Why Angelina Jolie Can't Speak on Daughter Shiloh Dropping 'Pitt' From Last Name (Exclusive)

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's daughter Shiloh filed a request in court to officially drop 'Pitt' from her last name.

Why Angelina Jolie Can't Speak on Daughter Shiloh Dropping 'Pitt' From Last Name (Exclusive)

Published:

2:15 PM PDT, June 1, 2024

There's a reason why Angelina Jolie can't speak on Shiloh Jolie-Pitt's official request to drop her father Brad Pitt's surname from her own hyphenated surname.

A source close to the matter tells ET, "Shiloh hired her own lawyer and paid for it herself, so Angie doesn't know and can't speak for it." A source familiar with the matter previously told ET that Shiloh filed her request in court on May 27, the day she turned 18.

In filing the paperwork, it is Shiloh's hope to legally change her name and simply go by "Shiloh Jolie." Brad and Angelina share three biological children -- including Shiloh and 15-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox -- as well as three adopted children, sons Maddox, 22, and Pax, 20, and daughter Zahara, 19.

Zahara was first to drop "Pitt" from her last name. She introduced herself as "Zahara Marley Jolie" during an introduction ceremony event after joining the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Vivienne followed suit more recently. She and her famous mother co-produced the Broadway production of The Outsiders, on which Vivienne was credited as "Vivienne Jolie."

Angelina Jolie and her daughter, Shiloh. - Andrea Staccioli/ Insidefoto/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

Shiloh, however, appears to be the first of Angelina and Brad's children looking to make the change official, by filing the paperwork in court to legally change her last name. Notably, the Maleficent star -- who is the daughter of Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand -- was originally born Angelina Jolie Voight. However, following a long estrangement from her father, Jolie petitioned the court to legally drop Voight from her name. That request was granted in 2002.

Brad and Angelina began dating in 2005 after starring together in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and after the actor filed for divorce from his previous wife, Jennifer Aniston.

Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Maddox Jolie-Pitt and Knox Jolie-Pitt at the "Eternals" premiere in October 2021. - Getty Images

The couple officially tied the knot in 2014, but the relationship came to an end in 2016 when Angelina filed for divorce following an alleged altercation during a flight with their children. That altercation caught the FBI's attention, which prompted the agency in 2016 to produce an explosive 53-page report. The U.S. Attorney's Office ultimately decided not to prosecute the case "due to several factors."

Angelina and Brad have since been locked in a lengthy legal battle.

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