Angelina Jolie’s daughter Zahara drops Brad Pitt's last name at college graduation

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s eldest daughter, Zahara, dropped Pitt from her name during her Graduation ceremony.

At the college’s 139th commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 17, the 21-year-old graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Although the official commencement programme, according to People, listed her as Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt, her name was announced as “Zahara Marley Jolie when she accepted her diploma.

The moment did not come entirely as a surprise. Zahara has previously used only Jolie’s surname in public appearances. In November 2023, while joining the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, she introduced herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie.”

More recently, during the Pearls of Purpose Foundation’s Dearest Mother & Daughter: A Most Delightful Brunch Experience in April, Zahara spoke warmly about the close bond she shares with her Oscar-winning mother.

“Our love for each other is a found one,” she said, according to a video shared on Instagram. “I was adopted at 6 months old and given some of the most special and loving people as my siblings, with a mom who raised us on the value of helping others, being kind and always striving for growth as people.”

“These values may sound simple, but in a world where kindness is overlooked and helping others comes at a cost, I am grateful to have had a role model to show me what it looks like to be a decent human being,” she continued.

During the same appearance, Zahara described Jolie as “the most selfless, loving and understanding woman who I get to call my mom.”

Jolie, meanwhile, has often spoken emotionally about her daughter and the lessons she has learned from her. During a 2020 Time 100 Talk, the actor reflected on Zahara’s identity and heritage.

"She is my family, but she is an extraordinary African woman and her connection to her country, her continent, is her own and it’s something I only stand back in awe of," Jolie said.