Inside Brad Pitt's Relationship With His Daughter, Zahara
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie split way back in 2016 but folks are still wondering what really went wrong between Brangelina. While there has been plenty of speculation ranging from infidelity to substance abuse, it seems a major point of contention was their children. The couple share six kids together and, in addition to disagreeing on how they should be raised, Pitt allegedly tainted his bond with his three eldest kids through his shady actions. For one, his relationship with Maddox is reportedly in need of repair and has become nonexistent. What's more, his bond with Pax has undergone a sad downfall, too. Now it seems he's also lost his connection with Zahara.
Interestingly, Pitt appears to still get along with his youngest three kiddos — Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox — and sees them regularly as per his custody agreement with Jolie. A source told InTouch in October 2023, "He's on good terms with them." However, the same can't be said for Maddox, Pax, and Zahara. While he and his eldest daughter reportedly still speak to each other, things aren't as they used to be when she was young. Here's everything we know about Brad Pitt's relationship with Zahara, and how it's changed through the years.
Zahara's adoption was both joyous and heartbreaking
When Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie fell for each other in 2004, she was already a mom to Maddox Chivan and ready to grow her family. In 2005, she and Maddox, whom she adopted from a Cambodian orphanage in 2002, visited an orphanage in Hawassa, Ethiopia where they met and bonded with Zahara Marley. Jolie officially adopted her daughter that July, and this time, she was joined by Pitt. Pitt would go on to adopt both Zahara and Maddox the following year.
But while the occasion was a joyful one, Zahara's start in life was anything but easy. The girl's mother likely died from AIDS a month after she was born and when Jolie adopted her, the 6-month-old was dehydrated and malnourished. She weighed just nine pounds and only a day after arriving in the United States, she was rushed to the hospital. As reported, Zahara spent a week under medical supervision as she battled a salmonella infection.
She would go on to make a full recovery and thrive, but her initial condition had everyone worried, even little Maddox. As Jolie shared, per People, when they first visited her, "[He] saw that she needed care." Indeed, Pitt later told Parade in 2011 that her condition was dire. "I know she would not be alive [if she hadn't been adopted]," he said. "I know what care was available to her, and it was nil." The experience changed him, as did she. "I cannot imagine life without her," he gushed.
Brad Pitt was a very hands-on dad with Zahara
It's really no surprise that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie would go on to have more children, as fatherhood came naturally to him — and he loved it. Speaking with Parade, the actor mused, "I was surprised at how automatic it is, how much of it is instinctual." And while he admitted that it can sometimes be difficult to balance family life with a hectic career in Hollywood, he also underscored all the joys that come with parenting. "I've never felt more enriched," he told the outlet. "I've become a better person because of them."
Indeed, Pitt was a hands-on dad who embraced even the most mundane tasks. Over the years, he was photographed happily carrying out everyday daddy duties, like picking Zahara up from school and taking her to friends' birthday parties. The duo also shared plenty of sweet father-daughter moments. In 2007, for example, they were seen enjoying a horse-drawn carriage ride and playdate in New York's Central Park, while in 2015, Pitt was spotted enthusiastically cheering her on and offering coaching tips at a soccer game in Los Angeles.
Even after he and Jolie split in 2016, Pitt continued to be an involved father and chimed in on all aspects of his kids' lives, including their education. As a source told Us Weekly in 2020, he and Jolie agreed to traditional schooling after Pitt fought hard for it. "Brad wants the kids to be in a school setting, and not isolated being homeschooled," the insider explained.
Zahara inspired her dad's sobriety journey
Brad Pitt has been candid about his use of drugs and alcohol, and his eventual decision to give it all up. In 2017, he told GQ, "Truthfully, I could drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka. I was a professional. I was good." Things got so bad, that he was forced to take a step back and reassess his relationship with alcohol. He eventually decided to greatly cut down his consumption and, as it turns out, that was largely inspired by his eldest daughter.
Speaking with Total Film magazine in 2009 (via The New Zealand Herald), Pitt revealed that he scaled back his drinking, big time, after a scary incident involving Zahara. He shared how, a year before, he had watched Zahara start choking on a piece of ice she had picked up from the floor. The actor was a few beers in and the situation could have proved fatal if he hadn't been sober enough to act. "It's not easy to be a good father when you've had a few drinks," he conceded. "And you can't deal with children when you have a hangover — that's just a misery!"
Pitt eventually chose to give up alcohol altogether after his split from Angelina Jolie, telling The New York Times in 2019, "I had taken things as far as I could take it, so I removed my drinking privileges." He took it so seriously that he secretly attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for a year and a half.
How the infamous plane incident affected their relationship
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's marriage came to a sudden end in September 2016, just days after Pitt was reportedly verbally and physically abusive towards his kids and his wife while on a private jet. TMZ reported that the actor was allegedly intoxicated during the incident, which sparked an investigation by both the LAPD and L.A. County Dept. of Children and Family Services. In addition to ending his marriage, the alleged altercation completely severed his relationship with his eldest son Maddox. Pitt later admitted to yelling at Maddox, per Page Six, but denied everything else and was cleared of all abuse allegations.
Whatever happened on that flight, Zahara would have seen it all and she likely would have been questioned during the LAPD's investigation. Such an emotional ordeal would surely have placed a strain on their relationship. What's more, Zahara, who is very close to Maddox and Pax, likely heard all about their views on Pitt. While Maddox became estranged from his dad and even testified against him in court, Pax also made his distaste known on a private social media account in 2023.
As MailOnline discovered, a 16-year-old Pax celebrated Father's Day with a post calling Pitt a "world class a**hole" and slammed his behavior towards Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne. "You have no consideration or empathy toward your four youngest children who tremble in fear when in your presence," he wrote. "You will never understand the damage you have done to my family because you're incapable of doing so."
Is Zahara on Team Angelina?
After Angelina Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016, she and Brad Pitt embarked on a messy custody battle that was still influencing their lives in June 2023. Initially, Jolie received full physical custody of the kids while Pitt was granted visitation rights. Then, in June 2018, the estranged exes reached a temporary agreement for the summer that allowed Pitt more physical custody, but a psychologist often had to be present.
In arriving at the agreement, the Superior Court of Los Angeles County argued that it was "critical that each of them have a healthy and strong relationship" with both of their parents. That November, the couple reached yet another temporary solution, with a source telling Us Weekly, "Brad and Angelina will have joint physical and legal custody of the children." What's more, Pitt's visits would no longer be monitored and he would now be allowed to have his children stay overnight.
However, it seems some of the kids may not have been eager to spend more time with their dad. Speaking with OK! magazine in 2022, an insider alleged that "Maddox, Pax, and Zahara don't really see both sides of the picture." Apparently, they weren't communicating with their father because "they're Team Angelina and essentially kicked their dad to the curb years ago." However, the source also alleged that while Maddox and Pax appeared stuck in their ways, Zahara was open to a reconciliation at Shiloh's insistence. "Zahara is warming up to the idea," they said.
Brad Pitt is super proud of his daughter's achievements
Whether or not the estrangement rumors are true, there's no denying the fact that Brad Pitt is extremely proud of his daughter. In July 2022, Angelina Jolie revealed on Instagram that Zahara would be attending Spelman College and gushed, "An honor to have a family member as a new Spelman girl." Pitt was also the ultimate proud papa, telling Vanity Fair he was over the moon about his daughter's academic achievements. "She's so smart," he enthused. "She's going to flourish even more at college." The actor also spoke about watching his kids come into their own and leave the nest, musing, "They grow up too fast – it brings a tear to the eye."
However, despite all of his praise, it seems Pitt wasn't much involved in Zahara's college journey, which could signal an ongoing strain in their relationship. When it came time to drop Zahara off at school in August 2022, it was her mom who accompanied her. It was also Jolie who was present for all of the kickoff festivities. The star even went viral on TikTok as she learned the electric slide from alumni at a SpelHouse new student event hosted by Spelman and its brother institution, Morehouse College.
Zahara dropped her dad's last name
In what appears to be another blow to her relationship with her dad Brad Pitt, Zahara has seemingly dropped his last name. The revelation became public in November 2023 when an 18-year-old Zahara made her debut as a new member of Spelman College's Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
In a video shared to Instagram by Essence, Zahara can be heard introducing herself at the official induction ceremony and what she didn't say was more powerful than what she did. "My name is Zahara Marley Jolie," she proclaimed. "Coming all the way from the Golden State in the city that is full of angels, Los Angeles, California."
Interestingly, Angelina Jolie was there to celebrate, as were Maddox and Pax, but there was no sign of Pitt. Speaking with Essence, a source said Jolie was incredibly proud of her daughter's academic journey so far and noted, "It meant so much to Angie and Zahara's siblings to be there to support her, and to congratulate all the other girls."
Folks were quick to notice Zahara's omission. "She said Zahara Marley JOLIE," wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter, while another mused, "I wasn't gonna say anything, but I definitely peeped that Zahara left Pitt off her last name."
What Brad Pitt and Zahara's future relationship looks like
While it's unclear what the future holds for Brad Pitt's relationship with eldest daughter Zahara, it seems the road ahead won't necessarily be a smooth one. Speaking with InTouch in October 2023, a source claimed that while Pitt regularly spent time with Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox (who were all under 18 at the time), his relationships with his older children were much more difficult. However, the insider was adamant that the actor was on speaking terms with Pax and Zahara and mused, "He lost a lot of precious time with them during the custody battle, and he's determined not to miss any more."
What's more, Zahara may now have a new source pushing her towards reconciliation. As OK! reported in November 2023, it seems her Spelman College friends and sorority sisters might just influence the pair's future. That's because they're reportedly quite eager to meet Pitt now that they've seen Angelina Jolie on several occasions. "Her mom is really nice to everyone when she comes to visit, but in all honesty, we want to see her daddy," a classmate of Zahara's is quoted telling the mag.