Brad Pitt’s youngest son, Knox, has reportedly stripped “Pitt” from his surname, further shrinking the number of his children who still carry his famous last name.

When Brad Pitt, 62, and Angelina Jolie, 51, first fell in love on the set of 2005’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith, they became one of Hollywood’s most famous couples. More than two decades later, however, the former power pair remain linked by a family story that continues to unfold long after their marriage ended.

At the center of that story is a 2016 private jet flight that has cast a long shadow over Pitt’s relationship with several of his children.

Alleged abuse

In 2022, Jolie filed a lawsuit against her ex alleging abusive behavior during a 2016 private flight from France to California that preceded their 2019 divorce.

According to the New York Times, the filing alleged that Pitt “choked one of the children and struck another in the face” and “grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her.”

The documents also claimed the Fight Club star “poured beer on Jolie,” before later pouring “beer and red wine on the children.”

Pitt has consistently denied the allegations through his legal team.

As legal disputes between the former couple continued, subtle changes started emerging among their children – particularly when it came to the famous surname they once shared.

One child after another

Over the past year and a half, several of the Jolie-Pitt children have publicly distanced themselves from the Pitt name.

In 2024, Shiloh, 20, successfully petitioned a Los Angeles court to legally change her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Jolie shortly after turning 18.

At the time, a source told People that Pitt was struggling with the decision.

“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,” the insider said.

Shiloh was not the only sibling to distance herself from the Pitt name.

Documents recently obtained by People show that Zahara, 20, filed paperwork on April 28 to remove her father’s surname, a move that came just days after her brother Maddox, 24, filed a similar request.

Meanwhile, Vivienne, 17, has been credited professionally as Vivienne Jolie.

That left only Pax Thien, 21, and Vivienne’s twin brother, Knox – until now.

Knox reportedly follows

According to Page Six, Knox has joined that growing list.

The outlet reports that the teenager used the name “Knox Jolie” on his high school diploma after graduating from Fusion Academy in Los Angeles earlier this month.

Knox, who turns 18 on July 12, celebrated his graduation alongside his mother, brother Pax, 22, sister Zahara and twin sister Vivienne.

As more of the couple’s children move away from the Pitt surname, competing explanations continue to emerge.

A source quoted by Page Six claimed Jolie “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.”

Changes triggered by ‘pain and harm’

Another source offered a very different perspective, pointing to the family’s years of therapy following the events that led to the divorce.

“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,” the insider told the outlet.

“If he isn’t close to the kids, it’s because of the harm that was done,” the source 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.”

“The children are now adults and make their own decisions, which deserve respect. If they choose to distance themselves from him, it comes from that pain and harm. It’s really horrible that he has tried to paint himself as a victim. When will people start asking real questions about what happened to the kids?”

What do you think of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s kids deleting their famous dad from their lives? Please let us know your thoughts and then share this story so we can hear from others!

READ MORE

• Nicolas Cage makes major name change official
• Dad who won battle to give baby ‘banned name’ responds to registrar’s threat that ‘nobody would ever hire him’