How Brad Pitt Feels About Daughter Shiloh Ditching His Last Name

Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, the 18-year-old daughter of Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, has filed to legally drop her father’s surname — a move that has reportedly left Pitt, 60, deeply affected, as revealed by sources close to the actor. An insider shared with PEOPLE, “He’s aware and upset that Shiloh dropped his last name. He’s never felt more joy than when she was born. He always wanted a daughter.”

The source added, “The reminders that he’s lost his children, is of course not easy for Brad. He loves his children and misses them. It’s very sad.”

Despite finding solace in his relationship with Ines de Ramon, the distance from his children “pains him,” the source noted. “He still loves all of his kids tremendously,” another confidant told PEOPLE. “This whole process has been very hard for the whole family.”

Shiloh’s legal documents, submitted on her 18th birthday, May 27, express her desire to be known simply as “Shiloh Jolie.” Shiloh’s siblings have followed a similar pattern. In the Playbill for the new musical The Outsiders, which Jolie, 48, co-produced with daughter Vivienne, 15, the latter is credited as “Vivienne Jolie” instead of “Vivienne Jolie-Pitt.”

Similarly, during a sorority event at Spelman College last November, the couple’s eldest daughter, Zahara, 19, introduced herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie,” as shown in a video shared by Essence. It remains unclear if Vivienne has also legally altered her name.

These name changes come amid repeated reports of strained relations between Pitt and his children. They followed Jolie’s 2016 divorce filing and request for sole physical custody of their six children: Maddox, 22; Zahara, 19; Pax, 20; Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 15.

The estranged couple have also sued one another. Disagreements surround assets and collaborative business endeavors, notably the Château Miraval estate. In early 2022, Pitt filed a lawsuit against Jolie and her firm, Nouvel, alleging she sold her portion of the vineyard without his consent. Court documents asserted that Jolie “sought to inflict harm” on her ex-spouse when she transferred her interest in their jointly-owned winery to a Russian magnate.

On April 4, 2024, Jolie’s legal representatives submitted a motion to release correspondence, claiming it would “prove” Pitt refused to let her divest her Château Miraval shares to him unless she consented to an “expansive” confidentiality agreement. Pitt now faces a countersuit alleging that large sums from Château Miraval’s funds were misappropriated for private projects.

Additionally, in a dispute over their winery, Chateau Miraval, a former security guard claimed that Jolie “encouraged” the children to “avoid spending time” with Pitt during visits. Jolie’s attorney, Paul Murphy, denied the claim, stating, “All Angelina has ever wanted was separation and health, with positive relationships between all members of their family, including Mr. Pitt.”