Zahara Jolie files to legally drop Brad Pitt’s name

It’s been a big year for Zahara Marley Jolie. She turned 21 in January. She graduated from college in May. And this week, she formally applied to legally remove her father’s last name from her own.

Court documents obtained by CBC News show she applied to change her name to Zahara Marley Jolie on June 5. Four days earlier, her 24-year-old brother also applied to change his name to Maddox Chivan Jolie. Their younger sibling Shiloh dropped Pitt from her name in 2024.

She informally dropped Pitt’s name some time ago.

It’s once again causing speculation about the dynamic of a family that has been in the public eye since Hollywood superstars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt started dating in 2005, and for years after their acrimonious split in 2016.

It took eight years for the couple to reach a divorce settlement. In that time, Jolie alleged Pitt grabbed her by the head and shook her, and then choked one of their children and struck another when they tried to defend her. A representative for Pitt denied those allegations. An FBI statement said it conducted a review of the circumstances and did not pursue further investigation.

In November 2016, the actors reached an agreement granting Jolie sole custody of their six children, who ranged from ages eight to 15 at the time. The agreement also called for continued therapeutic visits with Pitt.  

Pitt has been public about his issues with alcohol and efforts to quit drinking, which he says began in 2016. He has credited Alcoholics Anonymous with helping him stay sober for nearly a decade.

But there are signs he has not made amends with his children. He has not been seen in public or photographed with any of them for years. Their mother, on the other hand, often takes her children to red carpet events, and speaks about them often to the media.

CBC News has reached out to Pitt’s representation to request a comment but has not received a response.