Knox, the son of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, opted to exclude “Pitt” from his surname when receiving his high school diploma.
The young graduate, who will celebrate his 18th birthday on July 12, adopted the name “Knox Jolie” on his certificate upon completing his studies at Fusion Academy in Los Angeles earlier this month, according to an exclusive source for Page Six.
Knox marked this significant occasion in the presence of his mother, the “Maleficent” actress, who is 51, as well as his older siblings, Pax, 22, and Zahara, 21, along with his twin sister, Vivienne.
Another insider disclosed to Page Six that Angelina appears “quite satisfied with her achievements regarding her extensive and deliberate attempts to distance her children from their father.”
“It’s unfortunate for the whole family that she would repeatedly use the name change as a tool for purposes other than to cause distress to their father,” the source elaborated. “This was her objective, and she accomplished it.”
A third source exclusively told Page Six, “Angelina participated in years of family therapy with Brad and the children for everyone to try to heal after the events that led her to file for divorce.”
“If he isn’t close to the kids, it’s because of the harm that was done,” the insider added. “He wasn’t honest about his actions, and it affected the trust between them. It’s been very hard for the kids. No one knows, except them, how bad it has been.”
The source continued: “The children are now adults and make their own decisions, which deserve respect. If they choose to distance themselves from him, it comes from that pain and harm. It’s really horrible that he has tried to paint himself as a victim. When will people start asking real questions about what happened to the kids?”
Meanwhile, Knox didn’t censor his excitement during his graduation speech as he dropped an F-bomb while addressing his classmates and their families hours before his Muay Thai showdown.
“Tonight, I’m gonna be fighting at Total Sonic Knockout 5 at 12:45 a.m., so catch me,” he told the crowd in a clip from the ceremony.
“I’m gonna knock ‘em the f—k out. Let’s go!” he added, eliciting cheers from the audience.
Knox’s move marks the latest chapter in the longtime rift that has played out in the years since Brad and Angelina’s highly publicized split.
The “Fight Club” actor, 62, finalized his long-running divorce from Angelina in December 2024, bringing an end to more than eight years of legal proceedings.
Angelina filed to dissolve their marriage in September 2016.
Knox’s gesture follows a similar path taken by several of his siblings. On June 9, Zahara filed paperwork to request her name be Zahara Jolie instead of Zahara Jolie-Pitt.
In 2024, Knox’s older sister Shiloh successfully petitioned a Los Angeles court to legally remove “Pitt” from her last name after turning 18.
Last month, Knox’s older brother Maddox also filed legal paperwork seeking to drop “Pitt” from his last name, citing personal reasons in court documents.
Prior to the filing, he had already begun using “Maddox Jolie” professionally, including in credits for the film “Couture,” which he worked on as an assistant director and starred Angelina.