A new legal filing has highlighted another development within the long-running family story involving Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
Their daughter, Zahara, has reportedly taken formal steps to remove her father’s surname from her legal identity, signaling a change that reflects a decision she has appeared to embrace publicly for years.
Court documents obtained by media outlets show that the 21-year-old submitted a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court requesting that her legal name be changed from Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie.
The filing marks the latest indication that Zahara no longer wishes to use the Pitt surname, something she has reportedly avoided in public settings for some time.
A Change Years in the Making
Although the legal petition is recent, Zahara’s preference regarding her name has been visible for several years.
When she joined a sorority while attending Spelman College, she introduced herself without using the Pitt surname.
The same pattern continued during her graduation celebrations earlier this year.
Zahara was publicly recognized without the last name Pitt as she completed her studies at the Atlanta-based institution.
Angelina Jolie attended the ceremony and was seen supporting her daughter during the milestone event.
Recent photographs from Los Angeles also captured Zahara spending time with a friend while dressed in a brown outfit, shortly after news of the legal filing became public.
Other Siblings Have Also Distanced Themselves From the Name
Zahara is not the only child connected to the family who has moved away from using Pitt’s surname.
Several reports indicate that siblings Shiloh, Maddox, and Vivienne have also stopped publicly using the name.
It remains unclear whether Pax has made a similar decision, as no formal confirmation has been reported.
The developments come years after the highly publicized breakdown of Jolie and Pitt’s marriage and their continuing legal disputes.
From Hollywood Power Couple to Bitter Separation
Jolie and Pitt first became one of Hollywood’s most talked-about couples after working together on the 2005 action film Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
Their relationship attracted enormous public attention, eventually leading to marriage in 2014 during a private ceremony in southern France.
Together, they built a family of six children.
The couple welcomed biological children Shiloh and twins Vivienne and Knox, while also raising adopted children Maddox, Zahara, and Pax.
For years, they were regarded as one of the entertainment industry’s most influential families.
Private Flight Incident Triggered a Public Fallout
The relationship dramatically unraveled in 2016 when Jolie filed for divorce following an alleged confrontation aboard a private aircraft while the family was traveling together.
Court filings and legal documents later revealed a series of serious allegations made by Jolie regarding Pitt’s behavior during the flight.
She claimed one child was choked, another was struck in the face, and that both she and the children were left frightened throughout the incident.
Jolie also alleged that Pitt physically assaulted her during the dispute, claiming he grabbed her head, pushed her against a wall, and shook her violently enough to leave her with injuries.
Pitt Rejected Many of the Allegations
Representatives for Pitt disputed Jolie’s version of events and denied many of the claims made against him.
After initially calling the allegations untrue, Pitt’s camp later released a statement saying he had accepted responsibility for actions he acknowledged but would not accept accusations that he believed were inaccurate.
The statement also argued that multiple authorities had reviewed matters connected to the dispute and reached their own independent conclusions over the years.
Legal Battles Continued Long After the Divorce Filing
The separation sparked years of legal conflict involving child custody arrangements and ownership disputes connected to a winery the former couple once shared.
One of the most significant courtroom developments occurred in 2021 when a judge granted the former spouses joint custody of their children after an extended legal battle.
However, that ruling was later overturned just one month afterward, ensuring that the custody dispute remained unresolved.
As the former couple’s legal struggles continue to draw attention, Zahara’s decision to formally remove Pitt from her surname represents another notable chapter in a family story that has remained under public scrutiny for nearly a decade.
