, Vivienne’s request to change her legal name.
The 18-year-old is now officially Vivienne Marcheline Jolie, having removed Pitt from her former surname, Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt.
Shiloh, now 20, began the process on her 18th birthday in May 2024, and a judge approved her request that August. She was the first of the six siblings to legally remove her father’s surname.
Maddox and Zahara have also completed their name changes. Maddox, 25, is now known legally as Maddox Chivan Jolie, while his older sister, 21, has become Zahara Marley Jolie. Both had already been using their mother’s surname publicly before receiving legal approval.
The growing number of name changes has also brought competing accounts of what has happened within the family.
A source close to Pitt previously accused Jolie of deliberately turning the children against their father, claiming she had made an effort to separate them from him. The insider described the situation to Page Six as “the total success of her long-standing, intense, deliberate effort to alienate her children from their father.”
However, another source offered a different explanation, saying Jolie had taken part in family therapy with Pitt and the children in an effort to repair their relationships.
The insider argued that the damage caused by Pitt’s actions had affected the children’s trust, adding, “It’s been very hard for the kids. No one knows, except them, how bad it has been.”
Pax Jolie-Pitt Once Shared A Brutal Father’s Day Message About Brad Pitt
Pax’s strained relationship with his father became a subject of public discussion after a social media post from 2020 resurfaced in November 2023.
The message, which was shared on Father’s Day, offered a harsh assessment of Pitt and accused him of causing pain within the family.
In the post, Pax appeared to address the actor directly, writing, “Happy Father’s Day to this world class a–hole!” He went on to accuse his father of showing little understanding toward his younger siblings, claiming they were frightened around him.
“You have no consideration or empathy towards your 4 youngest children who tremble in fear when in your presence,” the message continued, per the Daily Mail.
Pax also accused Pitt of failing to recognize the consequences of his behavior, adding, “You will never understand the damage you’ve done to my family because you are incapable of doing so.”
The post ended with another pointed remark, as Pax claimed his father’s actions had made life difficult for those closest to him.
“So, happy Father’s Day, you f–king awful human being!!!” Pax said. The message offered a rare glimpse into the depth of the tension between father and son
Brad Pitt Opens Up About Suicidal Thoughts
Pitt has also spoken about the emotional difficulties he experienced during a particularly painful period in his life.
In an interview with Esquire, the actor reflected on how deeply personal struggles had affected him, admitting that there was a time when he could understand why someone might consider suicide.
He was careful to explain that taking his own life had never been something he intended to do. “I was never suicidal in any way. It just was not my makeup,” Pitt said, describing himself as someone who generally approaches life with optimism. However, he acknowledged that one period had left him struggling to see a way forward.
“Anyway, I’ve never been suicidal except for one little period,” he explained. Recalling how overwhelming the pain felt, he said, “I just couldn’t—just didn’t see a way out.”
He added that although he had no intention of acting on those thoughts, he could understand suicide as an attempt to escape unbearable suffering.
Brad Pitt Linked The Difficult Experience To ‘Family Stuff’
When the Esquire interviewer asked whether the experience was connected to difficulties involving his children, Pitt kept his response brief. “Family stuff. We could leave it at that,” he replied.
He also reflected on the importance of having supportive people around him, saying in a separate June 2025 interview that being surrounded by loved ones, friends and family had become increasingly meaningful to him.
The comments offer a rare look at how the family situation has affected Pitt personally since his fallout with Jolie.
Yet, with Knox now potentially considering the same surname change as his siblings, the kids’ estrangement remains an unresolved part of the actor’s life.
