Brad Pitt is still dealing with deep family sadness after his daughter Shiloh officially removed his last name in August 2024. Sources say the 62-year-old actor was “hurt” by the choice but remains optimistic that he can eventually mend his relationship with his estranged children.

Shiloh Nouvel Jolie’s request to change her name was approved on August 19, 2024, nearly three months after she filed to drop “Pitt” from her surname on her 18th birthday in May. California regulations required that a legal notice run for four weeks in the Los Angeles Times prior to the hearing—an administrative step that publicly confirmed her plan.

The decision aligns with a concerning trend for Pitt, who has seen several of his children create distance from him in recent years. Zahara removed “Pitt” from her name when she started at Spelman College in 2023, and Vivienne left out his surname in her Playbill credit for the Broadway production of “The Outsiders.” Maddox also stopped using Pitt in his last name in the credits for Angelina’s recent film, Couture, which debuted in September.

“It’s sad but Brad’s distant relationship with his kids and Angelina is just something he has come to accept,” a source told the Daily Mail.

Pitt and Angelina Jolie, 50, first met while filming “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and married in 2014. They share six children: Maddox, 24, Pax, 21, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 19, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 17. Jolie sought a divorce in September 2016 after an alleged physical confrontation on a private flight. Although the FBI and Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services investigated the incident, no charges were filed. Still, the event deeply damaged Pitt’s bonds with several of his kids.

Even with the ongoing strain, Pitt has not given up the belief that time may eventually repair the damage. A source said he thinks his biological children will one day look past the conflict from the divorce and custody disputes.

“He truly feels that with Shiloh, as well as Vivienne and Knox, when this divorce ends and the lawsuits are long behind them, they will eventually reflect and understand that their father is a part of them,” the source shared.

RadarOnline.com reported that an “insider” claims Pitt’s only option now is to expose Jolie’s “secrets.” The insider said: “Brad knows his legal options are limited, but he’s not going to let this pass without taking some type of action.”

Under their divorce agreement, Angie will be permitted to move outside the U.S. once all six children reach adulthood, which will occur in July on the twins’ birthday.

Insiders say Pitt has always had a strong emotional bond with Shiloh—and that her decision will be extremely painful for him.

The custody fight has been filled with legal challenges. In December 2016, Pitt asked the Los Angeles Superior Court to seal his children’s records, accusing Jolie of jeopardizing their privacy. His legal team argued that Jolie “exposed the children by making public the names of their therapists and other mental health professionals.”

Judge John W. Ouderkirk, who married the couple in 2014 and later oversaw their divorce case, granted Pitt joint custody in May 2021. But that ruling was overturned in July 2021 when California’s 2nd District Court of Appeals removed Ouderkirk, saying he failed to properly disclose business ties with Pitt’s lawyers. The court stated the ethical lapse “might cause an objective person, aware of all the facts, reasonably to entertain a doubt as to the judge’s ability to be impartial.”

Maddox reportedly testified negatively about his father during custody hearings, while Pax shared a harsh social media post alleging that his younger siblings feared Pitt. The adult children—Maddox, Pax, and Zahara—are said to have no relationship with him.

Shiloh’s personal evolution has been especially notable. She recently got a Gemini tattoo symbolizing her zodiac sign, which she shares with her mother. She has also adopted braided hairstyles resembling Jolie’s look from “Tomb Raider.” Those close to Shiloh say she hired her own attorney and funded the name change herself, showing her independence in the matter.

Jolie’s brother, James Haven, has taken on a more protective role since the split, emphasizing how important it is to be present during what he described as “massively formative years” as the children grow into adulthood.

The court declared Pitt and Jolie legally single in April 2019, and their divorce was finalized in December 2024 after more than eight years of legal disputes. However, a heated legal battle over their French property, Château Miraval, is still unresolved.