Brad Pitt’s family story has taken another significant turn, with his daughter Zahara officially removing his surname from her legal name.
The decision comes after years of public tension surrounding Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s family, but the latest development is not simply about paperwork.
Zahara’s court-approved change has now prompted competing reactions from both sides, with Pitt’s camp describing the move as part of a broader pattern of alienation while Jolie’s side sharply disputes that characterization.
Brad Pitt’s Daughter Zahara Officially Drops His Surname
The legal change is now official. A Los Angeles judge granted Zahara’s petition to change her name from Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie during a hearing on Monday at Los Angeles Superior Court’s Stanley Mosk Courthouse.
The court’s September 28 minute order stated, “There being no objections, the petition for change of name is granted,” followed by, “The Decree is signed and filed.” The document confirms that her legal name is now Zahara Marley Jolie.
Zahara’s attorney, Peter Kenneth Levine, appeared remotely during the hearing, while Judge Virginia Keeny presided.
The ruling formalized a process that had been underway for months. In June, Zahara began publishing legal notices announcing her proposed name change in the Los Angeles Daily Journal.
The notices appeared on June 16, June 23, June 30 and July 7, giving members of the public an opportunity to file written objections before the court hearing.
By the time the judge approved the petition, Zahara had already been publicly using Jolie without Brad Pitt’s surname.
Pitt’s Camp Calls The Name Change ‘Complete And Total Alienation’
The legal ruling quickly became another point of dispute between the camps surrounding Brad Pitt and Jolie.
A source close to the actor responded to the court decision by framing it as part of a much larger family conflict.
“This is the latest installment in what complete and total alienation looks like with an extra topping of trying to deflect attention from their ex’s success,” the source told Page Six.
The same source continued, “Anyone who has actually been a part of this for the last ten years would know that there’s only one side that talks about and has tried to weaponize the kids.”
Brad Pitt’s Daughter Gets Response From Angelina Jolie’s Camp
Jolie’s side strongly rejected the characterization coming from Pitt’s camp, arguing that Monday’s hearing was simply the required legal step in a process that had already been scheduled.
A second source close to the “Maleficent” actress told the outlet, “Today’s hearing was required by law and scheduled months ago by the L.A. court system.”
The source then directly criticized Pitt’s camp’s response, saying, “It’s a new low to have his camp to spin a conspiracy theory, disavow responsibility for his conduct, and attack his own child.”
The statement also pointed to Zahara’s decision not to publicly discuss details surrounding her relationship with her father, adding, “Keep in mind, his daughter has had the grace not to discuss the details of his behavior in public.”
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Brad Pitt’s Son Officially Drops His Father’s Surname
Zahara’s legal name change was not the only recent move involving Pitt’s family name. Just two weeks before her September 28 hearing, her older brother Maddox also received court approval to remove “Pitt” from his legal name.
As PEOPLE reported, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted Maddox’s request on September 14, changing his name from Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt to Maddox Chivan Jolie. Court documents stated there were “no objections” to the petition.
Maddox had already stopped using Pitt professionally earlier this year. He was credited as Maddox Jolie while working as an assistant director on Jolie’s film “Couture.” He filed the formal petition in May, giving “personal” as the reason for the requested change.
Besides Maddox and Zahara, Shiloh also legally became Shiloh Jolie in 2024.
Angelina Jolie Sells Her Los Angeles Estate For $24.75 Million
The name change comes alongside another major change for Jolie: the sale of the Los Angeles estate where she raised her children.
As The Blast reported, the actress sold the historic property for $24.75 million on September 24.
Jolie bought the Los Feliz property for approximately $24.5 million in 2017, shortly after filing for divorce from Brad Pitt. She listed it in May for nearly $30 million before the eventual sale.
The roughly 11,000-square-foot home sits on about 2.1 acres in the gated Laughlin Park neighborhood. It has six bedrooms and ten bathrooms, along with a guest house, pool and pool house, tea house, hidden treehouse, fitness studio, library, wine cellar, garage and security station.
Filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille once owned the property. Jolie previously said she planned to leave Los Angeles after her youngest children turned 18 and hoped to spend more time in Cambodia.
