Shiloh drops 'Pitt' surname: Angelina-Brad's daughter financed lawyer herself
Shiloh, the 18-year-old daughter of Hollywood royalty Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, has initiated legal proceedings to drop "Pitt" from her surname. Celebrating her 18th birthday on May 27, Shiloh filed legal documents to change her name from "Shiloh Jolie-Pitt" to "Shiloh Jolie." An insider close to the matter revealed that Shiloh hired a personal attorney for this process and covered the expenses herself.
Siblings follow suit in dropping 'Pitt' from last names
Shiloh is not the only child of the former couple who made it clear she didn't want anything to do with her dad. Pitt (60) and Jolie (48) are parents to five other children: Maddox (22), Pax (20), Zahara (19), Knox (15), and Vivienne (15). Last week, moviegoers observed Vivienne is listed as "Vivienne Jolie" in the playbill for a Broadway show, The Outsiders, produced by Jolie. Similarly, Zahara introduced herself as Zahara Marley Jolie when she joined college.
What influenced Shiloh to drop 'Pitt' from her name?
The decision for the name change is reportedly tied to allegations of an "abuse history" made by Jolie against Pitt. In 2016, Jolie had informed authorities that Pitt, in a drunken state, "grabbed her by the head and pushed her to the bathroom wall" on their private jet. Their children witnessed the violent encounter, with one of them reportedly shouting at Pitt, "It's not her, it's you, you pr*ck."
Jolie-Pitt divorce and custody battle background
Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt in 2016—two years after their marriage in 2014—seeking sole physical custody of their six children. An insider revealed to PEOPLE in August 2022 that there have been extended periods where Pitt didn't see the children due to the ongoing custody dispute. Jolie has alleged that Pitt was abusive toward her and their children before their divorce, claims which Pitt's lawyers have labeled as "misleading" and a "distraction."
Jolie's perspective on divorce and family relationships
In response to the allegations, Jolie's attorney Paul Murphy stated, "All Angelina has ever wanted was separation and health, with positive relationships between all members of their family, including Mr. Pitt." In a 2021 interview with The Guardian, Jolie herself spoke candidly about the divorce. She emphasized that she did not make the decision to divorce Pitt "lightly." "It took a lot for me to be in a position where I felt I had to separate."
