Angelina Jolie is facing an emotional upheaval as the rift between Brad Pitt and their son, Pax, becomes officially confirmed. This latest chapter in the fractured relationship between the actor and his older children has been a devastating blow, especially for Jolie, who has long dedicated herself to her children’s well-being since her highly publicized divorce from Pitt in 2016.
The fracture traces back to an incident in September 2016 aboard a private plane, which ignited a legal battle for custody of their six children. While details of the incident remain private, its aftermath has clearly impacted Pitt’s relationship with Pax, Maddox, and Zahara, with growing emotional distance becoming more visible in recent years. The public fallout reached a new level when Pax’s devastating Father’s Day message surfaced, calling Pitt a “world-class asshole” and accusing him of fostering a toxic and fearful environment for the children. Pax’s message, which was originally posted in 2020 but recently made headlines, marked a painful turning point, with him stating, “You’ll never understand the damage you’ve done to my family because you’re incapable of doing so.”
This public outcry signals the depth of resentment and emotional damage between Pitt and his older children. Furthermore, it is not just Pax who has distanced himself from Pitt. Zahara, Vivienne, and Shiloh have also distanced themselves by dropping the Pitt surname in various public settings. Zahara introduced herself at a university event as “Zahara Marley Jolie,” and Vivienne was listed as “Vivienne Jolie” in a Broadway production. Perhaps most significant of all, Shiloh, now 18, officially changed her surname to “Jolie,” a decision that has been interpreted as a symbol of the breakdown of the father-child relationship.
For Jolie, this ongoing estrangement is a painful reminder of the fractured family. Although she has remained largely silent on the issue, her decisions speak volumes about her concern for her children’s emotional future. Sources close to her say she is heartbroken by the widening gap between her children and their father. She has long prioritized creating a stable environment for them, but the toll of the ongoing tension is evident.
Pitt’s relationship with his younger children, Knox and Vivienne, remains more stable but is described as “limited,” reflecting the overall emotional distance that now defines the family dynamic. As the bond with his older children seems beyond repair, this latest chapter is a significant emotional burden for the actor, who continues to struggle with the fallout from the public and personal rifts within his family.
The finality of this estrangement, marked by these forceful public gestures, raises questions about whether these wounds will ever heal, or if this is the irreversible end of Brad Pitt’s paternal relationship with his older children. For Angelina Jolie, the sadness of seeing her children’s pain is undeniable, as she watches the family she once had disintegrate before her eyes.
