Why Brad Pitt 'Virtually Has No Contact' With His Adult Kids Amid Legal Battle With Angelina Jolie

Brad Pitt's relationship with his older children shows no signs of improvement, according to new reports.

The actor has six kids: Maddox, 22; Pax, 20; Zahara, 19; Shiloh, 18; and twins Vivienne and Knox, 15, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie.

Brad Pitt has reportedly had "virtually no contact" with the older kids but still engages the younger ones on a limited schedule.

According to People magazine, Pitt's bond with his older children remains fractured, and he has had "virtually no contact" with them for a long time.

The children in question appear to be Maddox, Pax, Zahara, and Shiloh, who are 18 years of age and above, which means they are no longer subject to any custody arrangement.

It also implies the children have reached a level of independence where legal enforcement of parental control or visitation wouldn't be necessary.

Amid Pitt's continued strained relationship with his older kids, he still has "visitation" with the younger kids, twins Vivienne and Knox, although the actress has the "kids most of the time."

However, his "engagement" with them has been "more limited in recent months" due to filming commitments, which is believed to be the ongoing production of his F1-inspired movie at a location in Europe.

Recent signs highlighting the deterioration of Pitt's relationship with his older children include the fact that his biological daughter Shiloh filed a petition in court to drop his last name three days after she turned 18.

The 18-year-old is believed to have hired her own lawyer for the petition, hinting she was keen to get it done.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the teenager requested that her new name be Shiloh Nouvel Jolie, removing Pitt from the hyphenation of her previous last name, Jolie-Pitt.

At the time, a close source revealed that Shiloh was influenced to change the name due to a custody battle between both parents when they divorced several years ago.

The insider shared, per the Daily Mail: "The name change goes back to the custody battle, and Shiloh's belief that her rights as a victim were violated."

They added, "Shiloh believed she had the right, as a victim of crime, to testify — and was prevented from doing so."

When Pitt heard about Shiloh's decision, it reportedly affected him emotionally, making him realize how deeply strained his relationship with his kids had become.

"Brad was devastated by this choice," a source told Us Weekly. "To him, it was more than a change of name — it was a symbol of a deeper estrangement that has been brewing for years."

Another insider claimed that past events have led to Pitt not having "much of a relationship with his kids," but he still wants to connect with them despite such differences.

The source added, "He's not ready to give up on them, but knowing they are dropping his name is upsetting."

Sadly, it appears that Pitt's younger child, Vivienne, might follow in Shiloh's footsteps once she turns 18. The teenager reportedly listed her name as "Vivienne Jolie" instead of "Vivienne Jolie-Pitt" in the Playbill for a musical, which hints that she might also have a strained relationship with her father.

According to People magazine, Pitt has found solace in the arms of his girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, despite his troubles with his ex-wife and children.

The duo was first spotted together in November 2022, though it was later revealed that they had been a couple for several months before that appearance.

According to an insider, the jewelry executive makes Pitt feel like he's "on top of the world again." The two have also moved in together to strengthen their blossoming relationship.

The source said about the couple, "He is happy to live with her too. They were spending a lot of time at Brad's. It only made sense for her to move in. Their relationship is serious."

They added, "This is Brad's first girlfriend since the divorce. He didn't settle and it's paying off. He loves dating Ines."

Amid his strained relationship with his six kids, Pitt is said to be open to having more children with de Ramon as their relationship continues to flourish. However, this entirely depends on the jewelry designer's wishes.

"Having more kids in his life is not out of the question," an insider told the Daily Mail. "Ines is young and Brad said he's 100% on board if she wants to have kids. He loves the idea of building a life with Ines, and nothing is off the table."

Pitt is said to have noticed many traits that he believes would make de Ramon "a wonderful mother," including being "patient," "easy-going," and having a "great sense of humor."

Insiders have also ruled out the possibility of the duo breaking up anytime soon, dishing that their relationship is "smooth sailing and drama-free" and Pitt is with de Ramon for the "long run."