Vivienne Jolie Legally Drops Father’s Last Name

A Legal Transition For Vivienne Jolie

Vivienne Jolie, the daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, has officially updated her legal name to remove her father’s surname. According to court documents, the 18-year-old is now known as Vivienne Marcheline Jolie, moving away from her previous name, Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt. This legal change follows a petition filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court in July, shortly after she reached adulthood. In the filing, the reason for the name change was listed simply as personal.

Judge Virginia Keeny granted the petition during a hearing held at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse of the Los Angeles Superior Court. While the legal process was finalized recently, Vivienne had already been using her mother’s last name exclusively for at least two years. This was evident in her professional credits as a volunteer production assistant for the Broadway production of The Outsiders, a show co-produced by her mother.

A Growing Trend Among The Siblings

Vivienne is not the only child of the former celebrity couple to distance herself legally from her father. She is now the fourth of the six children to drop the name Pitt. The process began with Shiloh, who was the first to make the change in 2024. Following this, Zahara and Maddox both filed petitions earlier this year, with their requests being granted in September.

Vivienne and her twin brother, Knox, are the youngest of the group. The older siblings include Maddox, now 24; Pax, 22; Zahara, 21; and Shiloh, 20. The trend of name changes reflects the ongoing tensions that have persisted since the couple’s separation in 2016. The split led to a prolonged and contentious legal battle that was not fully settled until 2024.

Background Of The Family Split

The high-profile relationship between the two actors lasted a decade before they married in 2014. However, the marriage ended when Jolie filed for divorce in 2016. Although a judge declared them legally single in 2019, the aftermath of the separation remained fraught with conflict. Court documents filed in 2022 detailed allegations regarding an incident on a plane in 2016, where Jolie claimed there were instances of physical aggression involving her and the children. Specifically, she alleged that the father had grabbed her, pushed her, and choked one of their children while striking another who tried to intervene.

In response to these claims, representatives for the actor denied the allegations. Furthermore, the FBI conducted a review of the situation and stated that it would not be pursuing any further investigation. Despite the legal clearances, the emotional divide has remained apparent in the public eye. While Jolie is frequently seen accompanying her children on red carpets and at public events, such as the premiere for the film Eternals in 2021, the 62-year-old actor has not been seen in public with any of his children for several years.

Public Silence And Family Bonds

The children have generally avoided the spotlight and have refrained from speaking publicly about their internal family dynamics or their specific relationships with either parent. However, some moments of public affection toward their mother have surfaced. Earlier this year, Zahara spoke warmly of Jolie during a mother-daughter brunch for the Pearls of Purpose Foundation in Atlanta. During her speech, Zahara described their relationship as kindred and praised her mother as a selfless, loving, and understanding woman. She concluded her speech by quoting a phrase about being a strong woman because a strong woman raised her.

Regarding the name changes, the actor has not addressed the matter directly in a formal statement. However, in an interview with Esquire in August, he touched upon the emotional toll of family difficulties, mentioning that he had experienced periods of deep distress and suicidal ideation over family stuff, feeling there was no way out of the situation. As the children enter adulthood, these legal steps signify a continuing shift in their identities and family associations.