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Knox Jolie is all smiles at Muay Thai training amid Brad Pitt last name controversy


Several of Knox and Vivienne's older siblings have also distanced themselves from the Pitt surname


Knox Jolie is all smiles at Muay Thai training amid growing Brad Pitt last name drama© DeFodi Images
Daniel NeiraSenior Writer
AUGUST 7, 2026 5:48 PM EDT

Knox Jolie was all smiles during his latest outing in Los Angeles. The 18-year-old son of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt was photographed leaving a Muay Thai training session with a friend on August 6. 

Dressed casually after his workout, Knox flashed a smile as he made his way out, offering a rare glimpse of the famously private teenager.

Knox Jolie flashed a smile as he left a Muay Thai training session with a friend in Los Angeles on August 6, 2026.© Backgrid/The Grosby Group
Knox Jolie flashed a smile as he left a Muay Thai training session with a friend in Los Angeles on August 6, 2026.

Knox has increasingly been spotted pursuing the combat sport in Los Angeles, keeping a relatively low profile compared to his famous parents. His latest appearance comes just weeks after he and his twin sister, Vivienne, celebrated their 18th birthdays on July 12.

The milestone officially brought an end to the custody arrangement that had remained in place following Jolie and Pitt's 2016 separation. The former couple finalized their divorce in December 2024, although they remain embroiled in a separate legal battle involving Château Miraval, the French winery they once shared.

Knox Jolie appeared in good spirits following a Muay Thai workout with a friend in Los Angeles.© Backgrid/The Grosby Group
Knox Jolie appeared in good spirits following a Muay Thai workout with a friend in Los Angeles.

The Jolie-Pitt surname controversy

Knox's outing also comes amid renewed attention surrounding the surnames used by Angelina and Brad's six children.

In June, shortly before his 18th birthday, Knox reportedly appeared under the name "Knox Jolie" rather than Knox Jolie-Pitt on materials connected to his high school graduation. While the move attracted attention, there has been no widely reported public court filing confirming that Knox has legally changed his surname.

Knox Jolie has largely maintained a private life despite growing up in one of Hollywood's most famous families.© Backgrid/The Grosby Group
Knox Jolie has largely maintained a private life despite growing up in one of Hollywood's most famous families.

His twin sister has taken a more formal step. In July, Vivienne filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court seeking to legally change her name from Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt to Vivienne Marcheline Jolie. 

The filing followed years of speculation after she was previously credited as "Vivienne Jolie" in the Playbill for the Broadway production of "The Outsiders," which she worked on alongside her mother.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's son Knox Jolie was spotted leaving Muay Thai training in Los Angeles.© Backgrid/The Grosby Group
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's son Knox Jolie was spotted leaving Muay Thai training in Los Angeles.

Several of Knox and Vivienne's older siblings have also distanced themselves from the Pitt surname. Shiloh legally changed her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie after turning 18. 

Maddox and Zahara have also pursued formal steps to remove Pitt from their surnames, while Zahara previously introduced herself publicly as Zahara Marley Jolie while attending a sorority event at Spelman College.

Knox and Vivienne made a rare public outing together© Backgrid/The Grosby Group
Knox Jolie and his twin sister, Vivienne Jolie, are the youngest of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's six children.

The individual decisions have fueled continued speculation about Brad's relationship with his children.

In May, a source told Us Weekly that the actor was particularly hurt by his children choosing to distance themselves from his surname, claiming that the situation had been "very difficult" for him.

More recently, Heatworld reported that Pitt is concerned about the possibility that his children could eventually speak publicly about their experiences growing up. The outlet cited an unnamed source claiming there is anxiety over what they might choose to share in the future. Neither Pitt nor his children have publicly confirmed those claims.

Knox and Angelina Jolie leaving Lazy Acres supermarket in LA© Backgrid/The Grosby Group
Angelina Jolie shares Knox and his five siblings with her ex-husband Brad Pitt.

Angelina and Brad share six children: Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and 18-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

For now, Knox appears to be focusing on his own life. His smiling post-training appearance offered a laid-back glimpse of the newly minted 18-year-old as the Jolie-Pitt family's complicated history continues to make headlines.