's daughter Zahara celebrated a major milestone on Sunday when she graduated from Spelman College – but she appeared to take a pointed jab at her estranged father Brad Pitt in the process.
Showbiz
Zahara Drops Dads Name at Graduation
Angelina Jolie's daughter Zahara celebrated a major milestone on Sunday when she graduated from Spelman College – but she appeared to take a pointed jab at her ...
Advertisement
The 21-year-old – who was adopted by Jolie, 50, and her then-partner , 62, in 2005 – was seen walking across the stage in Atlanta, Georgia, to receive her diploma from the historically Black private women's college in video from the school's graduation ceremony.
It was not clear if either of Zahara's parents was in the audience to support her, but the graduation ceremony came years into her estrangement from her father.
It also came nearly two weeks after Jolie in her court battle against Pitt over their $184 million French winery, the Chateau Miraval.
While she hasn't made as public a spectacle of dropping her father's last name as some of her siblings – including Maddox, 24; Pax, 22; Shiloh, 19; and 17-year-old fraternal twins Knox and Vivienne – her name was read at the ceremony as Zahara Marley Jolie, rather than as the hyphenated Jolie-Pitt.
She appeared to publicly in her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority initiation ceremony in late 2023.
Advertisement
Angelina Jolie's daughter Zahara celebrated a major milestone on Sunday when she graduated from Spelman College. Video shared to social media showed her walking across the stage to receive her diploma
Her father Brad Pitt adopted Zahara in 2005, after Jolie had already adopted her. It's unclear if he attended the graduation ceremony, but his last name was absent from Zahara's when it was announced; Pitt is pictured in June 2025 in Mexico City
On Reddit, where the video of Zahara graduating was reposted, fans could hardly believe that Zahara was already finished with college.
'Graduated?! But she just got there!' one shocked person commented, while another wrote, 'It's been 4 years? My goodness time is flying.'
Another person complimented Jolie for raising Zahara and her siblings, with no mention of Pitt.
Zahara's emotional tribute to her mother began: 'When asked to speak with you all today on the value of mother-daughter relationships, it felt challenging to find the words. 'Not challenging because I don’t value it, but because my mom and I have a unique, almost kindred, relationship that can be hard to put into words' (they are seen in LA back in September 2021)
The young woman is the vice president of the Mu Phi chapter of her sorority and said that she has been drawn to leadership roles in school thanks to her famous mother.
Zahara concluded: 'Through my matriculation, I have witnessed the joy and challenges that come with mentorship and the importance of having positive role models. We all know that we do not get where we are solely on our merit.
'I think back to a quote I saw years ago that said, "I am a strong woman because a strong woman raised me." Thank you, Mom.'
Advertisement
Jolie and Pitt were together for about a decade before they .
Jolie cited irreconcilable differences and later which he has denied.
Their lengthy, contentious divorce battle was
Shiloh also now goes by Shiloh Nouvel Jolie as she of 2024.
Then, in February, as he appeared as Maddox Jolie in the production notes for the film Couture and screenings of the movie Maria.
Advertisement
Zahara said that despite the public scrutiny her family has endured, Jolie has not stopped being curious about all the facets of her life including what she is learning in and out of the classroom (they are pictured together in January 2025)
Zahara also said that watching her mother's humanitarian efforts has 'rubbed off' on her and that she has often taken on the 'second mother role' to her siblings (they are seen in Paris back in December 2024)
In May 2024, Vivienne was
Pitt made a shocking remark about his family after his bitter divorce with Jolie officially came to an end, but his fractured relationship with their six children
Pitt — who — opened up about how important family is to him, amid his ongoing and escalating estrangement from his kids.
Speaking at the F1 premiere in Mexico City, he said: 'No matter the mistake, you just learn from [it] and move on,' he told ET. 'It'll lead to the next success.'
The Oscar winner continued, 'When you get to my age, you realize how important it is to surround yourself with the people you love, the people that love you back.'
'Friends, family, and that's it," he added. 'From there, we get to go make things. It’s a pretty simple, I think, equation.'
The interview comes after a source exclusively told DailyMail.com how Pitt felt after Pax was pictured last month stumbling out of the Chateau Marmont, propped up by several friends.
'He has zero concern with what Pax does or doesn't do. [Pax's] actions reflect who he is,' the insider said.
Pax, Angelina, Zahara, and Maddox are seen together in New York back in September 2024
'Brad honestly considers his relationship with Pax unfixable,' they added.
The source went on to say that the actor doesn't appear to be planning any outreach to either of his adopted sons: 'Pax and Maddox have made it abundantly clear how they feel, and Brad has nothing to .'
As for his other children, the source said that Pitt 'holds out hope that the others will one day come around. Time heals wounds.'
A source close to Jolie also hit back at her ex-husband at the time and said: 'Brad continues to play the victim. His fractured relationship with his children is a direct result of how he has treated them.
'He should stop blaming others. If he wants to rebuild a relationship with the kids, he should acknowledge his own actions and make amends.'
Advertisement
Advertisement