- TMZ reports that Maddox wants to drop “Pitt” from his name.
- He is credited as “Maddox Jolie” in the film Couture.
- He was Angelina Jolie’s first adopted child, later adopted by Brad Pitt in 2005.
- Several of the couple’s children have also dropped the “Pitt” surname.
According to a new report by TMZ, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, the son of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, is reportedly moving to drop his father’s surname as well. The outlet says he filed legal documents to officially change his identity, seeking to remove the “Pitt” name in favor of adopting “Maddox Chivan Jolie.”
Professionally, Maddox has already appeared under a simplified version of his name. He is listed as “Maddox Jolie” in Angelina Jolie’s recent film Couture, where he served as an assistant director. This credit listing suggests he is already using that identity in a professional setting, which aligns with the details reported in the legal filings.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie built their family gradually—first welcoming three adoptive children, then later adding three biological children to the brood.
Maddox was Jolie’s first adopted child, welcomed from Cambodia in 2002, at a time when she was not yet involved with Brad Pitt. After Jolie and Pitt began dating in 2005, Pitt also adopted Maddox that same year, officially becoming a father within the Jolie-Pitt clan.
The name-change request Maddox filed has not yet received official approval, but a formal decision is expected soon.
Riding the Wave
This complex family dynamic now sits within a broader context in which several of the children have chosen to modify or reframe their last names, whether through official channels or in more personal contexts.
Maddox appears to be following a trend already observed among some of his siblings, who have also distanced themselves from the Pitt surname. In fact, Shiloh is reported to have undergone an official name change, while Zahara has decided not to use it informally in certain contexts. Vivienne, for her part, is said to have removed the name from the cast list of a Broadway production she participated in.
These individual decisions, though distinct, fit into a broader pattern in which Brad Pitt’s children seem to be distancing themselves from him.
Accusations and Divorce
The romance between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, followed by their split, has been marked by a long and challenging journey for both sides. According to TMZ, their divorce was ultimately settled after more than eight years of proceedings and negotiations, bringing to a close a particularly tangled legal battle.
Soon after the divorce filing, Jolie accused Pitt of violent behavior toward at least one of their children. Pitt has consistently denied the allegations and was later cleared by authorities after investigations were completed. Despite this, Jolie pursued various legal steps for years, keeping certain aspects of the dispute active.
Beyond that episode, their separation extends into another significant legal matter concerning their vineyard estate in France, a case that has long fueled tensions between the former couple.
