New York (Showbiz Desk): Maddox Jolie, the eldest son of renowned Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie and actor Brad Pitt, has legally adopted a new identity by removing his father's family name from his own. He will now be known simply as Maddox Jolie.
According to sources, Maddox filed a request in May 2026 to complete the legal process for the name change. However, he had already been using his mother's surname in professional matters prior to this decision.
In the 2024 film Maria, he was credited as Maddox Jolie-Pitt. In the 2025 film Couture, where he served as a third assistant director, his name appeared simply as Maddox Jolie.
Before Maddox, some of his siblings had also distanced themselves from their father's surname. Reports indicate that at least four of the six children of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have either dropped the Pitt surname or no longer use it publicly.
It is worth noting that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt first met in 2003 during the filming of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The couple married in 2014, but two years later Jolie filed for divorce.
During the legal disputes concerning the divorce and child custody arrangements, various allegations emerged from both sides. Jolie expressed concerns regarding certain family matters, while Brad Pitt denied the allegations. Pitt later acknowledged that he had participated in a rehabilitation program to stop drinking alcohol.
According to analysts, these name changes by some of the children may reflect a preference among certain family members to associate their identity more closely with their mother's surname. However, the family has not issued a detailed public statement on the matter.