As more and more of his kids turn against him, Brad Pitt is blaming Angelina Jolie for the family feud! Sooo what else is new? LOLz! But as it turns out, there’s a lot more to it that is simmering under the surface, too!
As Perezcious readers know, the couple’s daughter Shiloh Jolie-Pitt is the latest to drop her father’s last name. Only, she took it much further than her siblings by submitting a petition to the Los Angeles court to have the surname legally dropped!
According to an insider close to the situation via Us Weekly on Tuesday, Shiloh hired and paid for her own lawyer to handle this case. Wow! Of course, the decision was devastating for her father, a source shared:
“Brad was devastated by this choice. To him, it was more than a change of name — it was a symbol of a deeper estrangement that has been brewing for years.”
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Last year, Zahara introduced herself as Zahara Marley Jolie at a sorority initiation ceremony at college, too, and recently her younger sis Vivienne simply went by Vivienne Jolie in the playbill for The Outsiders. This is just one sign that the feud in this family is only getting worse as the co-parents’ custody battle rages on. A second insider dished:
“Sadly, Brad doesn’t have much of a relationship with his kids. He’s not ready to give up on them, but knowing they are dropping his name is upsetting.”
A third confidant added:
“Brad’s putting on a brave face, but behind closed doors, he’s finding it extremely difficult to come to terms with [what’s happening].”
The third insider claimed the children’s decision to drop his last name has to do with their loyalty to Angie, noting:
“They’ve struggled to forgive and connect with Brad since the divorce. Their mom is the head of the household, and she’s raised them with love and selflessness their whole lives. Once Brad left, it was very hard for them to see him go to war with her.”
Maddox and Pax, for instance, have no contact with the actor. The first source noted:
“Sadly, their rift has only widened over time. The boys found it difficult to reconcile with Brad despite his repeated apologies and efforts to rebuild trust.”
The third insider elaborated:
“Brad’s relationship with Maddox and Pax is nonexistent at this point, and he barely, if ever, hears from Zahara.”
Reflecting on the 2016 plane incident that led up to the divorce — in which Brad allegedly assaulted and verbally abused his wife and two of the children, a fifth insider claimed there “was a reason” no charges were filed despite an F.B.I. agent concluding that there was probable cause to charge him with a federal crime. Without getting into those details, the source argued it was the Maleficent star who has been dragging on this legal war, adding:
“Angelina is the one who is going after him through Miraval and won’t let up, Brad is just trying to see his children, not tear her or her businesses down.”
Even though Brad has denied the abuse, it deeply “affected” his kids, the third confidant said:
“Maddox was very affected by that incident, and he’s taken it upon himself to be Angelina’s protector.”
Naturally, the older boys’ opinions of their father also “rubbed off on” the younger kids. Also, as you might have expected, the insider acknowledged that Shiloh’s name change is “connected” to this alleged “abuse history,” with the insider confirming, “that’s part of it.”
According to this insider, Shiloh was one of the couple’s kids who wanted to testify about her custody preferences (though she never got the chance). While “she [used to be] very close with Brad and his family […] that relationship [changed] in recent years.” The same has happened with the youngest, Vivienne and Knox, a fourth source shared:
“They used to have Facetime calls when they were apart and he was much more involved in their lives, but the dynamic has shifted.”
Brad still sporadically visits with Vivienne, Knox and Shiloh at his Los Feliz mansion, which is just a few blocks from his ex’s place, per the third source. Unclear if Shiloh is still hanging out with him after the name change, though. The insider continued:
“Brad makes a big effort to spoil the kids when they hang out. He orders their favorite foods and makes the most of those few hours.”
Unlike Angelina, who “is the opposite,” a second insider noted that the filmmaker likes to keep the visits on the down low:
“He’s very private, and does everything he can not to be photographed.”
Dissing the mother, the source argued that the Eternals alum is “very aware of when she’s being watched and is cognizant of her image [as a doting mom].” But the same source pointed out:
“After the incident on the plane, she shifted her focus to also supporting survivors of domestic violence and children impacted by abuse in America.”
Meanwhile, ever since the split, Brad feels like Angie’s only ruined his relationship with the kids more. Multiple insiders claimed that, while the first source detailed:
“He feels that the negative narrative Angelina presents to the kids is a major obstacle in his efforts to reconnect. With Angelina having daily influence over the children, Brad finds it nearly impossible to change their perceptions.”
If all the rumors are true, they went through a lot, so you can’t blame the kids for holding a grudge. But sources — clearly on Pitt’s side — argued it was Angelina’s fault for making his relationships so strained. The fifth source called it “textbook parental alienation” while claiming Angelina “targeted Shiloh from the start because she was the closest to Brad.”
The third insider clapped back:
“They know what they saw. For anyone to suggest she’s controlled them is off base.”
They added:
“You don’t get to physically assault your wife and kids, then sue her and say, ‘But she turned my kids against me.’ That’s not OK. He’s still trying to punish her for standing up against his abuse. He really just needs to let her go and, most importantly, finally let their children heal and find peace. This has been [Angelina’s] priority all along.”
Regardless of what happened, the 60-year-old has cleaned up his ways by getting sober and seeking therapy since this big breakup and he’s remaining hopeful for a day when he can reconcile with his kids, the first source said:
“He’s apologized profusely for his past actions and acknowledges his anger issues and the influence of alcohol on his behavior.”
He’s also moving forward with his life, including focusing on his romance with jewelry designer Ines de Ramon, the third source concluded:
“His career and relationship are in a great place. But he’s desperate for peace with his kids.”
Sadly, “peace” never seems like a word we can use for the Brangelina clan! The issues just never end. Sigh. This is all a lot to take in, tho. Thoughts? Let us know in the comments (below)!
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