Two of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s children, Zahara and Maddox, have taken out newspaper ads in the US as part of their latest bid to drop Pitt from their surnames.
ICYMI, both Zahara and Maddox have grown estranged from their father since his divorce from Angelina in 2016, and in recent years have taken steps to remove Pitt from their hyphenated Jolie-Pitt last name.
One of those steps arose this month, when both Zahara and Maddox confirmed their intent to change their name via legal notices, which were later published as newspaper ads in Los Angeles Daily Journal, according to PEOPLE.
For her ad, Zaraha requested that her full legal name be “Zahara Marley Jolie”, while Maddox followed suit by also dropping Pitt for the full legal name of “Maddox Chivan Jolie”.
Taking out ads is a requirement in the name-change laws of California, which stipulate that those wanting a new name must publish their intent in a newspaper to prevent fraud, increase transparency, and allow anyone with legal interest to be informed.
Unlike Australia, where name-changes are handled quietly by the relevant registries, California requires people to make their name changes a matter of public record through established newspapers like Los Angeles Daily Journal.
Zahara and Maddox did not include specific details of the reason behind their name-change in their ads, but it did fulfill the next step in the legal process. Maddox has a hearing about altering his surname on September 14, followed by a hearing for Zahara on September 24.
If no one objects to either their newspaper ads or the motions in their hearings, Zahara and Maddox’s name change will be approved by a judge.
While both children are taking legal steps, they’ve also already dropped Pitt from their surnames in more informal cases. Zahara was introduced only as “Zahara Marley Jolie” when graduating from college earlier this year, while Maddox is credited simply as “Maddox Jolie” for his role in Angelina’s upcoming film, Couture.
Meanwhile, the pair’s younger sibling Shiloh successfully petitioned the court to have Pitt removed from her surname soon after turning 18 in 2025.
Official details of Brad’s estrangement from the children are scarce, but the tensions reportedly stem from Angelina’s 2022 allegations that Brad drunkenly attacked her and the kids while onboard a private jet from Paris to LA in 2016.
The Fight Club star denied those allegations.
Lead images: Getty Images
The post Zahara & Maddox Jolie Take Out Public Newspaper Ads In Latest Bid To Drop Pitt Surname appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
