Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s daughter Zahara legally drops father’s surname from her name
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s daughter Zahara has officially removed “Pitt” from her surname, following the paths taken by her other siblings.
TMZ citing court documents reported that the 21-year-old took the major step after a hearing was held on her request on Monday, September 28. Her petition to make the change in her name was approved because no documents objecting to her decision were filed.
Zahara Jolie and her siblings have moved away from their father’s surname
A few months back, Zahara had filed the petition, requesting to be legally known as “Zahara Marley Jolie” amid her reported estrangement from her famous father. At the time, a notice of her petition was also published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal.
This came after the young woman’s sister Shiloh Jolie also legally erased the A-list actor's surname from her name. The sisters' 24-year-old brother Maddox had even filed a similar petition to remove "Pitt" from his name. His petition was reportedly filed in May.
Angelina Jolie praised Zahara's connection to Africa
Neither Jolie nor her former husband has issued a statement about Zahara's latest legal name change. However, a few years ago, the 51-year-old actress had praised Zahara during a TIME 100 interview.
The ‘Maleficent’ star said in 2020, "I have learned so much from her. She is my family, but she is an extraordinary African woman and her connection to her country, her continent, is her own and it’s something I only stand back in awe of.”
Angelina Jolie said her children 'are very encouraging of me'
Jolie even expressed her gratitude towards her children for helping her get back her "fighting spirit."
"I think my fighting spirit is finally back. I lost it for a bit. I got kind of taken down a little bit and it's coming back in large part thanks to my children, who are now older, and encouraging it," she reportedly said in June.
The Academy Award winner further added, "My kids are almost all 18, so now they want to see me traveling the world, they want me to get out and do things. They know me more than anybody, and they still like me, which says a lot. I think they're very encouraging of me kind of getting back to aspects of myself that maybe I hadn't felt as free to do."
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt finalized their divorce in 2024
Pitt and Jolie got married in 2014 but split in 2016. Their divorce, however, was finalized in late 2024 after years of legal fighting.
Jolie's lawyer James Simon reportedly said at the time, "More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt. She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over.”