Brad Pitt’s daughter shocks fans by filing to completely drop her father’s last name, keeping only Angelina Jolie’s surname.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s daughter Zahara has reportedly taken another formal step to distance herself from her father’s surname, filing legal documents requesting that her name be changed to Zahara Jolie instead of Zahara Jolie-Pitt. The move marks a continuation of a pattern among several of the former couple’s children, who have increasingly chosen to use only their mother’s last name in public and professional settings.

According to documents obtained, the 21-year-old requested her name be officially recognized as Zahara Jolie, with a court hearing scheduled for September 28 for a judge to rule on the motion. The filing has drawn renewed attention to the ongoing tensions within one of Hollywood’s most high-profile families, years after the separation of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Zahara had already begun using the name Zahara Jolie publicly in recent years. During her 2023 Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority induction ceremony at Spelman College in Atlanta, she introduced herself without her father’s surname, signaling an earlier shift in how she identified herself socially and academically.

At the time, the now college graduate, who was 18 years old, introduced herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie.” She also continued to use only her mother’s surname when she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology in May, further reinforcing her decision to step away from the double-barreled family name she was born with.

“A source referred to the legal move as a result of a “deliberate alienation campaign,” stating that it was “sad to see one parent successfully alienate” their kids from the other.”

A representative for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie was not immediately available for comment.

Zahara is not the first of the couple’s children to make such a decision. Her older brother Shiloh was the first to legally drop Pitt from her surname after turning 18 in May 2024. More recently, Maddox also filed a similar request in May 2026, listing the reasons as “personal.” The pattern reflects a broader shift among several of the six children shared by the former couple.

Other children have also distanced themselves from the Pitt surname in various professional contexts. Vivienne, for example, chose not to use her father’s last name when she worked as a producer on the Broadway adaptation of The Outsiders in 2024. Similarly, Zahara’s decision to drop Pitt from her name has been consistent across multiple public appearances and milestones.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie share six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne. Over the years, each of them has navigated life in the public eye differently, with varying degrees of visibility and independence from their parents’ fame.

The current developments come amid long-standing tensions within the family following Pitt and Jolie’s separation in 2016. The couple first began dating in 2005 after meeting on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s most talked-about pairs. They married in 2014 and later separated two years later, initiating a prolonged and highly publicized divorce process.

Their divorce was finalized in December 2024 after years of legal disputes and negotiations. During that period, both actors continued to build their careers while also navigating custody arrangements and ongoing media scrutiny surrounding their family life.

A source close to the situation has previously described Pitt as being deeply affected by the growing distance from his children. The actor has reportedly been “devastated” by the name changes but is allegedly “not ready to give up” on maintaining relationships with his children.

Brad Pitt’s relationship with his children has been described as strained in recent years. Following the separation, allegations surfaced regarding an incident on a private jet involving Pitt and some of the children, in which he was accused of being verbally abusive and physical. These allegations became part of the broader context of the couple’s contentious split, though legal outcomes and personal accounts have remained heavily disputed and complex.

Despite the challenges, both Pitt and Jolie have continued to maintain prominent careers in Hollywood. Brad Pitt, an Academy Award-winning actor and producer, has remained active in film production through his company Plan B Entertainment, contributing to critically acclaimed projects and maintaining a strong presence in the industry.

Angelina Jolie, also an Academy Award-winning actress and filmmaker, has increasingly focused on directing and humanitarian work. Known globally for her roles in films such as Girl, Interrupted, Maleficent, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, she has also served as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and Special Envoy, advocating for refugees and human rights causes for more than two decades.

Their personal lives, however, have often overshadowed their professional achievements in public discourse, particularly in relation to their children and post-separation dynamics. The evolving identities of their children have become part of that ongoing narrative, reflecting how the next generation of the family is choosing to define itself outside of Hollywood legacy expectations.

Shiloh’s legal name change in 2024 marked a significant moment, as she was the first to formally remove “Pitt” from her surname. That decision was widely reported as a turning point in the family’s public narrative, opening the door for similar actions by her siblings.

Maddox’s more recent filing in 2026 added further attention to the trend, especially given his long-standing independence. As the eldest child, Maddox has often maintained a relatively private life compared to the media attention surrounding his parents.

Zahara’s own academic and social milestones have also drawn attention over the years. Her time at Spelman College, one of the most prestigious historically Black colleges in the United States, was marked by her active participation in student life and her decision to publicly use her mother’s surname during key ceremonies and events.

Her graduation in psychology further established her identity outside of her family’s Hollywood fame, signaling a focus on academic and personal development rather than public association with her father’s celebrity status.

The broader family dynamic continues to be closely followed by media outlets and fans alike, as each new development adds another layer to an already complex narrative involving fame, separation, and personal identity.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s relationship, once celebrated as a Hollywood fairytale, has over time become one of the industry’s most scrutinized breakups. From their early days as co-stars to their marriage and eventual separation, their journey has remained a focal point of entertainment media coverage for nearly two decades.

As their children reach adulthood, they appear increasingly willing to make independent decisions regarding their identities, including the use of their surnames. These choices reflect a broader theme of autonomy within a family that has long lived under intense public scrutiny.

While legal proceedings continue regarding Zahara’s name change, the situation underscores the ongoing evolution of the Jolie-Pitt family narrative, as each member navigates their own path in the aftermath of one of Hollywood’s most widely discussed separations.