{"id":263323,"date":"2026-09-16T14:11:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T14:11:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/16\/brad-pitt-angelina-jolie-10-years-later-divorce-a-smear-campaign-and-a-lot-of-surname-changes\/"},"modified":"2026-09-16T14:11:52","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T14:11:52","slug":"brad-pitt-angelina-jolie-10-years-later-divorce-a-smear-campaign-and-a-lot-of-surname-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/16\/brad-pitt-angelina-jolie-10-years-later-divorce-a-smear-campaign-and-a-lot-of-surname-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"Brad Pitt &#038; Angelina Jolie 10 Years Later: Divorce, a Smear Campaign, And a Lot of Surname Changes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Ten years ago, Brad Pitt tore his family apart, losing Angelina Jolie and (ultimately) his children forever.<\/p>\n<p>What has followed included a divorce that outlasted the marriage and even more legal battles. Oh, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/08\/brad-pitt-was-spotted-drinking-at-taylor-swifts-wedding-before-confessing-that-hes-no-longer-sober\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pitt is drinking again<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Even with a decade of smears, child after child has reached adulthood and legally excised \u201cPitt\u201d from their names.<\/p>\n<p>What happened? Where do things stand today?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><\/noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"703\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0916_angelinajolie_bradpitt_01-1024x703.jpg\" alt=\"Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in 2007.\" class=\"wp-image-563104 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0916_angelinajolie_bradpitt_01-1024x703.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0916_angelinajolie_bradpitt_01-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0916_angelinajolie_bradpitt_01-768x527.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0916_angelinajolie_bradpitt_01-2048x1405.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0916_angelinajolie_bradpitt_01-960x659.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0916_angelinajolie_bradpitt_01-1080x741.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0916_angelinajolie_bradpitt_01-1200x823.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0916_angelinajolie_bradpitt_01-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie attend the premiere for the film \u201cA Mighty Heart\u201d on May 21, 2007.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo Credit: Gareth Cattermole\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-happened-between-brad-pitt-and-angelina-jolie-on-september-14-2016\">What happened between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie on September 14, 2016?<\/h2>\n<p>Though Angelina Jolie has never publicly voiced the allegations against Brad Pitt (more on that later), transcripts from legal proceedings have painted a hauntingly clear description of that fateful family flight.<\/p>\n<p>To be blunt, it sounds like a psychological horror film \u2014 one family trapped on a plane with a violently drunk man who caused documented damage to the plane in his alleged rampage.<\/p>\n<p>Pitt allegedly attacked Jolie, grabbing and shaking her, which she tried to conceal from her children. When some of the children attempted to interfere, Pitt allegedly strangled one and hit another in the face.<\/p>\n<p>Even if the actor was drunk (\u201cblackout drunk,\u201d some believe), that would not excuse any of this monstrous behavior or meaningfully change anything about his moral culpability. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not easy listening (even some who have followed this story closely for years may find themselves in tears), but we recommend listening to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Lt_sBycC0Uc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this<\/a> rundown on the Jolie-Pitt divorce, the smear campaign against Jolie, including numerous details about the alleged 2016 assaults.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"thg-ytf\" data-ytid=\"Lt_sBycC0Uc\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Lt_sBycC0Uc\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"How Brad Pitt Keeps Getting Away With It (with Caroline Kwan and Ophie Dokie)\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Lt_sBycC0Uc\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"How Brad Pitt Keeps Getting Away With It (with Caroline Kwan and Ophie Dokie)\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" class=\"lazyload\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><button type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play video: How Brad Pitt Keeps Getting Away With It (with Caroline Kwan and Ophie Dokie)\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 68 48\" width=\"68\" height=\"48\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M66.5 7.7a8 8 0 0 0-5.6-5.7C56 .7 34 .7 34 .7s-22 0-26.9 1.3A8 8 0 0 0 1.5 7.7 83 83 0 0 0 .2 24a83 83 0 0 0 1.3 16.3 8 8 0 0 0 5.6 5.7C12 47.3 34 47.3 34 47.3s22 0 26.9-1.3a8 8 0 0 0 5.6-5.7A83 83 0 0 0 67.8 24a83 83 0 0 0-1.3-16.3z\" fill=\"#f00\"\/><path d=\"M27 34l18-10-18-10z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-kids-have-been-ditching-his-surname-left-and-right\">The kids have been ditching his surname left and right<\/h2>\n<p>In addition to the PR machine churning out nonsensical stories engineered to make Pitt appear sympathetic, another recurring story kept the Jolie-Pitt divorce in headlines.<\/p>\n<p>One after another, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2024\/06\/brad-pitt-daughters-drop-last-name-change\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">as the Jolie-Pitt children entered adulthood<\/a>, they became the <em>Jolie <\/em>children.<\/p>\n<p>Some only dropped \u201cPitt\u201d informally, while some also filed the legal documentation for a name-change. The latter requires taking out an add to announce this change, an antiquated law that critics argue violates privacy and endangers certain individuals.<\/p>\n<p>Famously, Shiloh chose the day of her 18th birthday to file for a name change. This <em>may <\/em>have stemmed from a number of bogus stories claiming that she was a \u201cdaddy\u2019s girl\u201d who wished that her parents hadn\u2019t divorced.<\/p>\n<p>Reports claiming to originate with the Pitt camp have claimed that all of this is due to \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/07\/brad-pitt-resents-childrens-name-changes-blames-angelina-jolie\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">parental alienation<\/a>.\u201d Parental alienation is a poor term at best and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/parental-alienation-and-its-use-in-family-court\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">junk science concept<\/a> invented to obscure child-abuse at worse. If there was triangulation (an <em>actual <\/em>psychological term, in real life) in this divorce, there is no evidence of it.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"bluesky-embed\" data-bluesky-uri=\"at:\/\/did:plc:6y3honhec2jch2ryrbuyx5a5\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3m4vc6ipnxk2a\" data-bluesky-cid=\"bafyreiaiyb4wk2rvwpikih5azt6uwdz5vmnljvhyag7yqjliqt3bdskgvu\" data-bluesky-embed-color-mode=\"dark\">\n<p lang=\"en\">\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf49 Angelina Jolie in Kherson<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:6y3honhec2jch2ryrbuyx5a5\/post\/3m4vc6ipnxk2a?ref_src=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">[image or embed]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 MAKS 26 \ud83d\udc40\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (<a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:6y3honhec2jch2ryrbuyx5a5?ref_src=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@maks23.bsky.social<\/a>) <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:6y3honhec2jch2ryrbuyx5a5\/post\/3m4vc6ipnxk2a?ref_src=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">November 5, 2025 at 9:48 AM<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-hasn-t-angelina-jolie-ever-publicly-detailed-the-brad-pitt-allegations\">Why hasn\u2019t Angelina Jolie ever publicly detailed the Brad Pitt allegations?<\/h2>\n<p>Some have asked why Angelina Jolie has never publicly detailed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2022\/08\/angelina-jolie-lawsuit-unearths-horrifying-brad-pitt-assault-allegations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">domestic abuse allegations against Brad Pitt<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>(What we know about the case primarily stems from courtroom testimony and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2024\/04\/angelina-jolie-i-have-recordings-of-brad-pitt-abuse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">related documents<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>However, the world has seen powerful men use defamation suits to silence women or ruin their lives (even more) when they have committed no libel, when they have chosen their words with care and conviction.<\/p>\n<p>In 2022, Johnny Depp won a defamation suit against ex-wife Amber Heard over an article in which she did not even name him.<\/p>\n<p>Even more recently, Justin Baldoni filed a $400 million defamation suit over reporting on his dispute with Blake Lively. That, at least, was less successful, though reality has not stopped him from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/07\/justin-baldoni-video-case-trauma-injustice-blake-lively\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">taking a victory lap<\/a> as if the courts had vindicated him.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Db3DpJaDdM3\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"\/>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-he-s-drinking-again-but-seems-to-believe-that-this-is-fine\">He\u2019s drinking again but seems to believe that this is fine<\/h2>\n<p>Brad Pitt has recently admitted that he is no longer sober \u2014 that he has not been sober for years, in fact.<\/p>\n<p>As sad as it is for someone to destroy their family, it makes the situation even more tragic when that person doesn\u2019t seem to learn anything from it.<\/p>\n<p>And, if one chooses to feel some sort of sympathy toward Pitt for some reason, it might make one worry about his future well being. <\/p>\n<p>Countless comments sections are filled with people urging, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/08\/brad-pitts-alcohol-confession-receives-mixed-response-from-sobriety-experts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pleading with Pitt<\/a> to not believe that he can control how much he drinks. These individuals appear to be speaking from experience.<\/p>\n<p>At least the custody war is over. Angelina Jolie no longer has to remain tethered to a home conveniently close to her ex. <\/p>\n<p>And the adult Jolie children (that\u2019s all of them) only have to see Pitt if they choose to \u2014 or, unfortunately, when they watch film trailers or awards shows or look at certain magazines. (When is this \u201ccancel culture\u201d stuff supposed to kick in, exactly?)<\/p>\n<div class=\"thg-endcard\" hidden=\"\" aria-label=\"Get the Hollywood Gossip app\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"thg-endcard-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/thg-ios-app-icon.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"thg-endcard-icon lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/thg-ios-app-icon.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" loading=\"lazy\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-1\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"thg-endcard-title\">Get the app \u2014 celeb news first<\/span><span class=\"thg-endcard-sub\">Push alerts the second a story breaks \u00b7 4.8\u2605 \u00b7 Free<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"thg-endcard-get\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/app\/apple-store\/id372387225?pt=367523&amp;ct=web-endcard-cta&amp;mt=8\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Get the App<\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/09\/angelina-jolie-brad-pitt-violent-flight-10-years-later\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reading Time: 3 minutes Ten years ago, Brad Pitt tore his family apart, losing Angelina Jolie and (ultimately) his children forever. What has followed included a divorce that outlasted the marriage and even more legal battles. Oh, and Pitt is drinking again. Even with a decade of smears, child after child has reached adulthood and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":263324,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-263323","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hollywood"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/263323","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=263323"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/263323\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/263324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=263323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=263323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=263323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}