Angelina Jolie looking forward with a slight smile at a public event.
Vivienne Jolie-Pitt has officially taken legal steps to drop her father’s surname. The 18-year-old submitted a petition to the Los Angeles County Superior Court to change her name to Vivienne Marcheline Jolie.
Court documents reveal she signed the request on July 12, her 18th birthday. She listed the reason for the change simply as “personal.”
Angelina Jolie looking forward with a slight smile during a public appearance.
Focusing on Healing Over Conflict
Angelina Jolie is reportedly approaching her daughter’s decision with a focus on moving forward. A source close to the actress shared her perspective on the ongoing family dynamic.
“Angie hasn’t been fighting and isn’t angry. She just wants everyone to heal,” the insider told Page Six.
The source added that the public would have greater sympathy for the children if they knew the full context of the situation. The siblings have deliberately chosen not to discuss private family matters publicly, opting to handle the fallout with dignity.
Representatives for both Jolie and Brad Pitt have not commented on the recent filings.
A Growing Trend Among the Siblings
Under California law, 18-year-olds can petition for a name change without parental consent. Vivienne’s court hearing is scheduled for November 2 after an initial rescheduling.
The legal filing was predictable to those following the family’s recent projects. Earlier in 2024, Vivienne was credited solely as “Vivienne Jolie” in the Playbill for The Outsiders, a Broadway production produced by her mother.
She is not the first sibling to shed the Pitt name. Shiloh successfully petitioned to remove her father’s surname shortly after turning 18 in 2024. Zahara and Maddox have also reportedly filed similar legal paperwork.
Maddox already uses “Maddox Jolie” professionally. He was credited under the name while working as an assistant director on Couture, a film starring his mother. Knox also reportedly used the name “Knox Jolie” during his recent high school graduation ceremony.
The 2016 Split and Ongoing Aftermath
The surname changes highlight the lasting fracture between Pitt and his six children. Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016 following a two-year marriage and over a decade together. The complex legal battle formally concluded in 2024.
The separation was triggered by an alleged physical altercation aboard a private flight in 2016. Pitt firmly denied the allegations through a representative. The FBI reviewed the incident but chose not to pursue an investigation.
Pitt has not been publicly photographed with his children for years. However, recent reports indicate that his son Pax maintains a relationship with members of Pitt’s extended family, despite having minimal contact with the actor himself.
