Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s relationship began amid a huge scandal and ended that way, too. The former couple split in 2016 after an alleged incident on a private plane involving their children. They share six children. However, the actor reportedly hasn’t had contact with several of the kids since the plane incident. Now, one of the children made it very clear where they stand with a sudden name change. Keep reading for all the details.
Angelina Jolie & Family Celebrate Huge Milestone
Brad Pitt was still married to Jennifer Aniston when he reportedly fell in love with Angelina Jolie, his co-star on the 2004 movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith. He separated from the Friends star in 2005 and pursued a relationship with Angelina Jolie. At that point, she had already adopted one child. She adopted Maddox in 2008.
She later adopted Zahara in 2005. They adopted Pax together in 2007. Brad Pitt legally adopted all three children. The former couple also had three biological children: Shiloh and twins Vivienne and Knox. Several of the older children were allegedly involved in a heated argument with their father on the private plane in 2016. Angelina Jolie filed for divorce days after the incident and several of the children have been estranged from Brad Pitt ever since.
However, the rest of the family remains close. They all attended a huge family milestone. Zahara, 21, graduated from the acclaimed Spelman College over the weekend. According to the commencement program, she received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie’s Child Debuts New Name Amid Estrangement
Angelina Jolie and Zahara’s siblings attended the graduation. However, her father didn’t. In fact, his daughter made it clear where they stand. While the commencement program had her listed as Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt, she changed her name for the ceremony.
She was announced as Zahara Marley Jolie during the commencement, dropping her father’s last name. And she’s not the only one to do that. Shiloh Jolie-Pitt filed to legally remove “Pitt” from her name. Maddox and Vivienne have stopped using “Pitt” in their names.
So, where was Brad Pitt? A source spilled to TMZ that the actor could have attended. “Nothing prevented him from showing up for her. Or ever visiting her,” the insider said. However, the source noted that things are still tense between Brad Pitt and several of his children, including Zahara.
Angelina Jolie’s daughter Zahara officially graduates from Spelman College! 🎓 https://t.co/kqQYaaCGEF pic.twitter.com/B2Yrc8gOss
— TMZ (@TMZ) May 18, 2026
However, sources close to the actor blame his absence on Angelina Jolie. He blamed the “animosity” she allegedly created as the reason for the estrangement. The source claimed that Zahara’s father would have been “unwelcome” if he had chosen to attend.
Tell us in the comments if you think Brad Pitt should have put his feelings aside and attended his daughter’s graduation ceremony.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger