Shiloh Jolie paid her own lawyer to drop Pitt’s last name

• Shiloh Jolie was the driving force behind her recent surname change
• Father no longer uses Brad Pitt’s surname, dashing hopes of a reunion
• Angelina Jolie is said to be responsible for the worsening of the rift between the two

When Brad Pitt’s daughter Shiloh filed to drop Pitt’s name on her 18th birthday, she hired and paid for her own lawyer.

Family sources confirm that Shiloh, who turned 18 on May 27, was in the driver’s seat when she dropped the ‘Pitt’ from her surname, ‘Jolie Pitt’.

A source close to the matter said: ‘Shiloh hired her own lawyer and paid for it herself, so Angie doesn’t know and can’t speak for it.

‘But if you’re asking if it has to do with the history of abuse or the violation of the rights of Shiloh’s victims, yes, that’s part of it.’

Papers to change Shiloh’s name were filed on Monday when she turned 18 — the earliest opportunity for her to do so independently.

The report that Shiloh paid for it herself suggests the ugly spat between ex-couple Brad Pitt, 60, and Angelina Jolie, 48, could still be simmering in the form of legal action over the six children the couple once shared.

Last month there were suggestions in supermarket magazines that Shiloh was planning to move in with her father as soon as possible. And other stories claim the movie star is ‘hopeful’ of reconciling with Pitt now that she’s older.

However, following a nasty and controversial private jet collision in 2016, the chance of him reconciling with his children seems nil.

An FBI report on the incident, released in 2022, alleged that Pitt was physically assaulted while flying to California.

She accused him of grabbing her ex by the head and shoulders and shaking her, shouting ‘you are the king of this family’.

Brad is accused of punching the ceiling of the jet four times, teasing his children and pouring beer on Angelina.

Brad was accused of assaulting one of the couple’s children on the plane, but was later cleared of wrongdoing by the LAPD.

The lengthy custody battles culminated in Pitt’s 50-50 custody victory in 2021, which was overturned on appeal.

A judge intervened to prevent Angelina from listening to her mobile phone calls with the children. The judge also ordered ‘reunification therapy’ for Pitt and the children.

The actor set up a skate park at his home for Shiloh and recently set up an art studio to reflect their common interest in art.

He sent cars and security to take the children from her home to his whenever there was an assigned custodial visit. Unfortunately, none of it got them close.

In fact, son Box said in an Instagram post in 2016 that the four youngest children, including Shiloh, were ‘trembling in his presence.’ The two elders were already blank to see him at that time.

The kids in the current situation — Maddox, 22, Pax, 20, Zahara, 19, Shiloh, 18, and Knox and Vivienne, 15 — form a tight-knit gang of seven with his ex-wife.

Last year Jolie called them ‘the closest people in my life, they are my closest friends’. We had to heal. We have things to heal.’

While Shiloh has walked red carpets with her famous actress mother many times, neither she nor her siblings have done the same for Brad. He often says how proud he is of Shiloh—but it’s clear the feeling isn’t mutual.

“It’s the result of textbook parental alienation, a major tragedy in his life,” I’m told. ‘Angelina (Angelina) has been telling (Brad) the same lies over and over again for years and the reality is that she’s alienated the kids and that upsets Brad. He cares about them all. It’s devastating.’

Being a father is very important to him. He can start a family with his serious girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, who now lives with him. She is 31 and he is 60.

Shiloh, who had been named John for a few years, was a dance student. Speaking at the premiere of his film Bullet Train in 2022, Pratt said of his achievements: ‘It brings a tear to the eye, yes. I’m Mr. Two-Left Feet Here.’ For that pride, and despite visits to custody over the years, there is only rejection.

Zahara, a student at Spelman College in Atlanta, no longer goes by the name Pitt. Vivienne worked with Angelina on the musical The Outsiders in New York this spring and is billed as ‘Vivien Jolie’ on the show. Maddox and Box have been openly hostile to their father, not using the Pitt name for years. He seems completely disconnected.