Brad Pitt could be facing another blow as his 18-year-old son, Knox, is expected to legally drop his famous last name, Page Six has learned.
“Knox hasn’t filed anything yet, but it’s only a matter of time before he drops Pitt from his last name,” a source exclusively told Page Six. “It’s inevitable. It’s just a question of when, and there’s no timeline for that right now. The whole situation is heartbreaking for Brad.”
If Knox follows through, he would become the fifth of Pitt, 62, and ex-wife Angelina Jolie’s children to legally remove the surname “Pitt.”
Reps for Angelina, Brad and Knox did not respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.
The former couple have six children: Maddox, 25, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and twins Knox and Vivienne.
While Knox has yet to take legal action, he already dropped “Pitt” from his last name on his high school diploma.
The teenager used the name “Knox Jolie” on his certificate after graduating from Fusion Academy in Los Angeles in June, a source exclusively told Page Six at the time.
Knox celebrated the milestone ceremony alongside the “Maleficent” star, 51; his older brother Pax, older sister Zahara and his twin sister Vivienne.
At the time, a source exclusively told Page Six that Angelina “seems quite pleased with herself about the total success of her long-standing, intense, deliberate effort to alienate her children from their father.”
“It’s so sad for the entire family that she would use the same weapon of the name change over and over for any other purpose other than to hurt their father,” the insider continued. “This was her goal and she succeeded.”
However, a separate source exclusively told Page Six that Angelina “participated in years of family therapy with Brad and the children for everyone to try to heal after the events that led her to file for divorce.”
“If [Brad] isn’t close to the kids, it’s because of the harm that was done,” the insider added. “He wasn’t honest about his actions, and it affected the trust between them. It’s been very hard for the kids. No one knows, except them, how bad it has been.”
Vivienne’s final blow
Knox’s anticipated decision comes just days after his twin sister, Vivienne, officially dropped her father’s famous last name.
A Los Angeles judge granted the petition to legally change her name from Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt to Vivienne Marcheline Jolie during a hearing Monday, Page Six exclusively confirmed.
Vivienne initially filed her petition on July 20, just eight days after celebrating her 18th birthday alongside her twin brother.
In court documents obtained by Page Six at the time, the teenager cited “personal” reasons for wanting to remove “Pitt” from her surname.
Vivienne has already been publicly using her mother’s last name for more than two years.
In May 2024, she was credited as “Vivienne Jolie” in the Playbill for the Broadway production of “The Outsiders,” which she helped her mother produce.
Marcheline Bertrand is the name of Jolie’s late mom, who died in 2007 from ovarian and breast cancer.
A family divided
Vivienne’s decision follows similar moves by her older siblings, including Zahara, who officially changed her name from Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie in September after a Los Angeles judge granted her petition.
Following the name change, a source close to Pitt exclusively told Page Six, “This is the latest installment in what complete and total alienation looks like with an extra topping of trying to deflect attention from their ex’s success. Anyone who has actually been a part of this for the last ten years would know that there’s only one side that talks about and has tried to weaponize the kids.”
A second source close to the “Gone in 60 Seconds” actress exclusively said in response, “Today’s hearing was required by law and scheduled months ago by the L.A. court system. It’s a new low to have his camp to spin a conspiracy theory, disavow responsibility for his conduct, and attack his own child. Keep in mind, his daughter has had the grace not to discuss the details of his behavior in public.”
Zahara had already stopped publicly using her father’s last name before making the change official.
In May, she was introduced as Zahara Marley Jolie while walking across the stage to accept her diploma at Spelman College. She previously made headlines in November 2023 when she proudly introduced herself by the same name during her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority induction ceremony.
Their older brother Maddox, 25, also legally removed “Pitt” from his name in September, becoming Maddox Chivan Jolie.
Maddox initially filed his petition in May, listing the reason for the requested change as “personal.”
He had already begun publicly going by his mother’s surname months earlier, having been credited as “Maddox Jolie” for his work as an assistant director on Jolie’s film “Couture” when it was released in France in February.
Meanwhile, Shiloh, 20, was the first of the former couple’s six children to legally drop their father’s last name after filing a petition on her 18th birthday in May 2024. Her request was granted that August.
Pax’s surprising family ties
Despite the ongoing estrangement, Pax, 22, remains close with his father’s side of the family.
“Pax still has a relationship with his dad’s side of the family and continues to spend time with them,” a source exclusively told Page Six in June. “He recently joined his family as they went out to dinner and celebrated his cousin Sydney’s engagement to Archimede Jerome.”
According to the insider, Brad’s sister Julie Pitt Neal also attended the gathering, along with his niece Reagan Pitt and numerous other close family members.
Sydney shared the exciting news in March on Instagram, captioning the post, “I said yes (duh).”
Despite Pax’s close relationship with his father’s side of the family, he “doesn’t have much of a relationship with Brad,” a second source exclusively told Page Six.
Years of bitter battles
In July, a source close to the “Girl, Interrupted” star exclusively told Page Six that the actress was focused on healing as Vivienne became the latest of her children to file to legally drop Pitt from her last name.
“Angie hasn’t been fighting and isn’t angry. She just wants everyone to heal,” the insider said.
“If people knew the whole truth they would have more sympathy for the children and respect them,” the source claimed. “The fact they aren’t speaking ill or sharing things publicly only shows their decency.”
The name changes come amid the former couple’s family estrangement following their contentious split.
The “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” actress filed for divorce from the “F1” star in September 2016 after two years of marriage.
The former couple were declared legally single in 2019 before finally settling their divorce in December 2024 following an eight-year legal battle.
The exes remain locked in a separate legal dispute over their French winery Château Miraval.
