Brad Pitt’s kids aren’t only estranged from him, but they’re also estranged from their paternal grandparents, including Brad’s mother, Jane Pitt, who died at the age of 84 on Tuesday, August 6.
A source told the Daily Mail at the time that Jane had not seen Brad’s children—Shiloh, Knox, Pax, Vivienne, Zahara, and Maddox—for nine years. The estrangement dates back to 2016 when Brad’s ex-wife, Angelina Jolie, filed for divorce from him after their 12-year relationship.
“The most gut-wrenching part is that Angelina kept the kids away from his parents, from their own grandparents,” the insider said. “The question Brad has — that we all have — is Angelina where is your heart? Are you going to remain bitter for the rest of your life?” The source continued, “It’s one thing if she wants no contact (with her former in-laws), but what about the kids?”
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Jane’s death was announced by Brad’s niece Sydney, the daughter of his younger brother Doug, who shared a tribute to her grandmother on Instagram. “My sweet Grammy, Jane Etta, we were not ready for you to go yet but knowing you are finally free to sing, dance, and paint again makes it a tad easier,” she wrote. “If you knew Grammy, you knew she had the biggest heart. She cared deeply for everyone and everything, no questions asked. She taught me how to paint, how to be strong, how to lead with kindness, to love Jesus through everything, and to find joy in the smallest things. She made up the silliest games just to make us laugh, and she believed in fairness, in putting others first, and doing good simply because it was the right thing to do.”
Sydney continued, “Every year before school, she gave each of us grandkids a ‘special day’ which was a whole day to do whatever we wanted (and Papa had to go along with it… though I know he secretly loved it too). Mine usually started with banana splits for breakfast, hours of playing Trouble, a craft project obvi, riding every ride together at Silver Dollar City like the badass she was, dinner at Olive Garden with Papa, mini golf where she’d make a V with her feet to help me aim… (and somehow still beat me) and ending the night watching Paulie until we feel asleep.”
She concluded her post, “She could keep up with all 14 of us grandkids without missing a beat. There was no limit to the love she gave, and everyone who met her felt it. I don’t know how we move forward without her. But I know she’s still here in every brushstroke, every kind gesture, every hummingbird. She was love in its purest form. We were truly blessed to have her to love on growing up and I know she lives on through each of us.”
According to Jane’s obituary in the Springfield News-Leader, Jane had 14 children: six from Brad; three from his younger brother Doug; and five from his younger sister Julie. “Jane was a gifted artist who expressed herself most vividly through painting,” the obituary read. “Her love for art became a cherished bond between her and her grandchildren during craft sessions and painting lessons that created lasting memories. ‘Known affectionately as ‘Grammy,’ Jane found immense joy in celebrating each grandchild’s uniqueness through one-on-one traditions lovingly known as ‘Your Special Day’. These treasured moments remain among the fondest memories for all fourteen of her grandchildren.”
Brad has been estranged from his children for years. A source told Radar Online in July 2025 that he recently messaged his youngest children, twins Knox and Vivienne, to “make amends” for his past behavior, “praying” they would “give him another chance.”
“Brad’s desperate to give it one final shot to get together with them and make amends, even though he knows the chance they’ll agree to spend time with him is remote to say the least,” the source said. “So far there’s been no word back from the twins or their reps.”
The insider also claimed that Brad was “totally devastated” when news broke that Vivienne had dropped his last name in 2025. “When Vivienne dropped Pitt from her name, he got the message loud and clear,” the source said.
The insider also noted that there was a “glimmer of hope” for Brad’s relationship with Knox as his son has “kept Jolie-Pitt as his surname” unlike “most of his kids.”
A source also told the Daily Mail at the time that Pitt has “accepted” that he and Jolie will always be “at odds.” “Brad is a family man,” the source said, adding that his children are still “very important to his life.”
The insider continued, “Now that he and Angie are at odds, and have for years, he has accepted that is the way it is going to be with her. But when it comes to their children, he will always want to be an anchor in their lives.” The source concluded, “There is a bond that parents have with their kids, and Brad would be very happy to have them all back in the fold of his life.”
The source also claimed that Brad has no plans “to give up” on any of his six kids and will “always” keep his door open to them. “He will always believe and always hope there is a chance to be back with all of them, and he doesn’t want to think otherwise,” the source said. “He doesn’t want to give up, he’s not that kind of guy, he’s not that kind of father. He is a proud father, and he would be happy to have them see that eventually.”
The insider continued, “Now they have to make the move because he has tried over and over again to get back in their good graces.”
