Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s daughter Vivienne has adopted the name “Vivienne Jolie” for her work on Broadway, departing from the family name of Jolie-Pitt shared by her five siblings. The 15-year-old is working as an assistant and co-producer on “The Outsiders: A New Musical.” She and her mother attended the play’s opening night in New York City last month, with Jolie describing Vivienne as a dedicated and serious assistant. It is unclear if Vivienne’s name change is legal, and there has been no comment from either parent regarding the matter.
“The Outsiders” is an adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s classic 1967 novel of the same name, which was first announced in August 2023. Vivienne’s name change follows her older sister Zahara’s decision to drop Pitt’s last name after joining a Black college sorority at Spelman College. Zahara introduced herself as Zahara Marley Jolie in a video shared by Essence magazine in November 2023. The name change also coincides with the ongoing legal battle between Jolie and Pitt over the division of assets and property acquired during their marriage. The couple married in 2014 and Jolie filed for divorce two years later, citing the wellbeing of her family as the reason for the split. In a 2020 interview with Vogue India, Jolie explained that the decision to separate was made with the focus on her family’s healing.
The involvement of Vivienne and Zahara in name changes and individual pursuits could reflect the family’s efforts to establish their own identities amid the high-profile divorce of their parents. Jolie has been open about prioritizing her children’s wellbeing and focusing on their healing following the split from Pitt. The name changes could be seen as personal choices by the girls as they navigate their own paths separate from their famous parents. The decision to go by different names may also be a way for them to carve out their own identities in the public eye and differentiate themselves from their siblings and parents.
Jolie’s and Pitt’s children have grown up in the spotlight, with their parents being two of the biggest stars in Hollywood. The name changes by Vivienne and Zahara may be a way for them to assert their own agency and make choices that reflect their individual interests and aspirations. The girls’ involvement in different pursuits, such as Broadway and college sororities, could be a way for them to explore their passions and talents outside of the family’s famous legacy. Ultimately, the name changes signify the girls’ autonomy and independence as they navigate their own paths in the public eye, separate from the fame of their parents.
