Maddox Jolie‑Pitt Drops 'Pitt' to Embrace 'Jolie', Resets His Identity

Maddox Chivan Jolie‑Pitt, the 25‑year‑old son of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, officially dropped the “Pitt” portion of his surname this Monday. A judge in Los Angeles Superior Court granted his petition to become Maddox Chivan Jolie.

The change came after months of public speculation and a newspaper advertisement that announced the move.

The court order, issued on September 14, noted there were no objections and declared the decree signed and filed. Maddox appeared remotely for the hearing with attorney Peter Kenneth Levine, and Judge Virginia Keeny presided over the proceedings at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse.

## Background & Context

Maddox had already been using Jolie as his professional surname months before the court decision. He was credited as “Maddox Jolie” when he worked as an assistant director on his mother’s film Couture, which premiered in France in February.

He also used the full Jolie‑Pitt name for his role as executive producer on the 2024 Maria Callas biopic Maria.

Maddox is not the only child of Jolie and Pitt to drop the paternal surname. In May 2024, sister Shiloh legally removed “Pitt” from her name after turning 18. Sister Zahara also filed a petition this year to become Zahara Marley Jolie, with a hearing set for September 28.

Both siblings have publicly used “Jolie” in professional and academic contexts.

Other children have followed similar paths. Vivienne Marcheline Jolie‑Pitt changed her legal name to Vivienne Marcheline Jolie after turning 18 in July, and she has already appeared as “Vivienne Jolie” on Broadway in the 2024 production of The Outsiders.

Teenager Knox, who celebrated his 18th birthday in July, also listed “Jolie” on his high‑school diploma from Fusion Academy. These moves reflect a broader trend among the six siblings to align more closely with their mother’s surname.

## What Happened

The hearing was conducted virtually, with Maddox and his attorney Peter Kenneth Levine participating from a remote location. Judge Virginia Keeny confirmed that the court found no objections to the name change and formally issued the decree. The order specifies that Maddox’s legal name is now Maddox Chivan Jolie.

The court’s documentation notes that the petition was filed in May, . It also records that Maddox had already been publicly identified as “Maddox Jolie” in earlier professional credits, most notably his assistant‑directing role on Couture and his executive‑producing work on Maria.

The name‑change process also included a mandatory newspaper advertisement, which served to notify the public and allow any potential objections before the court hearing. No objection was filed, allowing the judge to approve the change without delay.

## What Happens Next

Zahara Marley Jolie, Maddox’s sister, has a scheduled hearing on September 28 to finalize her own name change. She has already been using “Jolie” publicly, including at her Spelman College graduation in May and when announced onstage as Zahara Marley Jolie.

Vivienne Marcheline Jolie has already completed her name change in July after turning 18, and Knox has listed “Jolie” on his high‑school diploma. The family’s collective moves underscore a broader trend of the six siblings adopting their mother’s surname in legal and professional settings.

The divorce between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, finalized in December 2024, marked the end of more than eight years of legal proceedings that began when Jolie filed to dissolve the marriage in September 2016.

With the name change now official, Maddox can use his new surname in all future business and public endeavors without further court action.

The decision adds to the growing list of steps taken by the Jolie‑Pitt children to re‑define their identities outside the shadow of their father’s legacy.