Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are no longer legally bound by a custody agreement after their youngest children, twins Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline, turned 18 on July 12, making them legal adults.
The milestone brings an end to years of custody negotiations between the former couple, who share six children — Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh, Pax, Knox and Vivienne.
Pitt and Jolie separated in 2016 after two years of marriage and more than a decade together. Their split led to a lengthy legal dispute over custody arrangements, which lasted for eight years before their divorce was finalised in 2024. Jolie’s legal team previously alleged that an incident on a private plane that year contributed to the breakdown of their marriage, claims Pitt has denied.
Reflecting on the difficult period, Jolie said the separation was emotionally challenging for both her and their children. “The events leading to my need to separate from my ex-husband were emotionally difficult for me and our children,” she wrote in court documents. She also told the BBC that her priority remained her family, saying: “My focus is my children, our children.”
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Although Pitt was awarded joint custody in 2021, reports suggest his relationship with some of his children has become strained. Several of the children, including Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh, Pax, Knox and Vivienne, have reportedly chosen not to use Pitt’s surname, while sources have claimed the actor has had limited contact with his children in recent years.
