https://ca.style.yahoo.com/why-brad-pitts-children-turned-100000877.html
Wed, June 4, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. GMT+8·8 min read
Angelina Jolie on the left, posing with her children and Brad Pitt, on the right in a seperate photo
As Angelina Jolie celebrates her 50th birthday, attention turns to the complex family dynamics behind the scenes, including why Brad Pitt’s children have reportedly grown distant from him.
Ever since reports emerged that Brad Pitt has "virtually no contact" with the six children he shares with ex-wife Angelina Jolie, confusion and rumours around the family's living arrangements have swirled.
However, this familial estrangement is far from unusual.
With the growing trend for parent-child estrangement worldwide, it follows that those in Hollywood with families may also experience this painful dynamic.
Once known as a Hollywood power couple, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt met in 2003 and married in 2014 but by 2016, Angelina had filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
The French estate became the subject of contention in the divorce (AFP via Getty Images)
Since then, the former couple has been involved in a very public battle over the division of their estate, including the sale of the $164 million French estate and winery Château Miraval. However, much focus has turned towards the pair's six children.
Child psychologist Dr Anuradha Sayal-Bennet spoke exclusively to HELLO! about the way estrangement can affect children and young people. She said: "We always carry our parents within us. We might be physically estranged, but it doesn't mean necessarily that we're not going to think about them, that we're not going to have regret and remorse. So it's a mixed picture."
It's reportedly been several years since most of Brad's children have seen him (GC Images)
She added: "You've lost a parent, whatever the context and the reason, it's quite a huge thing, because as human beings, we are primed for connection. That's how we do survival. Just because estrangement is happening a bit more often, doesn't mean it's not going to hurt or have an effect somewhere down the line."
Angelina adopted Maddox in 2002 from Cambodia, prior to meeting Brad. She adopted Zahara in 2005 from Ethiopia, and in 2006 a judge approved the couple's petition to give both children the surname Jolie-Pitt, a step toward Brad’s legal adoption of Maddox and Zahara.
Angelina adopted Maddox before she met Brad (AFP via Getty Images)
"They're as much of my blood as any natural born, and I'm theirs. That's all I can say about it. I can't live without them. So: Anyone considering [adoption], that's my vote," Brad told Esquire in 2006.
While Brad and Angelina had been taking things slow, Angelina revealed it was Maddox who helped give them the final push to be together.
"[Maddox] just out of the blue called him Dad. It was amazing. We were playing with cars on the floor of a hotel room, and we both heard it and didn't say anything and just looked at each other. So that was probably the most defining moment, when he decided that we would all be a family," she told Vogue in 2007.
Angelina was pregnant with twins in 2008 (Getty Images)
Angelina gave birth to the couple's next child, Shiloh, in 2006, and in 2007 Maddox travelled with Angelina to Vietnam to adopt the then-three-year-old Pax from an orphanage. Brad did not accompany them on this trip but supported the adoption process.
She became pregnant again and debuted her baby bump in 2008, welcoming twins Vivienne and Knox the same year.
Brad opened up about his parenting style in 2009: "I am [a disciplinarian] with the boys. Girls do no wrong so I don’t have to be. I feel like my job is to show them around, help them find what they want to do with their life, put as many things in front of them, and pull them back when they get out of line, so they know who they are," he told The Telegraph.
The film stars tied the knot in 2014, in the chapel of Château Miraval in front of just 20 guests. In the same year, Brad told Psychologies magazine: "I care about [my children] more than I care about myself, which I think is the real definition of love.
"I feel like the richest man alive since I’ve become a father. Being a father has changed me on so many levels and made me more generous and alive. I see my children as an essential part of my life. I love being a father and all the responsibilities that entails."
Brad said that becoming a father had fundamentally changed his life (WireImage)
But their happy family life was not to last. By 2016, Angelina filed for divorce and Brad was investigated by Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services in 2016 for child abuse following an incident on a plane – an event that reportedly caused their split.
Angelina alleged that the children were traumatised by Brad’s behaviour and aggression. The FBI also investigated but did not press charges. The details of the incident remain contested, but it was widely reported that Brad had a heated confrontation with their eldest son Maddox. Ultimately Brad was cleared of any wrongdoing but the event reportedly created an unrepairable rift between the couple.
Angelina filed for divorce just days after the incident and sought full physical custody of their six children. There were signs in the years that followed that Brad’s relationship with his children was strained as the couple finalised their divorce.
The couple divorced after nine years together (Getty Images)
Dr Anuradha said: "I think we're seeing a societal shift, where Generation Z is a bit more intolerant of any kind of transgression, and so they might be more likely to draw the curtain on a relationship, whereas previous generations might be more bound by tradition."
In 2020, Brad received an Oscar award for Best Supporting Actor. During his speech, he referenced his children. "This is for my kids, who colour everything I do. I adore you," he said.
Brad Pitt received the Actor in a Supporting Role award for 'Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood' (Getty Images)
The speech appeared to provoke his son Pax, who reportedly posted a critical message on Instagram. On Father’s Day 2020, Pax allegedly shared a private Instagram story referring to Brad as a “world-class a**hole and an “awful human being”. He accused his father of lacking empathy and causing them fear.
In 2021, a judge ruled that Brad did not physically harm his children and briefly granted him joint custody. However, the agreement was later reverted to Angelina having full custody, with Brad having visitation rights with the minors.
The alleged dispute was between Brad and Pax (FilmMagic)
Dr Anuradha shared that younger and grown-up children struggle with estrangement in different ways. "I would think it would be probably harder for a kid, because kids very much still want to please their parent. We do know from research that even if a parent treats you really, really, dreadfully, they're still your parent and we still want to keep them happy."
Brad has not been pictured with his family for six years, and the older children have stopped using his surname. "It does imply contempt and you're rejecting that parent, so it can be quite a symbolic gesture," said Dr Anuradha, suggesting the move speaks to "anger".
In 2024, TMZ reported that Shiloh had officially dropped her father's surname, while Vivienne was listed as "Vivienne Jolie" in the Playbill for the musical The Outsiders.
Zahara, 19, also dropped her father's surname during her induction into the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at Spelman College in Atlanta last November, when she was introduced as Zahara Marley Jolie.
Vivienne has recently dropped her father's surname (Getty Images for Tony Awards Pro)
A source told People Brad has "virtually no contact" with the adult members of his brood but still has visitation with the younger children.
Dr Anuradha said: "For some kids or as adults now, estrangement can bring a profound sense of relief, actually, that they have been able to regain some control. It can be quite liberating."
She added: "We can't know what happened [with Brad and his children] but it's good that he's not retaliating in the same vein. It sounds like he's been quite unconditional, saying: 'I'm here and I love you, and that will always be the case'. Whether that's heard or acted upon, who knows, but he's not matching venom and anger with venom and anger and escalating the situation."
Dr Anuradha emphasised that key priority should be protecting everybody involved as they move forward. She said: "In the end, we all need safe, stable and secure attachments. There can be major disruptions in these and it's not easy at all. You want to survive and you want to thrive. But some people do reconnect."
Why Brad Pitt's children turned against him
Millie JacksonWed, June 4, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. GMT+8·8 min read
Angelina Jolie on the left, posing with her children and Brad Pitt, on the right in a seperate photo
As Angelina Jolie celebrates her 50th birthday, attention turns to the complex family dynamics behind the scenes, including why Brad Pitt’s children have reportedly grown distant from him.
Ever since reports emerged that Brad Pitt has "virtually no contact" with the six children he shares with ex-wife Angelina Jolie, confusion and rumours around the family's living arrangements have swirled.
However, this familial estrangement is far from unusual.
With the growing trend for parent-child estrangement worldwide, it follows that those in Hollywood with families may also experience this painful dynamic.
Once known as a Hollywood power couple, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt met in 2003 and married in 2014 but by 2016, Angelina had filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
The French estate became the subject of contention in the divorce (AFP via Getty Images)
Since then, the former couple has been involved in a very public battle over the division of their estate, including the sale of the $164 million French estate and winery Château Miraval. However, much focus has turned towards the pair's six children.
Child psychologist Dr Anuradha Sayal-Bennet spoke exclusively to HELLO! about the way estrangement can affect children and young people. She said: "We always carry our parents within us. We might be physically estranged, but it doesn't mean necessarily that we're not going to think about them, that we're not going to have regret and remorse. So it's a mixed picture."
It's reportedly been several years since most of Brad's children have seen him (GC Images)
She added: "You've lost a parent, whatever the context and the reason, it's quite a huge thing, because as human beings, we are primed for connection. That's how we do survival. Just because estrangement is happening a bit more often, doesn't mean it's not going to hurt or have an effect somewhere down the line."
Angelina adopted Maddox in 2002 from Cambodia, prior to meeting Brad. She adopted Zahara in 2005 from Ethiopia, and in 2006 a judge approved the couple's petition to give both children the surname Jolie-Pitt, a step toward Brad’s legal adoption of Maddox and Zahara.
Angelina adopted Maddox before she met Brad (AFP via Getty Images)
"They're as much of my blood as any natural born, and I'm theirs. That's all I can say about it. I can't live without them. So: Anyone considering [adoption], that's my vote," Brad told Esquire in 2006.
While Brad and Angelina had been taking things slow, Angelina revealed it was Maddox who helped give them the final push to be together.
"[Maddox] just out of the blue called him Dad. It was amazing. We were playing with cars on the floor of a hotel room, and we both heard it and didn't say anything and just looked at each other. So that was probably the most defining moment, when he decided that we would all be a family," she told Vogue in 2007.
Angelina was pregnant with twins in 2008 (Getty Images)
Angelina gave birth to the couple's next child, Shiloh, in 2006, and in 2007 Maddox travelled with Angelina to Vietnam to adopt the then-three-year-old Pax from an orphanage. Brad did not accompany them on this trip but supported the adoption process.
She became pregnant again and debuted her baby bump in 2008, welcoming twins Vivienne and Knox the same year.
Brad opened up about his parenting style in 2009: "I am [a disciplinarian] with the boys. Girls do no wrong so I don’t have to be. I feel like my job is to show them around, help them find what they want to do with their life, put as many things in front of them, and pull them back when they get out of line, so they know who they are," he told The Telegraph.
The film stars tied the knot in 2014, in the chapel of Château Miraval in front of just 20 guests. In the same year, Brad told Psychologies magazine: "I care about [my children] more than I care about myself, which I think is the real definition of love.
"I feel like the richest man alive since I’ve become a father. Being a father has changed me on so many levels and made me more generous and alive. I see my children as an essential part of my life. I love being a father and all the responsibilities that entails."
Brad said that becoming a father had fundamentally changed his life (WireImage)
But their happy family life was not to last. By 2016, Angelina filed for divorce and Brad was investigated by Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services in 2016 for child abuse following an incident on a plane – an event that reportedly caused their split.
Angelina alleged that the children were traumatised by Brad’s behaviour and aggression. The FBI also investigated but did not press charges. The details of the incident remain contested, but it was widely reported that Brad had a heated confrontation with their eldest son Maddox. Ultimately Brad was cleared of any wrongdoing but the event reportedly created an unrepairable rift between the couple.
Angelina filed for divorce just days after the incident and sought full physical custody of their six children. There were signs in the years that followed that Brad’s relationship with his children was strained as the couple finalised their divorce.
The couple divorced after nine years together (Getty Images)
Dr Anuradha said: "I think we're seeing a societal shift, where Generation Z is a bit more intolerant of any kind of transgression, and so they might be more likely to draw the curtain on a relationship, whereas previous generations might be more bound by tradition."
In 2020, Brad received an Oscar award for Best Supporting Actor. During his speech, he referenced his children. "This is for my kids, who colour everything I do. I adore you," he said.
Brad Pitt received the Actor in a Supporting Role award for 'Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood' (Getty Images)
The speech appeared to provoke his son Pax, who reportedly posted a critical message on Instagram. On Father’s Day 2020, Pax allegedly shared a private Instagram story referring to Brad as a “world-class a**hole and an “awful human being”. He accused his father of lacking empathy and causing them fear.
In 2021, a judge ruled that Brad did not physically harm his children and briefly granted him joint custody. However, the agreement was later reverted to Angelina having full custody, with Brad having visitation rights with the minors.
The alleged dispute was between Brad and Pax (FilmMagic)
Dr Anuradha shared that younger and grown-up children struggle with estrangement in different ways. "I would think it would be probably harder for a kid, because kids very much still want to please their parent. We do know from research that even if a parent treats you really, really, dreadfully, they're still your parent and we still want to keep them happy."
Brad has not been pictured with his family for six years, and the older children have stopped using his surname. "It does imply contempt and you're rejecting that parent, so it can be quite a symbolic gesture," said Dr Anuradha, suggesting the move speaks to "anger".
In 2024, TMZ reported that Shiloh had officially dropped her father's surname, while Vivienne was listed as "Vivienne Jolie" in the Playbill for the musical The Outsiders.
Zahara, 19, also dropped her father's surname during her induction into the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at Spelman College in Atlanta last November, when she was introduced as Zahara Marley Jolie.
Vivienne has recently dropped her father's surname (Getty Images for Tony Awards Pro)
A source told People Brad has "virtually no contact" with the adult members of his brood but still has visitation with the younger children.
Dr Anuradha said: "For some kids or as adults now, estrangement can bring a profound sense of relief, actually, that they have been able to regain some control. It can be quite liberating."
She added: "We can't know what happened [with Brad and his children] but it's good that he's not retaliating in the same vein. It sounds like he's been quite unconditional, saying: 'I'm here and I love you, and that will always be the case'. Whether that's heard or acted upon, who knows, but he's not matching venom and anger with venom and anger and escalating the situation."
Dr Anuradha emphasised that key priority should be protecting everybody involved as they move forward. She said: "In the end, we all need safe, stable and secure attachments. There can be major disruptions in these and it's not easy at all. You want to survive and you want to thrive. But some people do reconnect."
