Brad Pitt faces painful family estrangement with his children

Hollywood star Brad Pitt faces one of the toughest personal adversities of his life, as he witnesses the breakup of his relationship with his children from his ending marriage to Angelina Jolie. Eight years into the divorce process, things are headed for a rupture that could be permanent. The Oscar-winning actor is in “deep pain” at his children's refusal to publicly associate with his family name, sources familiar with the matter have revealed to U.S. Weekly. This rejection is embodied in Concrete legal steps have been taken by a number of them to remove “Pete” from their official names. Maddox, the eldest son, made an official request to change his name to “Maddox Shivan Jolie” instead of his current name. His sister Shiloh, who legally removed her father's name as soon as she reached adulthood, followed suit. Zahra also used the name "Zahra Marly Jolie" when joining a university club, while Vivienne appeared as "Vivien Jolie" in the works Despite these painful developments, Pete maintains a faint hope that fractured relationships with his children can be repaired. But sources confirm that “his biggest fear is that this separation will take root and turn into a final rupture over time.” The legal battle between the two exiles officially ended in late 2024 after years of complex disputes over child custody and division of property. However, the legal settlement did not succeed in restoring family relations broken, leaving Pete facing a bitter reality that may deprive him of his children forever.