Brad Pitt hit with major blow from estranged son, Maddox

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's son, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, is set to formally change his surname.

The editors at TMZ reported that the 24-year-old had filed paperwork to legally drop "Pitt" from his name and as per the outlet, Maddox wants to be known as "Maddox Chivan Jolie" going forward.

It's unclear how long a ruling on the request will take.

Angelina adopted Maddox from an orphanage in Cambodia when he was seven months old in March 2002, and three years later, also adopted daughter Zahara, 21, from Ethiopia.

But when Angelina and Brad started a relationship, the F1 actor announced his intention to adopt her two children and filed paperwork to switch their surnames to "Jolie-Pitt", which was granted in early 2006.

The former couple then adopted son Pax Thien, 22, in 2007 and are also parents to three biological children: Shiloh, 20, and 17-year-old twins, Knox and Vivienne.

However, Angelina and Brad separated in 2016 after two years of marriage, with the Maleficent star citing "irreconcilable differences" in the divorce filing.

They were each declared legally single in 2019 but remain embroiled in a bitter legal battle relating to shared properties and business interests, including a winery in France.

It is also pertinent to mention that Maddox isn't the only child in the family who seemingly wants to distance himself from his father.

In 2023, Zahara referred to herself as "Zahara Marley Jolie" at a sorority induction ceremony at Spelman College in Atlanta, while the following year, Shiloh launched legal proceedings to change her name from "Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt" to "Shiloh Nouvel Jolie."