After news broke of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's daughter, Shiloh, changing her last name from "Shiloh Jolie-Pitt" to "Shiloh Jolie," the whole world is wondering just what happened between this superstar family. Almost 10 years after Jolie and Pitt's divorce, it seems like the pair's children continue to draw a clear line in the sand, choosing to only remain close to their mother, and distance themselves even further from their dad.
Obviously, there's a lot of history to uncover from Jolie and Pitt's whirlwind (and controversial) romance, short-lived marriage, and abrupt breakup. Here's everything we know about what exactly is going on, and why this drama is unfolding between this high-profile Hollywood family.
How long were Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie together?
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The couple was only married from 2014-2016 when Jolie filed for divorce. Although they were only married for a short while, their relationship lasted much longer than that, having been together and starting a family long before their legal nuptials.
The iconic couple met in 2004 on the set of the famous movie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith — and despite Pitt being married to the Jennifer Anniston at the time, Jolie and Pitt fell in love. After this, the pair had a whirlwind romance over the years, filled with many movies and many kids. They decided to get married in Miraval in 2014, only to file for divorce about a year and a half later in 2016.
How many kids do Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have?
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The couple shares six kids together! Their names are: Shiloh, Pax, Vivienne, Knox, Zahara, and Maddox. Zahara and Maddox were their first kids that they had (and actually were adopted!), then Shiloh was their first biological child, after that Pax was adopted, and lastly Angelina gave birth to the twins Vivienne and Knox!
Why did Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt separate?
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After Jolie abruptly filed for divorce from her husband, news started circulating that an incident might've happened on a plane between Jolie and Pitt in front of her children. In an FBI report given to CNN, Jolie accused Pitt of "injuring her and verbally abusing their children during a heated encounter aboard a private jet in 2016." This report has since been heavily redacted, but states that Pitt had been "drinking heavily" at the time of the incident, when he verbally attacked one of their children, and when Jolie confronted him, he “grabbed her by her head,” “grabbed her by the shoulders,” shook her, and was yelling very aggressive statements to her in front of their family. Angelina suffered many injuries from the abuse, even giving the FBI documentation of the bruises. Right after this, the FBI investigated Pitt's actions, but ultimately there were no charges were filed against Pitt.
Immediately following the investigation, Jolie requested full custody of their six children.
Have any of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's kids chosen a side?
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While Jolie requested full custody, Pitt came back and requested joint, which he was then granted in 2021. While he may have visitation rights and custody, most children are completely estranged from Brad and choose not to see him. Pax is also very publicly protective over his mother, so although we don't know if he's chosen a side, per say, we know he loves and protects his mom. The youngest ones, Knox and Vivienne, are still required to visit Brad for the time being, due to the joint custody agreement.
Have any of their children changed their name?
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Their daughter, Zahara, has publicly declared her new name while at a ceremony for her sorority at Superman College. In the viral video, she announces herself to be "Zahara Marley Jolie" effectively removing "Pitt" from her name completely — though the change has not legally been made yet.
In regards to their other children, People recently announced that Shiloh was removing the "Pitt" as well, simply going by "Shiloh Jolie" legally. The rest of the kids' names remain the same for now.
How is Brad Pitt handling the estrangement?
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Pitt has dropped sources and quotes over the last few years hinting at how he feels isolated from his children, and their decision to remain estranged. People recently reported that a source very close to Brad says, “He’s aware and upset that Shiloh dropped his last name." The source continued, "The reminders that he’s lost his children, is of course not easy for Brad. He loves his children and misses them. It’s very sad."
While Pitt may be upset, it's clear the kids are very frustrated over something that occurred in the family — plane incident, or otherwise — so it's ultimately up to the children, and how they want to proceed with (or without) a relationship with their father!
We know this must be hard on the whole family, but we hope their all able to find peace and happiness in the future!
Why are their children staying away from the spotlight?
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On October 27, Angelina spoke with E! News at the premiere of her new project Maria. Though she was there to celebrate the film's debut, she didn't shy away from answering questions about the future of her and Brad's kids. Though their parents are famous, Angelina knows her kids aren't drawn to that lifestyle. "No, I think they're especially shy, very private people," she said. "...they want to be private."
An anonymous source told People how hard Angelina's worked to make sure the kids have a sense of love and normalcy these days. "In the past few years, she's been able to create a life for herself and the kids that make them all happy. It was a struggle for a while, but Angie is proud about how resilient and strong the kids are."
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