These “daughters and sons” who abandoned their popular surnames

It’s not always easy to have a famous name. If it can help open doors, it can also expose “daughters or sons” to prejudice, which can lead a person to believe that success and merit come only from their last name. In order not to be overshadowed by their famous parents, some children choose to change their last name in order to exist and succeed on their own. For others, the name change may also be due to difficult family relationships. This is what the recent changes of several children of the stars tend to show.

Vivien Jolie, the daughter of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, decided to keep only her mother’s name. On the occasion of a Broadway musical Strangers, which the young dancer is working on and is executive produced by her mother, Angelina Jolie, the young girl was referred to in the show’s brochure as Vivienne Jolie, rather than Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, her legal name. The couple’s child is not the first in his family to refuse his father’s name. his sisters Zahara (19 years old) and Shiloh (17 years old) also made this choice before him.

“Call them by their names”

Malia Obama, the eldest of the former presidential couple Barack and Michelle Obama, started her career as a director. However, during the presentation of his short film 2023 The heart At the Sundance Film Festival, the 25-year-old signed on as director and screenwriter under the name Malia Ann, not Malia Obama.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ daughter Suri Cruise looks set to debut her career under a brand new name. As in the case of Vivienne Jolie, the daughter of the acting couple revealed her new name in the show book for one of her theater performances. The casting sheet lists Suri as Suri Noel, her mother’s middle name and not her birth name. He, who celebrated his 18th birthday on April 18, would not see his father for more than 10 years.

Jaden and Willow, the children of American actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, both chose to pursue their acting careers under their first names only, without using their last names.

Vivian Jenna Wilson, originally born Xavier Musk, is the daughter of Elon Musk. She changed her name at the same time as her gender, decided at age 19, and stated in court documents that she “no longer wishes to be related” to Elon Musk. Thus, the teenager took the name of his mother, Justin Wilson.

Finally, let’s remember that in 2022, one Angelina Voight got the ball rolling. Angelina Jolie actually took her middle name, Jolie, as her last name. After a childhood and teenage years when her father, actor Jon Voight, was almost absent, Brad Pitt’s ex chose not to keep her name.