The $30 million toe in the water

Brad Pitt's son Knox has removed his father's surname from his high school diploma, following in the footsteps of several of his siblings who have also distanced themselves from the Pitt name.

This latest development underscores the deepening rift between the actor and his children, stemming from the highly publicized divorce and subsequent legal battles.

Knox graduated from Fusion Academy in Los Angeles with his mother and siblings in attendance, marking another chapter in the family's ongoing estrangement.

An echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up

The move comes just weeks before Knox is set to celebrate his 18th birthday alongside twin sister Vivienne on July 12.

During the teen's graduation in Los Angeles earlier this month, he notably dropped an F-bomb during his speech, predicting a knock-out fight in his ucpoming martial arts showdown.

His mother and actress Angelina Jolie had been in the crowd as she proudly filmed her son with her phone.

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Just days earlier, it was also revealed that Pitt and Jolie's daughter Zahara was making legal moves to remove Pitt from her last name, InTouch reported on Monday.

The next day, TMZ obtained a petition Zahara filed in Los Angeles Superior Court , where she asked for her new legal name to be Zahara Marley Jolie.

She has not been using Pitt's last name for many years, and another source told TMZ that Pitt thinks Jolie is keeping their children from seeing him.

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Another source told TMZ that Pitt thinks Jolie is keeping their children from seeing him.

Jolie and Pitt were raising six children together before she filed for divorce in 2016.

Their kids Shiloh, Maddox, and Vivienne have also stopped using Pitt's last name.

It is not known if Pax has stopped using the name as well.

A familiar pattern from the 2019 crash

Back in 2024,Vivienne also dorpped her dad's last name in a Playbill credit for The Outsiders.

That same year, Shiloh dropped Pitt from her name shortly after her 18th birthday.

At the time, a source told the Daily Mail: 'He knew this was coming and there is nothing he can do about it right now .

'It's sad but Brad's strained relationship with his kids and Angelina is just a way of life for him now.'

However, the insider further explained that the actor has always left the door open if his estranged children wanted to reconnect.

'He respeects Shiloh's decision. He loves her and no matter what happens, he is always only a phone call away.

'He will be there for Shiloh and any of his kids whenever they need, no questions asked.

But it's up to them to make the next move.'

Broader context

The move comes as the family continues to navigate the aftermath of their highly publicized divorce and subsequent legal battles.

The divorce was finalized in 2019, but the two stars have continued to share custody of their six children.

The latest development is just the latest sign of a deepeinng rift between Pitt and his children.

Open questions

Will the other siblings follow suit and drop their father's surname?

Will Pitt and Jolie's relationship with their children continue to deteriorate?

What is the future hold for the family's relationship?

Only time will tell.