Brad Pitt absent as Angelina Jolie and children celebrate Zahara’s Spelman graduation

Zahara Jolie had the support of her mom and some of her siblings for her exciting milestone this weekend. Photos show that Angelina, Pax, and Knox were gathered in Atlanta to celebrate her graduation from Spelman College.

Photos from the day showed Angelina arriving alongside sons Pax Jolie-Pitt and Knox Jolie-Pitt as the family proudly supported Zahara during the commencement ceremony. 

© The Grosby Group

The actress kept things sleek and fashionable, in a long gray coat over a long black dress, and black heeled boots.  

Pax looked sharp in a white button-up and gray slacks. He had his suit jacket in his hand and a camera around his shoulder, ready to document the event. 

© Backgrid/The Grosby Group

Maddox showed off his personal fashion with a black sports coat, white dress shirt, and black pants with a large silver chain hanging from them, and sharp dress shoes. 

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As for Knox, he rocked a grey suit and beige shoes. His bleached hair was noticeable, and his height was on display as he towered over the group. 

© Backgrid/The Grosby Group

The only ones that seemed to be missing were Vivienne,17, and Shiloh, 19. But while Angelina and several of Zahara’s siblings were there cheering her on, one absence didn’t go unnoticed online: Brad Pitt.

The graduation quickly sparked renewed conversation surrounding the ongoing distance between the Ocean’s Eleven star and several of his children, especially after Zahara appeared to once again publicly distance herself from the Pitt surname during the ceremony. 

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When the 21-year-old crossed the stage to receive her diploma, she was introduced as “Zahara Marley Jolie.” Back in 2023, Zahara also introduced herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie” during her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority induction ceremony at Spelman.

Meanwhile, Shiloh Jolie made headlines last year after legally petitioning to drop “Pitt” from her last name after turning 18, while daughter Vivienne Jolie was also listed simply as “Vivienne Jolie” in the playbill for The Outsiders, the Broadway production she worked on alongside her mother.

© Getty Images for Netflix

Though the Jolie-Pitt family has largely kept details private, the public distancing from the surname has continued fueling speculation surrounding the fractured relationship between Pitt and some of the children following the former couple’s years-long divorce battle and family tensions that became public after the 2016 private plane incident.

Still, the weekend itself appeared focused on Zahara and everything she has accomplished during her time at Spelman. 

According to Mail Online, Zahara graduated with a degree in psychology and a minor in educational studies. Throughout college, she remained involved in leadership initiatives, community-focused programs, and sorority activities centered around advocacy and social impact.

Despite growing up as the daughter of two of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Zahara has mostly stayed out of the spotlight. But her graduation instantly became one of the family’s most talked-about public moments in years.