Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's Daughter Shiloh "Hired Her Own Lawyer" to Change Her Last Name, Source Says

The 18-year-old filed to drop Pitt from her surname and "paid for it herself."

Shiloh Jolie-Pitt
(Image credit: Getty Images)

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Insiders are giving a behind-the-scenes look at how Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's daughter, Shiloh, went about changing her last name.

On May 27, the 18-year-old filed paperwork to legally change her name from Shiloh Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Jolie, dropping her allegedly estranged father's last name from her surname. TMZ  was first to report Shiloh's legal move to seemingly further separate herself from Pitt, who is still going through a contentious divorce with Jolie.

Now, a source is claiming Shiloh hired and paid for her own lawyer in order to legally drop Pitt from her last name.

"Shiloh hired her own lawyer and paid for it herself," a source recently told People, who alluded to Jolie's allegations that Pitt has an "abuse history" as one of the reasons why Shiloh decided to legally petition to change her name.

Shiloh Jolie-Pitt

Angelina Jolie and her children, including Shiloh, pictured at the premiere of the "The Eternals" UK Premiere at BFI IMAX Waterloo on October 27, 2021 in London, England.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

According to TMZ, Shiloh filed documents on Monday—the day she turned 18.

"So, it seems this was one of the first things she wanted to do as an adult," the publication reported at the time. “Of course, it’s incredibly telling—it’s no secret Brad has had a strained relationship with some of his kids since he and Angelina filed for divorce...an ugly split that has dragged on in court, even to this day.”

Jolie officially filed for divorce from Pitt in 2016, requesting sole physical custody of their six children.

“Many times, there have been long gaps where he didn't see the kids at all," a source told People back in 2022, adding that the strain between Pitt and his children has been "a sad situation for years."

Meanwhile, according to documents obtained by People, a former security guard for the couple who still works for Pitt claims Jolie allegedly "encouraged" the former couple's children "to avoid spending time" with their father during visits.

In response, Jolie's attorney Paul Murphy issued a statement, claiming that "all Angelina has ever wanted was separation and health, with positive relationships between all members of their family, including Mr. Pitt."

American actress Angelina Jolie (Versace dress) with daughters Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt at Rome Film Fest 2021. Eternals Red Carpet. Rome (Italy), October 24th, 2021

American actress Angelina Jolie with daughters Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt at Rome Film Fest 2021.

(Image credit: Andrea Staccioli/ Insidefoto/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)

In court paperwork filed in 2022, Jolie also detailed an alleged incident in which she claims Pitt abused her and her kids in 2016 while on a private plane traveling from France to California, The New York Times reported at the time.

According to the filing, "Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face” and “grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her." At one point, Jolie alleges Pitt “poured beer on Jolie; at another, he poured beer and red wine on the children.” According to The New York Times, the incident was investigated but federal authorities declined to press criminal charges against Pitt. Days after the plane trip and alleged incident, Jolie filed for divorce.

In response, Anne Kiley, an attorney for Pitt, said the actor "had accepted responsibility for some things in his past, but he would not accept responsibility for the things he did not do."

Danielle Campoamor
Weekend Editor

Danielle Campoamor is Marie Claire's weekend editor covering all things news, celebrity, politics, culture, live events, and more. In addition, she is an award-winning freelance writer and former NBC journalist with over a decade of digital media experience covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mortality, gun violence, climate change, politics, celebrity news, culture, online trends, wellness, gender-based violence and other feminist issues. You can find her work in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, TODAY, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Prism, Newsweek, Slate, HuffPost and more. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their two feral sons. When she is not writing, editing or doom scrolling she enjoys reading, cooking, debating current events and politics, traveling to Seattle to see her dear friends and losing Pokémon battles against her ruthless offspring. You can find her on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and all the places.