Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie arrive at the 86th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 2, 2014 in Hollywood, California.© Getty Images

Is Brad Pitt estranged from his children with Angelina Jolie? All we know as Zahara drops Pitt from last name

The once beloved Hollywood couple share six kids, though were engaged in a bitter custody battle after their 2016 split

Beatriz Colon - New York
New York WriterNew York
November 18, 2023

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were once what Hollywood dreams are made of, from their headline-making beginnings, to their big brood of adorable kids, and overall It Couple status.

However, the former pair have come a long way from the days fans thought they were endgame, and since their shocking 2016 split, the two have had an acrimonious dissolution of their nearly two-year marriage, marred with legal disputes and even accusations of assault.

In their time together, the once beloved couple shared kids Maddox, 21, Pax, 19, Zahara, 18, Shiloh, 17, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 15, and while they have all made public appearances with their mom since, it's unclear if they've become estranged from their father.

WATCH: Angelina Jolie opens up about special reason daughter Zahara borrowed her Oscar dress

Zahara for one, recently made waves when the world got to see a glimpse of her life as a college student, at famed HBCU Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.

The sophomore was seen in a video shared on Essence's Instagram page, ecstatic as she was officially welcomed into the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority, the first intercollegiate historically African American sorority, and one stars and dignitaries such as Jada Pinkett-Smith, GMA's Robin Roberts, US Vice President Kamala Harris and Rosa Parks were all members of as well.

In the video, Zahara was seen introducing herself to her sorority sisters as Zahara Marley Jolie, noticeably dropping the Pitt that was once hyphenated to her mom's last name name growing up.

When Zahara was first admitted to the school last year, her mom Angelina took to Instagram to celebrate the news, sharing an adorable photo of her daughter smiling next to fellow students, and she wrote in the caption: "Spelman sisters."

MORE: Angelina Jolie shares revelation about recent rare appearance with her children with ex Brad Pitt

MORE: Brad Pitt spotted surrounded by A-Listers at Wimbledon days after kids Knox and Vivienne's 15th birthday

The very day the Maleficent actress announced her daughter's incredible milestone, Brad was on the red carpet while promoting his film Bullet Train, and was captured getting choked up when he was asked by People about Zahara's next step.

© Getty

Zahara is currently a sophomore at Spelman

"Yeah, that's beautiful, it's really beautiful," he told the outlet at the time, seemingly taken aback, though later also telling Vanity Fair: "I'm so proud of her… She's so smart. She's going to flourish even more at college. It's an exciting and beautiful time to find her own way and pursue her interests. I'm so proud."

At the time, some fans wondered in the comments section under the video whether the actor was still in communication with his daughter, with some even questioning whether he was aware of her recent college decision.

© Getty

Angelina shares all six of her children with Brad

Still, he further told VF: "Where does the time go, right? They grow up too fast… It brings a tear to the eye."

MORE: Brad Pitt's staggering net worth compared to famous exes Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston, and Gwyneth Paltrow

© Getty

The former couple started dating in 2005

Though since her split from Brad, Angelina has been spotted out on multiple occasions with her six kids, it has been several years since her ex-husband was seen in public with any of them.

In 2021, a judge gave them 50-50 custody of the children after a closed-door trial, however Angelina has slammed the decision for bias, and had previously fought for sole custody.

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