Nearly two months after news broke that Shiloh Jolie had dropped dad Brad Pitt's last name, we're getting a bit of insight into why. In response to recent rumors about the circumstances behind the 18-year-old's decision, Shiloh's attorney has issued a statement speaking out about what drove her to make such a big change, adding that there were "painful events" that preceded her choice. It sounds like it certainly hasn't been an easy time for Shiloh and her siblings.
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News of her name change from Shiloh Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Jolie (which is, of course, mom Angelina Jolie's last name) was published in the Los Angeles Times on May 27, 2024, when she became a legal adult. And now that the media has had time to respond, her attorney is encouraging outlets to be "more careful in their reporting."
In a statement that was obtained by People, attorney Peter Levine said that Shiloh made the choice to change her name "following painful events." He called her name change "an independent and significant decision."
Though Shiloh's lawyer didn't get into specifics, it's likely that he's referring in part to the abuse that Angelina has alleged took place during her marriage to Brad. In an FBI report that surfaced from 2016, she accused Brad of physical and verbal abuse towards her and the children while the family was on a plane. No charges were filed at the time of the incident.
"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," the lawyer said in the statement.
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As one attorney, David Glass, told People, that printing the notice in a newspaper is all just part of the process in the state of California.
"She has to run an ad 4 weeks in a row before the hearing is scheduled, in addition to giving both of her parents written notification," he said. "These name change petitions usually run very smoothly and are granted, unless the person has a criminal history and is trying to get away from punishment or liabilities."
Shiloh isn't the only sibling who has dropped Brad's name. When Shiloh's older sister, Zahara, joined the first historically Black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, at Spelman College in 2023, she appeared in an introduction video that was shared by Essence on Instagram.
"My name is Zahara Marley Jolie. Coming all the way from the Golden State in the city that is full of angels, Los Angeles, California … I am this line’s number seven," she says in the video.
