NEED TO KNOW
- Brad Pitt is reportedly making an urgent effort to reconnect with son Knox after another family setback.
- Maddox recently had his request to legally drop “Pitt” from his surname approved by a California judge.
- Knox, who turned 18 in July, is said to be the only child Brad believes he has a strong chance of rebuilding a close bond with.
- Insiders claim Brad is hoping to reconnect before Angelina Jolie potentially relocates overseas with some of their children.
Last week, Brad Pitt’s eldest son Maddox had his request to legally drop ‘Pitt’ from his surname approved by a judge in California.
The now 25-year-old was adopted by Brad in 2006 during his relationship with ex-wife Angelina Jolie, who’d initially adopted Maddox as a seven-month-old in 2002.
This latest snub, from both his adopted and biological children, has left Brad with one last glimmer of hope when it comes to his six kids.
Only Knox, 18, and Pax, 22, are yet to request to legally change their last name. But with Pax allegedly calling Brad an ‘a–hole’ in a social media post in 2020, it seems he’s made his feelings about his adoptive father clear.
“Knox is Brad’s last hold-out,” a Hollywood insider tells New Idea. “Since he turned 18 in July, Brad’s been in closer contact with him, but he’s careful not to pressure him.”
Since Brad and Angelina’s marriage imploded acrimoniously in 2016 their six children together, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and twins Knox and Vivienne have primarily resided with her, with Brad having visitation rights, until the kids turned 18. But as they all grew older, all – bar Knox and Pax – have publicly and/or legally taken action to lose ‘Pitt’ from their surnames, in favour of ‘Jolie’.
Brad, 62, has said very little over the years regarding his fraught relationship with his children, but of course, in private, “he’d love things to be different,” our source explains.
But now that Knox is 18, and legally an adult, Brad believes there is “a chance” for them especially to reconnect more meaningfully.
“He’d love nothing more than to rebuild his father-son relationship with Knox, because he hasn’t been totally shut out by him,” our source says. “But he’s going to tread carefully to do so.”
Our source adds that Brad has been “gently encouraged” to reach out to Knox by his partner Ines de Ramon, 33.
“She is staying out of it as much as possible but she has been shocked at how Brad has been treated by his kids over the years.
“She’s supportive of his efforts to reconnect with Knox.”
Time is a factor in the plan however. Angelina, 51, has made no secret of the fact that she plans on leaving the US, now that the custody orders have dissolved since the kids all turned 18.
“Ange’s focus now is getting out of LA – and she’ll be encouraging some if not all of the kids to come with her.”
While the older ones may choose to remain, “Viv and Knox, as the youngest, could follow their mum overseas,” our source says. “Brad knows actual face time with Knox could soon be limited so he wants to reconnect properly now, before it’s too late.”
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