In the latest chapter of the protracted fallout from Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s 2016 separation, their eldest son, Maddox, has publicly distanced himself from his father’s surname.
The 24-year-old, who served as an assistant director on Jolie’s newly released drama Couture, appeared in the film’s end credits simply as “Maddox Jolie,” marking a notable shift from his previous professional billing.
This change was first spotted when the movie debuted in French theaters on February 25, but traces back to production notes distributed at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025, where Maddox was similarly listed without “Pitt.”
Maddox’s involvement in Couture highlights his growing footprint in the film industry, following his work as a production assistant on Jolie’s 2024 biopic Maria, where he was credited as Maddox Jolie-Pitt.
Directed by Alice Winocour, Couture stars Jolie as Maxine Walker, a resilient woman grappling with a breast cancer diagnosis whose path crosses with two other women amid the glamour of Paris Fashion Week.
The film explores themes of vulnerability, strength, and human connection in the high-stakes world of haute couture, drawing from Jolie’s own experiences with health challenges, including her preventive double mastectomy in 2013.
This name adjustment places Maddox in line with several of his siblings, who have similarly opted to shed the “Pitt” moniker in recent years, signaling a deepening estrangement from their father.
Jolie, 50, and Pitt, 62, share six children: Maddox (adopted from Cambodia in 2002), Pax, 22 (adopted from Vietnam in 2007), Zahara, 21 (adopted from Ethiopia in 2005), Shiloh, 19 (their first biological child), and 17-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox (also biological).
The trend began in 2023 when Zahara, during her induction into the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Spelman College in Atlanta, introduced herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie,” omitting “Pitt” entirely.
The following year saw more changes: In May 2024, Vivienne, who assisted her mother as a producer on the Broadway musical The Outsiders, was listed in the Playbill as “Vivienne Jolie.” That same month, Shiloh, known for her passion for dance, filed legal paperwork on her 18th birthday to change her name to “Shiloh Jolie,” a request that was approved by a court in August 2024.
Sources close to Pitt have described him as “aware and upset” over these decisions, particularly Shiloh’s, viewing them as painful reminders of the family’s fractured dynamics.
Not all the children have followed suit. Pax and Knox continue to use “Jolie-Pitt” in public contexts, though Pax has been vocal about his strained relationship with his father, reportedly posting a scathing Father’s Day message on social media in 2023, labeling Pitt a “world-class a–hole.” The twins, still minors at 17, have largely stayed out of the spotlight amid the ongoing saga.
The Jolie-Pitt family’s public unraveling traces back to September 2016, when Jolie filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, shortly after an alleged altercation on a private plane involving Pitt and some of the children.
Jolie accused Pitt of physical and verbal abuse, claims he has vehemently denied, though a 2016 FBI investigation into the incident was closed without charges. The divorce was finalized in 2019, but custody battles and disputes over shared assets, including their French winery Chateau Miraval, have dragged on for nearly a decade.
Pitt has sued Jolie over the sale of her stake in the winery, alleging breach of agreement, while Jolie has countersued, claiming Pitt’s actions are retaliatory.
Insiders suggest the children’s choices reflect years of emotional turmoil, with some reportedly having limited contact with Pitt since the split. “It’s a heartbreaking situation for any parent,” said a source familiar with the family when Shiloh changed her name. “Brad loves his kids and misses them.” Neither Jolie nor Pitt has publicly commented on Maddox’s recent credit listing, but the move adds another layer to a narrative that has captivated Hollywood watchers for years.
For Maddox, stepping into the industry under his mother’s surname may signal not just a personal choice but a professional one—aligning himself with Jolie’s legacy of advocacy and artistry amid the shadows of a very public family divide.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Angelina Jolie’s eldest son has dropped “Pitt” from his name in the end credits of her new film Couture, which debuted in French theaters on February 25, 2026. Listed simply as “Maddox Jolie,” this marks his first professional credit without his father’s surname—following earlier credits as Maddox Jolie-Pitt on Maria in 2024—and continues the clear pattern of several Jolie children publicly distancing themselves from Brad Pitt.
