Vivienne, daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, appears to have changed her full name, as noted in the Playbill for the new musical The Outsiders.
Vivienne Jolie appears to have dropped the “Pitt” from her last name. And she is not the first of Jolie and Pitt’s six children to adopt a new name in recent years. Their eldest daughter, Zahara, introduced herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie” when she joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Spelman College last November.
The Jolie-Pitt children, including Knox Leon, Vivienne Marcheline, Pax Thien, Shiloh Nouvel, Zahara Marley, and Maddox Chivan, have been in the public eye for years. Angelina Jolie often attends events with her children, such as the 2019 special screening of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.
Vivienne and Zahara’s name changes come between ongoing reports of strained relationships between Pitt and his children. Jolie sought sole physical custody of their kids, leading to a protracted and highly publicized custody battle.
In August 2022, one source close to Brad Pitt said that the actor was striving to improve his relationship with his children. “It’s been a sad situation for years,” the insider revealed. “Since Angelina filed for divorce, Brad has been focused on having the best relationship possible with his kids. It’s been very difficult for him. Many times, there have been long gaps where he didn’t see the kids at all.”
The source added that Pitt “misses the kids when he doesn’t see them” and hopes for a future with a strong relationship with them. However, more recent legal dramas, including a court filing from a security guard alleging Jolie encouraged their children to avoid Pitt during visits, have further complicated matters. This filing is part of the ex-couple’s dispute over their French winery, Château Miraval.
When the news of Vivienne changing her name spread online, people on the internet jumped to discuss it. While some appear to support her, saying, “I mean, I would too. Jolie is a much cooler last name than Pitt” and “It’s her choice. More power to her,” others believe she is too young to make this decision. “A 15-year-old cannot legally change their name,” said one user.
Agreeing with the change or not, as Vivienne Jolie continues to explore her interests and develop her identity, she remains a testament to the evolving dynamics within one of Hollywood’s most famous families.