Actor Brad Pitt has long been the subject of child abuse allegations following his split with Angelina Jolie, with whom he shares six children.
The couple's daughter, Shiloh, filed to remove Pitt from her hyphenated last name of Jolie-Pitt on her 18th birthday in May. A source close to the situation confirmed with Fox News Digital that Shiloh had hired her own attorney to handle the change, which was spurred on by that alleged abuse.
Her lawyer is now clarifying why Shiloh initiated the name change — saying it was a decision sparked by pain — while also denying reports that she'd utilized the media to announce the news.
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Over the weekend, reports circulated that Shiloh took out an advertisement in the Los Angeles Times to share the name change.
"The media should be more careful in their reporting," Peter Levine told People, "especially when covering a young adult who has made an independent and significant decision following painful events, and is merely following legal process."
"Shiloh Jolie did not take out an ‘ad’ announcing any name change, and any press reporting that is inaccurate. As Shiloh’s attorney, I am required to publish a legal notice because the law in California requires that of anyone who wants to change their name. That legal notice was published in the ‘Los Angeles Times,’ as is required."
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Following the announcement in May, a source close to Pitt shared the actor's dismay regarding his daughter's legal action. "He’s aware and upset that Shiloh dropped his last name. He’s never felt more joy than when she was born. He always wanted a daughter," the insider told People magazine.
"The reminders that he’s lost his children, is of course not easy for Brad. He loves his children and misses them. It’s very sad," they continued. "He’s still happy with Ines [de Ramon]," the source said of Pitt's girlfriend, but the separation from his six children "pains him."
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Pitt and Jolie have been locked in a contentious custody battle since Jolie filed to divorce Pitt in 2016, with the couple being declared single in 2019.
In 2022, the actress was re-granted sole physical custody of her minor children (which included Shiloh at the time), after Pitt had been granted joint custody for a short period of time. Pitt was then allowed "custodial time" with his minor children.
Two of Pitt's other daughters — Vivienne and Zahara — have seemingly dropped Pitt from their last name in professional and personal settings. People also confirmed in May that Vivienne Jolie-Pitt's name was printed as solely Vivienne Jolie in a playbill for "The Outsiders," which she worked on with her mother.
Zahara previously identified herself as "Zahara Marley Jolie" in a video obtained by Essence, when joining her sorority at Spelman College.
Representatives for Pitt, Jolie and Shiloh did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
