angelina jolie biography in english

Angelina Jolie

Who Is Angelina Jolie?

Early life and acting roots.

Actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie Voight was born on June 4, 1975, in Los Angeles, California, to actor Jon Voight and actress Marcheline Bertrand. She began acting at a young age, studying at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute while in her early teens. Jolie later attended New York University.

Angelina Jolie's Movies

'gia' and oscar win for 'girl, interrupted'.

In the 1990s, Angelina Jolie became a popular actress. She gave a star-making performance in the 1998 television film Gia, based on the short, tragic life of model Gia Marie Carangi, for which she won a best actress Golden Globe. Her rapid ascent continued with Girl, Interrupted (1999), as the rebellious member of a group of institutionalized teenagers, her performance resulting in an Academy Award win for best supporting actress.

'Tomb Raider,' 'Taking Lives,' 'Sky Captain'

In the new millennium Jolie continued to take on a variety of interesting roles. She portrayed adventurer Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider films (2001 and 2003), a FBI profiler in Taking Lives (2004) and a squadron commander in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004).

'Mr. and Mrs. Smith,' 'The Good Shepherd,' 'A Mighty Heart'

After teaming with Brad Pitt to play married assassins in the sexy action flick Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005), Jolie played a neglected, troubled socialite wife in The Good Shepherd (2006) and then a vengeful, monstrous mother in an adaptation of Beowulf (2007). That year she also gave a brilliant performance as Mariane Pearl, the pregnant widow of Wall Street Journal reporter Danny Pearl, in A Mighty Heart . The film was based on Mariane's account of her husband's abduction and murder.

'Kung Fu Panda,' 'Changeling,' 'Salt'

In 2008, Jolie joined the voice cast of the animated comedy Kung Fu Panda as Master Tigress, a role she later reprised for multiple sequels. That year she also portrayed an assassin in Wanted and starred in the Clint Eastwood -directed thriller Changeling , as a mother who investigates her son's unusual disappearance and reappearance. The role led to her first Oscar nomination in the best actress category. Jolie went on to earn the lead role in the action-packed Salt (2010), about a CIA agent, Evelyn Salt, who is on the run after being accused of being a Russian spy. That same year, she played the mysterious Elise Clifton-Ward in the espionage flick The Tourist, alongside Johnny Depp .

'Maleficent' and Sequel

In 2014, the actress enjoyed the rewards of shaping a major blockbuster, both starring in and executive producing Disney's Maleficent. Jolie portrayed the sorceress title character, with the film taking on a woman-centered revisionist approach to the main villain from the animated classic Sleeping Beauty (1959). With U.S. critics divided on the Maleficent 's merits, the project nonetheless worked box office magic, earning around $240 million domestically and an additional $517 million overseas. The sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil , hit theaters in October 2019.

Director: 'In the Land of Blood and Honey,' 'Unbroken'

Jolie also began honing her craft as a director. She made her feature-length directorial debut with 2011's In the Land of Blood and Honey , looking at a relationship horribly damaged by the Bosnian War. This was followed by 2014's Unbroken , a biopic that told the story of Olympian Louis Zamperini 's survival in a Japanese POW camp. The film was based on the bestselling Laura Hillenbrand book of the same name and earned more than $163 million worldwide.

'By the Sea,' 'First They Killed My Father'

In 2016, Jolie directed and co-starred with Pitt in the art film By the Sea , a slowly-paced Mediterranean tale set in the 1970s about a married couple and the tensions of their relationship. The following year, she focused strictly on directing for First They Killed My Father , based on a Cambodian activist's memoir of being trained as a child soldier.

Marriages and Children

Famous for her off-screen romances, Jolie has been married three times. She married Hackers co-star Jonny Lee Miller in 1995. The couple divorced in 1999. The following year, Jolie married Academy Award-winning actor Billy Bob Thornton. That union lasted until 2003.

Jolie met Pitt during the making of Mr. and Mrs. Smith in 2004. At the time, Pitt was married to Friends star Jennifer Aniston , and his affair with Jolie prompted their divorce, resulting in a Hollywood scandal that dominated tabloids for years. Referred to as "Brangelina," Jolie and Pitt became one of the most sought after Hollywood couples.

In 2002, Jolie adopted a son from Cambodia and named him Maddox. Three years later, she adopted a daughter, Zahara. In 2005, Pitt filed paperwork to adopt both of Jolie's children. The couple's first biological daughter, Shiloh, was born in Namibia in 2006. Jolie, Pitt and their children had traveled there to avoid the media frenzy that seemed to follow them wherever they went.

In March 2007, Angelina Jolie added a new member to her family. She adopted a 3-year-old boy from a Vietnamese orphanage and named him Pax Thien. Jolie then gave birth to twins, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, on July 12, 2008, in a seaside hospital in southern France. The rights for the first images of the twins were sold to People and Hello! magazines for $14 million—making them the most expensive celebrity pictures ever taken.

Pitt and Jolie became engaged in 2012. Slipping under the paparazzi radar, they quietly tied the knot in a private ceremony surrounded by their family and friends on August 23, 2014, in France.

Split from Brad Pitt

In September 2016, Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt and requested sole physical custody of their six children, sparking another tabloid frenzy. Their contentious custody battle played out publicly with allegations that Pitt, after drinking on their private plane, had gotten “verbally abusive“ and “physical“ with Maddox. The Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services and the FBI launched an investigation but found no signs of abuse; the couple followed with a joint statement that they were working together to resolve their divorce.

Jolie opened up about their separation in a September 2017 cover story in Vanity Fair . In the interview, she said by the summer of 2016, “things became difficult” in their marriage, but she defended their life together. “[Our lifestyle] was not in any way a negative,” she told the magazine. “That was not the problem. That is and will remain one of the wonderful opportunities we are able to give our children. ... They’re six very strong-minded, thoughtful, worldly individuals. I’m very proud of them.”

In March 2018, Entertainment Tonight reported that the actress and humanitarian was quietly dating a “handsome, older-looking man who is a real estate agent,“ though the relationship was not believed to be serious by that point.

A few months later, it was revealed that Jolie was in danger of losing primary custody of her six children after preventing them from seeing Pitt during their ongoing divorce. According to court documents, the judge in their case declared the kids' lack of a healthy relationship with their father "harmful," and threatened to award Pitt primary custody if things didn't change. The judge suggested some steps the estranged couple could take, including providing Pitt with the cell phone number of each child, and outlined a summer visitation schedule to follow with Jolie in London to film Maleficent 2 .

In August, Jolie's legal team filed court documents that claimed her estranged husband had "paid no meaningful child support since separation," an accusation that Pitt's side disputed.

Humanitarian Efforts

A devoted humanitarian, Angelina Jolie was made a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency in 2001. She has made headlines for her work to obtain aid for refugees in Cambodia, Darfur and Jordan, to name just a few.

In 2005, Jolie received the Global Humanitarian Action Award from the United Nations Association of the USA for her activism on behalf of refugee rights. She has continued to draw attention to global issues.

Health Issues and Cancer Prevention

Jolie experienced a great personal loss in early 2007, when her mother died of ovarian cancer at the age of 56 after fighting the disease for many years. Her grandmother also died from cancer.

In May 2013, 37-year-old Jolie announced in a New York Times op-ed article titled "My Medical Choice" that she underwent a double mastectomy in an effort to prevent breast cancer in the future. The actress said she decided to undergo the surgery after learning that she carries a gene known as BRCA1, which increases the risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.

"My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman," Jolie stated. "Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could." By late April 2013, Jolie added, she had completed several months of medical procedures, including a double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery.

On March 24, 2015, Jolie wrote in another article in the New York Times that she had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed the previous week to further reduce her risk for cancer. “I did not do this solely because I carry the BRCA1 gene mutation, and I want other women to hear this,” Jolie wrote. “A positive BRCA test does not mean a leap to surgery. I have spoken to many doctors, surgeons and naturopaths. There are other options. Some women take birth control pills or rely on alternative medicines combined with frequent checks. There is more than one way to deal with any health issue. The most important thing is to learn about the options and choose what is right for you personally.”

The actress said she went public with her decision to help "other women at risk to know about the options." In her September 2017 interview with Vanity Fair , Jolie revealed that she had developed Bell’s palsy, damage to the facial nerve which caused one side of her face to droop. She said acupuncture helped her fully recover from the facial paralysis.

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Quick facts.

• Name: Angelina Jolie
• Birth Year: 1975
• Birth date: June 4, 1975
• Birth State: California
• Birth City: Los Angeles
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Female
• Best Known For: Angelina Jolie is one of Hollywood's leading actresses, known for movies like 'Girl, Interrupted,' 'Salt' and 'Maleficent,' and for high-profile relationships like her former marriage to actor Brad Pitt.
• Astrological Sign: Gemini
• Beverly Hills High School
• Occupations

We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Angelina Jolie Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/angelina-jolie
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: October 18, 2019
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014
• My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman. Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could. I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy.
• We come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.

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Biography Online

Angelina Jolie Biography

Angelina was born in Los Angeles, California. Her parents, Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand were actors, and this was a significant influence on her early life. When she was eleven, she enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and performed in several theatre productions. This early training was important to her philosophy of acting. A major component of this acting school is to stay in part for the duration of the filming – taking on the characteristics of her characters.

She later studied film studies at New York University. Aged 16, she temporarily tried modelling and appeared in some music videos. However, this career did not take off. Ironically, for someone who would later be cited as the world’s ‘most beautiful women’, Angelina had difficult periods in her childhood. She recounts being picked on by other children for being very thin and wearing glasses.

More seriously, she had a difficult relationship with her father, Jon Voight. In her late teens, and early 20s she also suffered from depression and periods of self-harm. Looking back, she observed that she was

“just being a young girl who was experimental, bold and a bit nutty… I was absolutely self-destructive. I think a lot of young people in this business lose their way. You don’t know what is of value. You don’t know where you are. And you know something’s wrong, because it isn’t life as it actually is. It’s like living in some warped reality.” (Source: USA Today )

Angelina credits her first adopted daughter for helping her to pull out of depression and a tendency to self-harm. Jolie recounts then when she saw her adopted daughter she knew she would have to live more responsibly for her benefit. “I knew once I committed to Maddox, I would never be self-destructive again.”

In her teens, her acting career never really took off because her demeanour was often considered too ‘dark’ and ‘punkish.’

In 1993, she began her professional film career with her first major part in the sci-fi film ‘Cyborg 2’. Several roles in smaller films followed with Jolie receiving critical praise, though the films did not go on to be major successes.

In 1997, she received her first Golden Globe Award for her performance in ‘George Wallace’ (1997). She played the second wife of Alabama segregationist governor – George Wallace.

In 1998, she starred in a biopic about Gia Carangi, a supermodel who struggled to deal with her fame and success – dying prematurely from AIDS as result of sharing drug needles. Jolie was praised for her performance; however, to perform the character she adopted ‘method acting’ and took on similar characteristics to the role she was playing. As a result, she became difficult to deal with, especially as there were some parallels with Jolie’s own struggles with depression.

In 2000, she was chosen to play the lead role in ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’. This was by far her most successful film commercially, becoming one of biggest grossing films of the year. The role involved considerable physical training to play the adventurous and athletic character. (often said to be a cross between James Bond and Indiana Jones.

Humanitarian work

Filming ‘Lara Croft’ in Cambodia, caused Jolie to become more interested in humanitarian activities. She became an active participant in her role as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She has travelled extensively to areas such as Darfur, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan. In 2012, she was appointed Special Envoy to High Commissioner Antonia Guterres. Jolie says she puts a third of her salary into savings, a third for living expenses and gives the final third to charity.

Speaking of her experience in visiting Afghanistan, she remarks:

“Behind the labels — refugees, internally displaced persons, asylum seekers — are people with the same hopes, fears, sorrow and happiness as anyone. Their life experiences are often deeply tragic but also uplifting. To survive what many Afghan families have experienced over three decades is testimony to the resilience of the human spirit. This shines through in their generosity, humour, and quiet determination to offer their children a better future.”

In 2004, Jolie began filming Mr & Mrs Smith (2005) with Brad Pitt. The film was noted for its on-screen chemistry between Jolie and Pitt (who was at the time married to Jennifer Aniston) Pitt later divorced Aniston and in 2014 the couple married. However, in 2016, the couple separated.

Jolie has become one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. Her films are regularly commercial and critical successes. With Jolie’s performances often being the stand out performance.

Successful films include:

• Beowulf (2007) Jolie played shape-shifting seductress Grendel’s mother
• Wanted (2008) – an internationally successful action film
• Kung Fu Panda (2008)
• Changelings – Clint Eastwood drama
• Salt (2010)
• Maleficent (2014)

In 2007, she began her directing career with a documentary ‘A Place in Time’ (2007). Her full feature debut was a film ‘In the Land of Blood and Honey’ (2011) a love story set in the Yugoslav civil war between a Serb soldier and a Bosniak prisoner of war. She used only actors from the former Yugoslavia, and the film was a critical success.

In 2014, she produced her second film ‘Unbroken’ about a World War II hero Louis Zamperini. Jolie admits she has a great interest in war movies, but was also attracted to tell this remarkable story of heroism and personal strength because of the personal qualities of Zamperini.

“I wanted them to be reminded of that thing inside of all of us, that rises up against these obstacles. That’s what Louie preached, to help in those dark hours to remember.” NY Times

In 2013, she had a preventative double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer. She wrote about her experience and choices she made, which she wrote about in a New York op-ed. Her doctors told her that her genes left her an 87% chance of developing breast cancer. Her mother, Marcheline died from Ovarian cancer. Jolie explained her decision to take preventative action.

“Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could. I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy.”

Jolie remains one of the highest paid film stars and is one of the best-known celebrities. This has led to highly paid endorsements, such as for a single Louis Vuitton production, which led to the payment of a reported $10 million.

Personal life

• Jonny Lee Miller ( m.  1996; div.  2000)
• Billy Bob Thornton ( m.  2000; div.  2003)
• Brad Pitt ( m.  2014; separated 2016)
• Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt – male, born August 5, 2001 –  in Cambodia. Adopted March 10, 2002.
• Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt – male, born November 29, 2003 –  (Vietnam) adopted March 15, 2007.
• Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt – female, born January 8, 2005 – (Ethiopia) adopted July 6, 2005.
• Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt – female, born May 27, 2006 –  Namibia
• Knox Léon Jolie-Pitt – male, born July 12, 2008 –  France
• Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt – female, born July 12, 2008 – France.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of Angelina Jolie”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net ,  23 January 2015. Updated 11th February 2017.

Angelina Jolie

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Angelina Jolie

IMDbPro Starmeter Top 500 73

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In Focus: Angelina Jolie

Personal details

• 5′ 6½″ (1.69 m)
• June 4 , 1975
• Los Angeles, California, USA
• Spouses Brad Pitt August 14, 2014 - April 13, 2019 (divorced, 6 children)
• Children Maddox Jolie-Pitt
• Parents Jon Voight
• Relatives Chip Taylor (Aunt or Uncle)
• Other works TV commercial: Jeep vehicles (tie-in with movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003) ).
• 2 Biographical Movies
• 2 Print Biographies
• 2 Portrayals
• 31 Interviews
• 119 Articles
• 60 Pictorials
• 1539 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

• Trivia Performed her own stunts in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and received cuts from the chandelier scene as a result. She also set fire to her silk pajamas on the chandelier while she was doing her bungee jumps in the house. She was taken to a hospital with minor burns but resumed filming the next day.
• Quotes Therapy? I don't need that. The roles that I choose are my therapy.
• Trademarks Full lips and tattoos
• Salaries Eternals ( 2021 ) $10,000,000

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Angelina Jolie

Thirteen years ago, with her career in high gear after winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Girl, Interrupted , Jolie went to Cambodia for the filming of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider . The movie made her a box office star, but more important for her, meeting the people of that war-ravaged country and seeing their hardships was a call to action. She has said that her life did not really begin until Cambodia.

Jolie contacted the United Nations to find out how she could help, and soon she was participating in missions with UNHCR field teams. As a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, and as Special Envoy to UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres, Jolie has met with refugees, officials and relief groups in over 30 countries to help the displaced and publicize the adversities they face, and lobby for international assistance.

Jolie founded and continues to fund the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children, which provides free legal aid to young asylum seekers in the United States. She created Kids in Need of Defense, formed in partnership with Microsoft, which helps children who enter the U.S. immigration system alone. She also created the Jolie Legal Fellows Program, which facilitates child protection efforts in Haiti and educates Libyans on understanding their rights as citizens. And she created the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict, which funds education for kids affected by war or natural disasters.

In 2003, Jolie continued her support of Cambodia by creating the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation, named for her Cambodian-born son. In addition to supporting the country's conservation efforts, the foundation's scope has expanded over the past decade to include agriculture, education, health care and infrastructure.

The Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which the actress founded in 2006 with her partner, Brad Pitt, has donated millions of dollars to such diverse causes as efforts to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina and the tornado that ravaged Joplin, Missouri; children's health centers in Ethiopia and Cambodia; the N/a'an ku sê Foundation in Namibia; GlobaL Action for Children; the HALO Trust; and Doctors Without Borders.

Jolie has also used her film career to illuminate important issues, and in 2011, she made her directorial debut with In the Land of Blood and Honey , which depicts the horrors of the 1990s Bosnian war. The film centers on the relationship between a female Bosnian Muslim prisoner and a male Bosnian Serb army officer, but also shows the violence and genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Inspired by her work on  In the Land of Blood and Honey , and intent on helping warzone rape victims and their families, Jolie joined forces with U.K. Foreign Secretary William Hague last year to raise awareness about the use of rape as a weapon in war. Following their presentation at the 2013 G8 Foreign Ministers' conference in London, 119 countries – over half of all UN members have endorsed a Declaration of Commitment to end sexual violence in conflict.

Despite the tragedies she has witnessed on a frequent basis, Jolie maintains a focused, positive attitude toward effecting change. While visiting a camp on the Somali-Kenyan border in 2009, she said, "A refugee woman, living nowhere, raising five kids with no food, does not need me to cry. She isn't crying. She needs me to go find some solutions for her." And that's exactly what Jolie has tried so passionately and so tirelessly to do for millions of innocents around the globe.

Angelina Jolie: ‘I just want my family to heal’

The actor opens up about why her divorce from Brad Pitt is a human rights issue, escaping Harvey Weinstein and what young activists have taught her

‘People try to stop us speaking up’ – Jolie meets inspirational young campaigners

Angelina Jolie sits at a desk, back straight as a rule and rather regal. Her features are cartoonishly beautiful – straight black hair, vertiginous cheekbones, huge blue eyes and lips like a plumped red sofa. She is talking on Zoom to four young activists. It is a horribly apt day to be discussing human rights – the Taliban has just captured Ghazni city on its approach to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

If this were a movie, you might suspect Jolie was playing a divine leader addressing the fortunate few. Yet it soon becomes apparent that things aren’t quite as they seem. The actor and film director is the one in awe, not the activists. The young people talk about the work they have done raising awareness of the carnage in Syria, the environmental crisis, trans rights and food poverty. Jolie hangs on their every word. She tells them they have inspired her children who follow their work, warns them against burnout, apologises for the failings of her generation and says how honoured she is to meet them.

The next evening it is just Jolie and me Zooming. In the background I can hear kids playing. Our conversation is frequently interrupted by the ferocious roar of her rottweiler Dusty, who appears to believe he is a lion. It’s been an even more depressing day for human rights – the Taliban has entered Kabul and toppled the Afghanistan government. Jolie says the only thing giving her hope is the young people we met last night. “They speak about these issues with more urgency and awareness of what is morally right and decent than any politician, any diplomat, any NGOs I’ve worked with.”

She says she can’t stop thinking about Muhammad Najem, a 19-year-old who literally shouted from the rooftops about the Syrian regime’s siege of his home village, Eastern Ghouta. After his father was killed four years ago in an airstrike on the mosque where he was praying, Muhammad and his brother would wait for the daily bombing to stop, film the carnage from their roof and document the suffering of survivors. He and his family soon became government targets, and fled to Turkey from where he spoke to us. It wasn’t just his bravery that was notable; it was the warmth of his smile, his zest for life, despite all he has seen. Since we last spoke, Jolie has Zoomed again with Muhammad and a girl who is campaigning against period poverty. “His relationship to that teenage girl and her activism was more in tune than almost any man I’ve met,” Jolie says. We agree that cloning Muhammad may be the answer to world peace. “He is that evolved man!” Jolie says.

“ Grrrrrrrrr !” Dusty roars, apparently in agreement.

Jolie has spent 20 years campaigning for human rights, first as a goodwill ambassador and then special envoy for the UN high commissioner for refugees. She has carried out more than 60 field missions, invariably with notepad and pen in hand, bearing witness to people displaced by war and persecution in countries such as Syria, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Now Jolie, 46, has written a book with child rights lawyer Geraldine Van Bueren QC and Amnesty International, called Know Your Rights, a guide for young people named after the Clash song whose title is also tattooed on Jolie’s back. The book lays out all the rights children have under the UN convention on the rights of the child, ratified by 196 countries, explains how to claim them and offers advice from young people who have done. Know Your Rights tackles all the big issues in a chatty, accessible way – from the rights to life, dignity, health, equality and non-discrimination, criminal justice, a safe place, freedom of thought and expression, privacy, peaceful protest, play and education, to the right to protections from harm and armed violence.

I ask Jolie why she has written the book. “I’ve met too many children who live with the effect of their rights being violated – displaced people, young rape victims. I couldn’t understand why they were still fighting for basic things that were their rights to begin with. It made me very angry. How are we going to solve anything if we’re not addressing that, right?” Her explanation is fluent and authoritative – and not surprising.

But the next bit is. “Then I had an experience in the States with my own children and I thought... well, human rights, children’s rights.” Suddenly the fluency is gone. Her language becomes disjointed and elliptical. “I remembered the rights of the child, and I took them out and looked at them and thought: well, these are for when you’re in a situation and you want to make sure there is support for the children in your life.”

She apologises, and says she can’t be more direct. “Then I found out the US hadn’t ratified the rights of the child. One of the ways it affects children is their voice in court – a child in Europe would have a better chance of having a voice in court than a child in California. That said a lot to me about this country.”

What happened that made her fear for her children’s rights. “I... I’m still in my own legal situation,” she stammers. “I can’t speak about that.” Look, I say, there has been so much nonsense written about you over the years, it’s impossible to distinguish between truth and fiction – you have to help me understand what you are alluding to. Are you talking about your divorce from Brad Pitt and the allegations you have made against him of domestic abuse? She tells me she is sworn to silence. Well, nod if you’re talking about the divorce and allegations. She nods. And did she fear for the safety of her children? This time she answers. “Yes, for my family. My whole family.”

It would be amazing, I say, to spend your life on the world stage, highlighting the abuse of children’s rights, and then discover that these same rights may have been compromised so close to home. “Often you cannot recognise something in a personal way, especially if your focus is on the greatest global injustices, because everything else seems smaller. It’s so hard. I’d like to be able to have this discussion and it’s so important...” She makes a couple of efforts to complete her sentence, gives up and starts again. And now the fluency returns. “I’m not the kind of person who makes decisions like the decisions I had to make lightly. It took a lot for me to be in a position where I felt I had to separate from the father of my children.”

A ngelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were Hollywood’s golden couple; so famous that they had a portmanteau moniker, Brangelina. And Brangelina was, aptly, the ultimate celebrity brand. Both are Oscar winners, among the highest paid stars in the film business (Pitt is said to be worth $300m, Jolie $150m), mainstream draws and indie icons, and of course utterly gorgeous (Pitt was twice voted the sexiest man alive by People magazine, while Jolie was named sexiest woman alive by Esquire magazine in 2004). But Brangelina also became a byword for celebrity altrusim and consciousness-raising. Pitt accompanied Jolie on many of her UNHCR trips, they opened schools in war-torn countries, and three of their six children were adopted from countries brutalised by conflict and poverty – 20-year-old Maddox is Cambodian, 17-year-old Pax is Vietnamese and 16-year-old Zahara is Ethiopian. They even managed to manipulate the media to their own ends. Faced with the inevitability of being papped when their daughter Shiloh was born in 2006, Jolie and Pitt auctioned off the photoshoot to People magazine in the US and Hello! in Britain for $7.6m. Two years later, when twins Knox and Vivienne arrived, they sold the shoot to the same magazines for an estimated $14m, making them the most expensive celebrity photos in history. On both occasions, the proceeds went to the Jolie-Pitt Foundation to fund humanitarian projects. As a couple, they seemed too good (or at least too successful) to be true.

And so it proved. In September 2016, Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt, which was finalised in 2019. But they are still locked in a bitter custody battle, after she alleged domestic violence against him. In November 2016, the FBI announced no charges would be brought against Pitt, and cleared him of any wrongdoing, following an incident a couple of months earlier on their private plane in which it was alleged that a drunk Pitt was abusive with Maddox, then 15. Five days after the incident, Jolie filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences and stating that her decision to end the marriage “was made for the health of the family”. Pitt admitted he had an alcohol problem (he attended Alcoholics Anonymous after their separation) and that he had yelled at one of his children , but has always denied being physically abusive to them. Jolie refuses to say anything about the incident due to court proceedings. Pitt’s lawyers declined to comment when invited to do so by the Guardian.

Today Jolie is at home in Los Feliz, a residential neighbourhood near the Hollywood Hills. She bought the mansion, which cost a reputed $25m and used to be home to the film-maker Cecil B DeMille, to make it easier for the children to visit Pitt after the separation. For most of the past five years she has had custody, while he has had visitation rights. Although it has frequently been reported that the issues leading to the current court proceedings were about Jolie fighting for sole custody, in fact they were about how a healthy joint custody relationship could be achieved.

I can hear a couple of the children playing in the background, while Dusty continues to make regular contributions to the conversation. “What I know is when a child has been harmed, physically, emotionally, or witnessed the harm of somebody they love or care for, it can cause damage to that child. One of the reasons children need to have these rights is because without them they are vulnerable to living unsafe, unhealthy lives.” She may be talking about children in general, but it sounds personal. In the custody battle, much of the world appears to have taken sides. Some family law attorneys have criticised Jolie for wanting her children to testify against their father , while Jolie suggests it would be a betrayal of their rights for her to let it rest. Meanwhile, Jolie’s lawyers have said three of the children have asked to give their testimony.

I ask Jolie when she first became aware of human rights and she starts to talk about her mother’s values. “She didn’t come at them as if it was a job or a calling, she was just kind. She was a decent human being who was bothered when she saw people mistreated. It was really that simple.”

Jolie’s mother, Marcheline Bertrand, who died of ovarian cancer in 2007, aged 56, trained as an actor, hung out with Jim Morrison when she was young, and by the end of her life was the partner of Native American activist and poet John Trudell. Jolie’s father, the actor Jon Voight, was Oscar-nominated for Midnight Cowboy (1969) and won best actor for Coming Home in 1979, but was a less impressive parent in Jolie’s eyes. She says her mother sacrificed her career to bring up her two children (Jolie has an older brother, James Haven), largely as a single parent. “My mom married at 21, and by the time she was 25 she was divorced with two little kids. She couldn’t be the artist she wanted to be, but she raised her children with art and creativity. Even if it was a birthday party, she found a way to put those talents to use.”

She says what she loved about her mother is that she embraced difference and was open to all experiences. “She didn’t try to make me a mould of her. We were very different as women.”

In what way? “She would always want me to sit next to the stranger on the plane because she was shy, right? While I loved her softness, she loved my strength. She was very still, and I’m constantly in motion. I was very sexual, and she was much more of a lady. But she saw my true self and encouraged it fully, and she taught me to do that for my own children. My children are all very different from each other.”

Her mother always told Jolie to be useful in life, but as a teenager, she says, she didn’t know what she meant. She experimented with drugs, including heroin, drank excessively and cut herself in an attempt to overcome an overwhelming sense of emptiness. She had her first live-in lover at 14. Her mother suggested her boyfriend move in to stop her leaving home and going further off the rails. Jolie was anti-establishment, and outspoken, but she was also a mess. “It took me a good while to feel I could be of use to anyone because I felt for a long time that I was a little crazy, that I was a little unhinged, and not settled. If you would have asked me as a teenager if I could have been anybody’s mom, or of any use to the UN or write a book, I would have said absolutely not.”

With the benefit of hindsight, does she still feel she was unhinged? “Maybe that’s what’s so helpful about meeting with all these young people. They are reminding me that back at the time I felt I was a bit crazy for challenging a system, or being angry about certain things I was witnessing, I wasn’t wrong. To be around all these young people who have, for good reason, a sense of fight and rebellion and willingness to get in there and bleed if necessary for something they know is wrong – it reminds me of who I was when I was younger. And it reminds me that it isn’t something bad.”

Back then, Jolie would also bleed for a cause, even if she wasn’t sure what the cause was. When she married the actor Jonny Lee Miller at the age of 20, she wore a T-shirt with his name inscribed on it in her blood. When she was with her second husband, Billy Bob Thornton , they wore vials of each other’s blood around their necks. She appeared on TV shows, doing outrageous tricks with butterfly knives. It was hard to work out if she was a raging self-publicist, dangerous, or both.

Looking at Jolie today, it’s hard to connect the urbane woman in the Saint Laurent suits with the punk in the leather jacket. But Jolie says they are very much the same person; she just didn’t know how to focus her energy. “I was rudderless. I was seeking freedom, truth, feeling. I wanted to feel deeply and experience deeply.” She laughs. “Listen, I grew up in Hollywood. This town is disturbing. I was hurt from a lot of different things in life.”

What hurt so much when she was young? Again, she returns to her mother. “My mom was in a lot of pain. My father had an affair, and then there were a lot of challenges with child support and alimony. Then she lost her parents, and was quite broken, so I was determined to help her when I was young.” She was told she could be an actor or a model “as if it’s this great thing”, but now she’s not so sure. She suggests that had she been a boy, other choices would have been offered. “Nobody tells you you can be a director or a lawyer. So I was pushed down a path, and I wanted to be successful to financially help her, and to be able to make more choices in her life and my life.”

She says her mother was not only denied a career, but also a voice. “I realised when I was young, the person who had a public voice had more power than the very kind, decent woman at home doing all the right things and making all the sacrifices.” She is referring to her father, an outspoken Trump supporter who said that the campaign to get the US election result overturned was “the greatest fight since the civil war – the battle of righteousness versus Satan”, and from whom she has often been estranged. Jolie says she was determined that she would not be silenced as her mother had been. “I don’t think I came into this business because I wanted to be an actor. I came into it because that’s where you could have a voice. When you have somebody who controls the finances and controls the family narrative because they are public, you’re all under that person.”

At the age of seven, Jolie made her film debut in Hal Ashby’s Lookin’ To Get Out, playing the daughter of Voight’s character. By 16, she was modelling swimwear, and at 20 she was starring in Hackers alongside future husband Jonny Lee Miller. In 2000, at the age of 24, she won the best supporting actress Oscar for her visceral portrait of a psychiatric patient in Girl, Interrupted. In 2013, she earned an estimated $33m , mainly from her contract with Louis Vuitton and her appearance as the eponymous witch in Maleficent. Her choice of acting roles suggests she acts primarily for the money – alongside the odd quality film (she was great as Mariane Pearl, the wife of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in A Mighty Heart, despite the controversy of a white woman playing a mixed-race character), there have been any number of stinkers.

Before separating from Pitt, she was establishing herself as a film-maker. First They Killed My Father, the last film she made as a director (released in 2017), is a haunting portrait of life under the Khmer Rouge, in which she coaxed exceptional, understated performances from her actors – particularly the children. Since then, her career has taken a back seat as she has dedicated herself to being pretty much a full-time mother.

Does she feel her rights have always been respected? “Hmm. A good therapy question.” She pauses. “I think my mother did a lot to ensure my rights and empower me. But you know, I started working really young to help her pay bills and stuff. And I wasn’t aware of how I deserved to be treated as a young girl and a human being. I didn’t feel I was born with these rights and protections. I felt that these were things you had to demand or fight for, and sometimes be seen as difficult when you do.” Is she seen as difficult? “I will certainly challenge whoever’s in my way to get to whatever it is I think needs to be done.”

When was the first time she felt sufficiently disrespected in the industry to tell somebody to fuck off? “Erm… well, no surprise, Harvey Weinstein . I worked with him when I was young.” She was 21 when she made the Miramax film Playing By Heart, executive produced by the infamous sexual predator and convicted rapist. She says women often play down an assault if they manage to escape – as she did at the time. “If you get yourself out of the room, you think he attempted but didn’t, right? The truth is that the attempt and the experience of the attempt is an assault.”

What happened? “I really don’t want to derail the book into stories about Harvey.” But that was an abuse of rights? “It was. It was beyond a pass, it was something I had to escape. I stayed away and warned people about him. I remember telling Jonny, my first husband, who was great about it, to spread the word to other guys – don’t let girls go alone with him. I was asked to do The Aviator, but I said no because he was involved. I never associated or worked with him again. It was hard for me when Brad did.”

In 2009, Pitt starred in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds , co-produced by the Weinstein Company. In 2012, she says Pitt approached Weinstein to work as a producer for the noir thriller Killing Them Softly , which the Weinstein Company later distributed. In doing so, Jolie felt he was minimising the sexual assault she had endured. “We fought about it. Of course it hurt,” Jolie says about Pitt being happy to work with Weinstein, despite knowing he had assaulted her. She avoided attending promotional events for the film. Weinstein, who is currently serving a 23-year jail sentence for rape and sexual assault , denies Jolie’s allegation.

Jolie is drinking from a bottle as she talks. What is it? “It’s kombucha. It’s not alcohol – not yet anyway!” She giggles and takes another swig. I ask if her children are interested in activism. She tells me that they’re all very different, but it’s hard for them not to be because of the way the family came about.

“ Grrrrrrrrrrrrr, ” Dusty roars.

“Within the understanding that they are family comes a lot of awareness that has to be born of all the years of them growing up together, learning from each other, discussing adoption, race and family. Having people say: how could you be sisters, you’re not the same colour, when you’re a little kid. Going to each other’s countries and being the only person of their background in that country and feeling outside, yet it’s your family.”

I ask Jolie if she always wanted to adopt. No, she says: when she was growing up she didn’t want children. “I never wanted to babysit, I never had dolls, so it’s hilarious I’ve ended up with six children.” What did you have instead of dolls? “I liked to play office. Then in my late teens I became aware of what adoption is, and the idea that there were children around the world who had been orphaned, and it just made sense to me. I never have had this idea of ‘my own blood’.” Even though she gave birth to three children fathered by Pitt, genetics has never interested her. “It was just family born of being together and growing together, right?” She often concludes a sentence with right – part question, part declaration.

In 2013, Jolie wrote an op-ed in the New York Times revealing that she had had a preventive double mastectomy because she was a carrier of the BRCA1 genetic mutation that had killed her mother and put her at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Two years later, she wrote another article announcing she had also had surgery to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes. It was unheard of to hear a Hollywood A-lister at the peak of her career discussing these issues. But it proved a gamechanger. A year later a UK report found that her decision to go public on the mastectomy led to a doubling in NHS referrals for genetic tests of breast cancer risk.

Was going public a form of activism, I ask. Well, she says, she certainly wouldn’t use that word to describe it. In fact, she adds, she rarely uses the word full stop. Was it a way of saying to people: if preventive surgery can make sense for me, it can for you, too? “As I’ve gone through my life, I’ve never had that confidence that if I do this it will make a difference. I don’t think of myself in that way. It’s just me thinking: if my mom knew about this and had this surgery and she had read an op-ed like this, she might still be alive. Therefore I really feel I should write this, because maybe somebody’s mom will read it.”

I tell her I find it fascinating, the binary way in which she is portrayed – either as a saint or a crazy, an arch manipulator. (It has been suggested that she is fighting for custody of the children simply because she wants to move out of America – something she denies.) “I think people sometimes just need people to be what they need them to be. What matters to me is that if people think this or that about me, does it affect my ability to work for children’s rights? Does it affect my ability to work with Muhammad and help him? If you truly think I’m crazy, then that’s a problem, because you may not listen to him as much and may not value me saying how important he is or this book is.”

As she talks, I notice how tired she looks. While refusing to discuss details about her divorce, she has said that the experience has been traumatic and has left her feeling “broken”. What have the past five years taken out of her? There is a long pause. She cups her face in her hands, and looks ready to burst into tears. “I mean, in some ways it’s been the last decade. There’s a lot I can’t say,” she repeats. “I think at the end of the day, even if you and a few people you love are the only people who know the truth of your life, what you fight for, or what you sacrifice, or what you’ve suffered, you come to be at peace with that, regardless of everything going on around you.”

Has it proved hard to come out of all this at peace with herself? “I’m not out of it,” she says, quietly. I suppose what I’m asking in a clumsy way is: how are you? She looks even more upset. “It’s really hard to answer.” Another pause. “How am I? I’m realising that sometimes you can survive things, but not know how to feel and live in the same way. So it’s more about being open. I’m really trying to be open as a human being again.”

D iscovering that the convention on the rights of the child has not been ratified by the US has given her a sense of purpose: rather than simply fighting for her children, she can see it as a bigger human rights cause. She is trying to put a positive spin on her situation. “It has been so horrific that I almost have to see it as a godsend to be in a position to be able to fight this system. It doesn’t start with the violation [the plane incident]. It’s so much more complicated than that.” She says the lack of ratification has had a significant impact on her battle: “My 17-year-old, for example, has been denied a voice in court.”

Jolie is complex, and at times contradictory. She tells me she wants to talk about all this; the next minute, she changes her mind. “It’s not that I want to talk about anything really, because I just want my family to heal. And I want everyone to move forward – all of us, including their dad. I want us to heal and be peaceful. We’ll always be a family.” It’s not only Jolie who’s complex; so is the situation. It’s hard to see how even she could press ahead with her allegation of domestic violence and achieve a peaceful resolution.

When I mention how upset she looks, she admits she has been emotional today, since seeing the Taliban take over Kabul. “This morning I just had a big cry about Afghanistan. That was the beginning for me, 20 years ago – those first few trips when you meet people and really connect. You meet little kids, see the promises made, the efforts made, the trust given, see everything, then you track them being put on trucks to be sent back, and you track them back in Kabul, and at school, and you get a sense of the pain and fear and death and the horror and the betrayal and the trauma. It’s disgusting. It says too much about the world we’re living in today. It says too much about where we’re at.”

But at the same time, it makes her think about Muhammad and the three other activists we met, fighting so fiercely for a better world. It makes her think of all the terrible trade-offs that politicians make that lead to outcomes such as Afghanistan. It makes her think of her young self, refusing to yield to convention, and all those people who have dismissed her as bats in the intervening years for believing that justice and humanity can win the day rather than realpolitik. “No,” she says, her self-belief restored, “I’m not crazy.”

Know Your Rights by Angelina Jolie is published by Andersen Press at £7.99. To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com . Delivery charges may apply.

• Angelina Jolie
• United Nations
• Harvey Weinstein

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A Home-Wrecking Humanitarian, Footnote Free

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By Janet Maslin

• July 25, 2010

Angelina Jolie has accrued an Oscar, several Golden Globes, a Global Humanitarian Action Award, a Freedom Award and a seat on the Council on Foreign Relations. She has managed all this while building herself into one of the few viable female Hollywood stars who can carry a film single-handedly and squelching all competition for the title of World’s Yummiest Mummy.

Those distinctions are nice, but now comes the big one: Ms. Jolie has qualified as a biographical subject for Andrew Morton in his new book, “Angelina: An Unauthorized Biography,” set to be released on Aug. 3. And Mr. Morton does not usually write his page-turners about garden-variety celebrities. (Ignore his “Posh and Becks.” This book’s “also by Andrew Morton” list has.) He picks people — Diana, Princess of Wales; Tom Cruise ; Madonna; Monica Lewinsky — who not only became uber-famous but also found ways to rock the world.

What exactly qualifies Ms. Jolie to be in this company? Here’s the short version: Hollywood lineage, drop-dead gorgeous, Goth phase, tattoos, blood in vials, Billy Bob, heroin, S&M, bisexuality, big wet kiss for brother, magical makeover, six kids, genius for image control. And home wrecker. That too.

Since Ms. Jolie is also something of a mystery, she would have presented ordinary biographers with a formidable challenge. But Mr. Morton is not easily deterred. And he has a helpful mantra for digging into the lives of others: Sources are for amateurs. No footnotes or chapter notes sully the simplicity of his research.

Very few of those who talked to him were willing to go on the record. And the people most eager to tell him about Ms. Jolie are people who don’t know her, so that the book is shrink-wrapped in glib insights from dubious psychiatric talents. That means that “a psychologist who has met with Jennifer socially” is allowed to opine freely on the all-important Brad Pitt-Jennifer Aniston breakup, the best-known marital meltdown in which Ms. Jolie has been involved yet claimed to have played no role whatsoever. “They wouldn’t find her fingerprints at the scene of this marital crime,” Mr. Morton writes.

An entire tabloid gossip industry has selflessly devoted itself to chronicling such episodes. That limits Mr. Morton’s capacity for adding to the chatter. But he has two particular skills. One is the ability to ferret out extremely inside information, like that the typeface in which the Billy Bob Thornton tattoo on Ms. Jolie’s nether parts is written in Helvetica. (Or it might be Helvetica. Mr. Morton never wastes time explaining where he gets such information.) His other, more valuable skill is connecting biographical dots. It’s one thing to assemble a lot of anecdotes about how strange Ms. Jolie can be and another to offer a pretty good explanation of how she got that way.

Naturally, “Angelina” has its roots in childhood trauma. Ms. Jolie was born on June 4, 1975 (a date that Mr. Morton asks Diana’s former astrologer to analyze) to Marcheline Bertrand, then a beautiful, ambitious aspiring actress, and Jon Voight , then a major movie star. Let’s crank up Mr. Morton’s cliché generator so that the nativity story can be told properly: The couple lived in California, “a fabled place of endless sunshine, the Beach Boys, beach blondes and peaches ripening by the roadside.” The marriage was a fairy tale. But Mr. Voight “attracted women like moths to a flame.” He began an affair with one obliging moth when baby Angelina was only a few months old.

And he admitted this to his wife. To Mr. Morton and his chorus of psychiatry-minded sages this is the crisis that shaped Ms. Jolie. The marriage was destroyed. Her mother became irrevocably bitter, to the point where her virtual last words before she died in 2007 were, “Don’t let Jon in here.”

Her father tried to hang on to his children during these early years but lost his bearings. And Baby Angie, who strongly resembled her father, was left in the care of baby sitters by a distraught mother who couldn’t bear to look at her.

One such baby sitter, “a part-time model herself,” meets with Mr. Morton to tell him the dark truth about how this child was treated. (The baby sitter has a “face contorted in an effort to suppress the welling emotion.”) The sitter also mentions what a hottie Mr. Voight was in those days and says that his daughter got her libido from him, not from her mother. How might the baby sitter know this? For every question Mr. Morton asks, there are often better ones that he ignores.

“Angelina” goes on to connect its subject’s darkly troubled teenage years with the angry domestic scenes and laissez-faire hippie parenting that surrounded her. The best part of this book is its portrait of dysfunctional family life, from the suffering of Ms. Jolie’s older brother, James (who actually told a journalist that one of the saddest things in his life was not having a car when he attended Beverly Hills High School) to the effect that such experiences have had on Ms. Jolie’s later life.

Ms. Jolie has engaged in endless squabbling with and snubbing of her contrite but overbearing father — who, Mr. Morton points out insightfully, let his daughter behave as an out-of-control adult at an early age, then tried to infantilize her when it was much too late for her to heed him. This situation has grown so painful, the book says, that the salon where Mr. Voight has his hair cut routinely hides its tabloid magazines for fear of upsetting him with pictures of his out-of-reach grandchildren. (Lately there have been reports of a fitful reconciliation.)

Mr. Morton seems torn between bedazzlement at Ms. Jolie’s beauty and tut-tutting sympathy for the men who have been steamrollered by her. And there are a lot of those: the Jolie modus operandi seems to involve persuading married or attached men to behave exactly as her father did in betraying the women to whom they are supposedly attached. Then she moves on. It has not been her habit to stay in any one phase for too long.

How, then, does Mr. Morton explain his subject’s present incarnation? He doesn’t, and his omissions speak for themselves. He introduces Mr. Pitt as a “bit of a stoner”; notes Mr. Pitt’s dearth of the dark, brooding, artistic qualities that usually attract Ms. Jolie; and invokes a be-careful-what-you-wish-for when it comes to the big, happy family of Ms. Jolie’s dreams. It would surprise Mr. Morton most if Ms. Jolie does not surprise the world again — and again and again, in as sleek, treacherous, pantherlike and back-stabbing a fashion as possible. He so prefers that outlook that he unfairly dismisses her as “part of the furniture in the world of international relations and humanitarian aid.”

It would surely disappoint him if she began behaving too honorably to generate tabloid ecstasies, the kind that have made Mr. Morton such a leading light in the tell-all community. “As Angie shook her hand,” Mr. Morton writes happily, “Jennifer could have been excused for wondering whether she was extending her long slim fingers in friendship or sizing up her next victim, like a hangman judging the length of rope needed for the drop.” He should know. His own tactics fit the same description.

An Unauthorized Biography

By Andrew Morton

Illustrated. 328 pages. St. Martin’s Press. $26.99.

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Angelina Jolie: A Life of Impact and Inspiration

Angelina Jolie is a multifaceted American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian, renowned for her captivating performances, directorial endeavors, and extensive philanthropic work. Born on June 4, 1975, in Los Angeles, California, Jolie hails from a family with deep roots in the entertainment industry. She rose to fame in the late 1990s with her roles in films like “Gia” and “Girl, Interrupted,” the latter earning her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Jolie’s remarkable range and presence on screen have made her one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actresses, starring in blockbuster hits including the “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” series and “Maleficent.”

Beyond her cinematic achievements, Jolie is equally recognized for her humanitarian efforts, having served as a Goodwill Ambassador and then Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Her work focuses on advocating for refugees, conservation, and women’s rights, reflecting her commitment to making a tangible difference in global humanitarian issues. Jolie’s influence extends beyond the screen and into the realms of activism and advocacy, where she continues to leave an indelible mark on the world.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Angelina Jolie’s journey to stardom and humanitarianism is deeply intertwined with her early experiences and familial background. Born into a family already established in the limelight, Jolie’s entry into the world on June 4, 1975, in Los Angeles, California, seemed to predestine her for a career in the entertainment industry. As the daughter of Jon Voight, an actor celebrated for his compelling performances and significant contributions to Hollywood, Jolie was introduced to the complexities of fame, creativity, and the pressures of public life from her earliest days.

Her upbringing, however, was far from the glamorous life one might expect from Hollywood royalty. The relationship with her father, Jon Voight, was fraught with challenges, characterized by a series of estrangements and reconciliations that left an indelible mark on her personal development and emotional well-being. This tumultuous familial situation contributed to an upbringing filled with personal trials and a search for identity and belonging outside the traditional familial structures.

Amidst these challenges, Jolie found refuge and a sense of purpose in acting. The performing arts became a sanctuary for her, a space where she could explore different facets of her personality and express the complex emotions stemming from her unconventional childhood. Her early experiences with acting, including her training and initial roles, served not just as an escape but as a foundational period where she honed her craft and developed the intense, magnetic presence she is known for today.

Jolie’s career breakthrough came with the role of Gia Carangi in the HBO biographical film “Gia.” Her portrayal of the doomed model was not only a critical success but also a showcase of Jolie’s ability to delve deeply into the psyche of her characters, bringing forth a performance that was both raw and captivating. This role was a significant milestone in her career, earning her widespread acclaim and proving her mettle as a serious actress capable of handling complex and challenging roles.

This early period of Angelina Jolie’s life set the stage for her subsequent career achievements and her passionate involvement in humanitarian work. The resilience and determination she demonstrated in overcoming her personal challenges fueled her rise in Hollywood and her dedication to global causes. Her journey is a compelling narrative of transformation and perseverance, highlighting how her formative years and early career shaped not only the actress and activist she would become but also the impact she would have on the entertainment industry and the world at large.

Rise to Hollywood Stardom

Angelina Jolie’s ascent to the zenith of Hollywood stardom in the late 1990s and early 2000s exemplifies a remarkable journey defined by bold choices and transformative performances. Her trajectory during this era was punctuated by roles that not only demonstrated her exceptional acting prowess but also her versatility and commitment to challenging herself artistically.

The release of “Girl, Interrupted” in 1999 marked a significant turning point in Jolie’s career. In this film, she delivered a riveting performance as Lisa Rowe, a character whose complexity and volatility demanded a nuanced portrayal. Jolie’s ability to inhabit the character’s psyche and convey a spectrum of emotions with authenticity and intensity was universally acclaimed. Her work in the film was a testament to her skill in capturing the intricacies of human emotion, earning her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This accolade was more than a personal triumph; it was a declaration of Jolie’s arrival as a formidable talent in the cinematic landscape.

Building on this momentum, Jolie ventured into the action genre with “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” in 2001. In embodying the iconic character of Lara Croft, Jolie demonstrated her physicality and adaptability, transforming into the adventurous and intrepid archaeologist with ease. The film not only appealed to fans of the video game franchise but also broadened Jolie’s appeal as an actress capable of leading blockbuster action films. Her portrayal of Lara Croft broke new ground for female action heroes, blending strength, intelligence, and femininity in a character that became a cultural icon.

Throughout this period, Jolie’s career choices reflected a deliberate effort to explore a breadth of characters, from the deeply troubled to the fiercely independent. Her roles during these years were marked by a depth and intensity that resonated with audiences and critics alike. She consistently chose projects that pushed the boundaries of conventional Hollywood roles for women, contributing to a body of work that is both diverse and impactful.

Angelina Jolie’s rise to stardom was not just a series of successful film roles but a narrative of personal growth and artistic exploration. Her journey from a promising young actress to a Hollywood powerhouse was driven by her fearless approach to her craft and her unwavering commitment to authenticity in her performances. As she navigated the complexities of fame and personal evolution, Jolie emerged as a symbol of strength, talent, and resilience, securing her place as one of the most influential figures in modern cinema.

Humanitarian Endeavors

A pivotal turning point in Angelina Jolie’s life and career occurred when she was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2001. This appointment marked the beginning of her extensive involvement in humanitarian endeavors and advocacy for refugees and displaced people around the world.

As a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, Jolie embarked on numerous field missions to regions affected by conflict and displacement. She witnessed firsthand the hardships and suffering endured by refugees and displaced communities. These experiences deeply affected her and ignited a strong commitment to making a difference in the lives of those affected by humanitarian crises.

In 2012, Angelina Jolie co-founded the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) with then-UK Foreign Secretary William Hague. This initiative aimed to combat sexual violence as a weapon of war and to provide support and justice to survivors of such atrocities. Jolie’s advocacy work in this area raised global awareness about the importance of addressing and preventing sexual violence in conflict zones.

Throughout her humanitarian efforts, Jolie has consistently used her platform and voice to speak up for the marginalized and vulnerable, advocating for the rights and well-being of refugees, displaced persons, and survivors of sexual violence. Her commitment to humanitarian causes has not only transformed her public image but also made a substantial impact on the lives of countless individuals affected by conflict and displacement.

Angelina Jolie’s tireless dedication to humanitarian endeavors showcases her deep compassion and commitment to addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Her advocacy and fieldwork have made a significant difference in the lives of those affected by conflict and violence, and she continues to be a prominent figure in global humanitarian efforts.

Personal Challenges and Resilience

Angelina Jolie’s life has indeed been marked by personal challenges, and she has demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of adversity. She has been open and candid about various aspects of her life, including her struggles with mental health, her preventive double mastectomy, and her high-profile separation.

One significant challenge that Jolie has publicly discussed is her mental health. Like many individuals, she has faced moments of emotional turmoil and stress. Her willingness to share her experiences with mental health issues has helped reduce stigma and raise awareness about the importance of mental well-being. Her openness has also encouraged others to seek help and support when facing similar challenges.

In 2013, Angelina Jolie made a courageous and public decision to undergo a preventive double mastectomy after discovering that she carried a genetic mutation that significantly increased her risk of developing breast cancer. Her decision to share her journey with the world was a powerful testament to her commitment to raising awareness about genetic testing, preventive measures, and women’s health. She used her platform to advocate for better access to healthcare and genetic testing for individuals at risk.

Jolie’s high-profile separation from her then-husband Brad Pitt garnered significant media attention. Despite the challenges of navigating a very public breakup, she remained focused on her family and her humanitarian work. Her determination to protect her children and prioritize their well-being underscored her resilience and unwavering commitment to her values.

Each of these personal challenges, while undoubtedly difficult, has served to strengthen Angelina Jolie’s resolve to make a positive impact in the world. Her ability to face adversity with courage and transparency has made her a source of inspiration for many and has reinforced her position as a respected figure in both Hollywood and the global humanitarian community.

Noteworthy Achievements

Angelina Jolie is a renowned actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian who has achieved remarkable success in her career. One of her most noteworthy achievements is her Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film “Girl, Interrupted” in 2000. This recognition solidified her status as a talented actress in Hollywood and opened doors to numerous opportunities in the industry.

In addition to her acting career, Angelina Jolie is celebrated for her work as a filmmaker. Her directorial debut, “In the Land of Blood and Honey” (2011), earned critical acclaim for its powerful portrayal of the Bosnian War. She continued to make impactful films, such as “Unbroken” (2014) and “First They Killed My Father” (2017), showcasing her versatility and commitment to telling important stories onscreen.

Beyond her work in entertainment, Angelina Jolie has made significant contributions to humanitarian causes. She has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 2001 and later became a Special Envoy in 2012. Her dedication to advocating for refugees and vulnerable populations has led to her receiving several awards for her humanitarian efforts, including the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2013.

Another noteworthy achievement of Angelina Jolie is her commitment to adoption and her role in raising awareness about international adoption. She adopted three children from different countries and has consistently advocated for children’s rights and well-being, using her celebrity status to shed light on adoption-related issues.

In recent years, Angelina Jolie has also been recognized for her advocacy against sexual violence in conflict zones. Her work in this area led to the creation of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, which aims to combat sexual violence as a weapon of war and provide support to survivors.

Awards and Recognitions

Angelina Jolie has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout her career, highlighting her outstanding contributions to the entertainment industry and humanitarian causes. Her impressive list of accolades includes an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Girl, Interrupted” (1999). This prestigious honor established her as a talented actress in Hollywood and marked a significant milestone in her career.

Jolie has also garnered several Golden Globe Awards, including Best Actress in a Supporting Role for “Girl, Interrupted” and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance in “Gia” (1998). Her ability to portray complex characters with depth and authenticity has consistently earned her critical acclaim and recognition from her peers.

In addition to her acting achievements, Angelina Jolie has been honored for her work as a filmmaker. Her directorial debut, “In the Land of Blood and Honey” (2011), received widespread praise and earned her various awards and nominations. Her commitment to telling impactful stories through her films has earned her respect in the industry.

Angelina Jolie’s humanitarian efforts have not gone unnoticed, as she has received several awards for her advocacy work. In 2013, she was presented with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy Awards in recognition of her dedication to humanitarian causes and her role as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Furthermore, Jolie has been honored with titles such as Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (DCMG) by Queen Elizabeth II for her diplomatic and foreign policy contributions. Her activism against sexual violence in conflict zones and her efforts to protect the rights of refugees have earned her global recognition and accolades from various organizations and governments.

Angelina Jolie’s impressive collection of awards and recognitions not only reflects her talent as an actress and filmmaker but also underscores her commitment to making a positive impact on the world through her humanitarian work and advocacy.

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ANGELINA JOLIE WAS 'FEARLESS'; THE MAKING OF AN HOMAGE

This article is an adaptation of our weekly Photography newsletter that was originally sent out on May 22, 2021. Want this in your inbox? Subscribe here.

By   Whitney Johnson , Director of Visual and Immersive Experiences “I've never been so nervous, ever, on a shoot.” Not words that instill confidence in a Director of Photography, especially from the photographer you commissioned to photograph Angelina Jolie covered in honeybees for World Bee Day. But I never doubted that Dan Winters was the right photographer for the job. He can manage a celebrity. And he’s a beekeeper himself, who got his first apiary at age 9. His obsession with insects continues, as reflected in these stunning bee portraits shot on the scanning electron microscope and the three hives he keeps as a self-proclaimed “gentleman beekeeper.” Dan enlisted friend and beekeeper Konrad Bouffard on this project and together they ran several tests outside Dan’s studio in Austin. “I don't remember ever being as thorough with the prep,” he said. But when the test shots using lemongrass to attract the bees weren’t working, Dan took a page from photo history. He started researching Richard Avedon ’s Beekeeper , arguably his most recognized portrait, and part of Avedon’s epic American West project. He found an article that identified the entomologist who worked with Avedon on that 1981 image—and Konrad went on an “insane detective mission” to track him down. Konrad did—and the 87-year-old entomologist gave Konrad Polaroids and letters from the original shoot—as well as the attractant they used for the bees. “Literally the same jar of queen pheromone!” Dan said. Dan and Konrad arrived on set early the morning of the shoot to test the 40-year-old queen bee pheromone before Angelina showed. It worked.

Walking on set, Angelina moved within six inches of a swarm ball of 60,000 of them. “She was some kind of fearless,” Dan says. She didn’t wear bee protection, and came unshowered, because bees attack scents. “I told her, ‘You need to smell like an organism.’” Angelina posed for 18 minutes, staying focused even as one bee crawled under her dress and was climbing up her thigh. “She never once even flinched,” Dan says. “There was never a moment of like, ‘Ooh,’ or anything. It was like she’d just kind of done this her whole life and this was sort of this laissez-faire experience for her. And I was incredibly impressed by that. I was the only person on the crew that didn’t wear any protection. I kind of did it in solidarity.“ Dan and Angelina set out to make an image that would honor the bees. And, after the prep and research, they collaborated on an image that pays homage as well to Avedon—both to his original Beekeeper   photograph and to the technique used to create it. Oh, and this new image has become a phenomenon, getting 2.4 million likes on our Instagram page in a day.

I asked Dan: How would Avedon, who died in 2004, have reacted? “I like to think that if I were 97 years old and someone re-created one of my images, I would be deeply touched,” Dan says. “So hopefully he would have thought the same.” Do you get this newsletter daily? If not,   sign up here or forward to a friend.

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Angelina Jolie: A Biography

KATHLEEN TRACY is a Los Angeles-based journalist. She is the author of over 20 titles, including Elvis Presley: A Biography (2006) and Jennifer Lopez: A Biography (2008).

Cite this eBook

9780313364617

Tracy, Kathleen. Angelina Jolie: A Biography. Greenwood, 2008. ABC-CLIO, publisher.abc-clio.com/9780313364617.

Chicago Manual of Style

Tracy, Kathleen. Angelina Jolie: A Biography. Greenwood, 2008. http://publisher.abc-clio.com/9780313364617

Tracy, K. (2008). Angelina Jolie: A Biography. Retrieved from http://publisher.abc-clio.com/9780313364617

Angelina Jolie has understandably created a mystique in the eyes of the public. A rare beauty and skilled actress, she has already earned an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Academy award. Her unconventional personal life, however, has consistently drawn as much attention as her acting skills. Over the past decade, fans have watched her evolve from Hollywood's rebellious wild child - infamous for her bold tattoos and shocking two-year marriage to actor Billy-Bob Thornton - to a mother and committed human rights advocate. Together she and Brad Pitt have adopted three international children, sparking an adoption trend among other celebrities. Best known for portraying strong, edgy women in film, Jolie exudes her own strength off-screen as she gracefully balances the pressures of family life, humanitarian efforts, and a flourishing career.

This detailed biography includes a chronology of significant events, illustrations, and a bibliography of print and electronic resources. Ideal for fans and general readers looking to learn more about one of today's most intriguing and sought-after celebrities.

Table of Contents

• Contents v 6
• Series Foreword vii 8
• Timeline: Events in the Life of Angelina Jolie ix 10
• Chapter 1 In the Blood 1 14
• Chapter 2 Life Lessons 11 24
• Chapter 3 Learning the Craft 21 34
• Chapter 4 Breakthrough 27 40
• Chapter 5 The Splash 35 48
• Chapter 6 A Star Is Born 43 60
• Chapter 7 Finding Her Center 51 68
• Chapter 8 Above the Title 57 74
• Chapter 9 Girl, Interrupted 63 80
• Chapter 10 Golden Moments 71 88
• Chapter 11 Combustible 79 96
• Chapter 12 Actress Turned Activist 87 104
• Chapter 13 A Global Family 93 110
• Selected Bibliography 103 120
• Index 113 130
• Photo essay PS1 56

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Angelina Jolie - Biography

The american actress was born in 1975 in los angeles and is best known for girl interrupted, mr & mrs smith, maleficent, changeling, and more.

Angelina Jolie's Early Life

Angelina Jolie was born in Los Angeles on June 4, 1975, to actor Jon Voight and former model and actress Marcheline Bertrand. She is the niece of singer-songwriter Chip Taylor and her godparents are actors Jacqueline Bisset and Maximilan Schell.

Jolie and her older brother, fellow actor James Haven, were raised in New York by their mother after their father left. She made minor appearances in some of her father's films throughout the '80s, although they were estranged as she grew older.

Aged 11, she won a place to study at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute. Appearances in music videos for the Rolling Stones and Lenny Kravitz led to small film parts, and in 1995 she landed her first starring role in cyber-thriller Hackers .

Angelina Jolie's Career and Success

Jolie's star rose significantly when she picked up two consecutive Golden Globe Awards for her performances in TNT's 1997 film George Wallace and HBO's 1998 film Gia . A year later, she received the highest acclaim of her career when she played the sociopathic patient Lisa in 1999's Girl, Interrupted opposite Winona Ryder, which won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

The aughts and 2010s were a prosperous period for the star, where she cemented herself as one of the world's highest paid actresses thanks to the films Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), Mr & Mrs Smith (2005), A Mighty Heart (2007), Wanted (2008), and Changeling (2008), which earned her a second Oscar nomination. Her work in the Kung Fu Panda, Eternals, and Maleficent franchises have also earned her box office glory.

Since dedicating more of her time to motherhood and humanitarian efforts, her work in film has been more infrequent. She pivoted to directing, however, with 2011 with the critically acclaimed In the Land of Blood and Honey .

Angelina Jolie's Humanitarian Work

Jolie is almost as well known for her charitable and philanthropic work as she is for her Hollywood career. After a 2001 visit to Cambodia while filming Lara Croft opened her eyes to the refugee crisis, she began undertaking field missions on an infrequent basis.

Her efforts were ratcheted up soon after becoming a mother, devoting more time to her humanitarian efforts and making trips to countries like Cambodia, Syria, Ukraine, Sierra Leone, Yemen, Afghanistan, and many more. Her work has mostly centered around education, women's rights, refugee rehabilitation, the protection of children, and conservation.

She was named a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 2012 (a position she held till 2022) and has received a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and been made a Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George for her efforts.

Angelina Jolie's Personal Life

Jolie's personal life has been extensively covered throughout her career, especially her high-profile marriages. In 1996, she married her Hackers co-star Jonny Lee Miller (a wedding she attended in black rubber pants and a white tee on which she'd written his name in blood), which lasted till 2000. Shortly after, she married her Pushing Tin co-star Billy Bob Thornton, which was a media frenzy for its three-year run, particularly when they were spotted wearing each other's blood in vials around their necks.

In 2005, she fell for her Mr & Mrs Smith co-star Brad Pitt. She was blamed as the reason for Pitt's divorce from Jennifer Aniston later that year, a fact all parties involved have denied. They became the ultimate Hollywood power couple, dubbed "Brangelina," and finally tied the knot in 2018. However, their union was not to last, and their contentious divorce was finalized in 2019.

Jolie adopted Maddox (born August 2001) from Cambodia when she was with Thornton, although became a single parent when they split up months later. In 2005, she adopted Zahara (born January 2005) from an orphanage in Ethiopia, and they were both adopted by Pitt once he and Jolie began a relationship. They welcomed their first biological child, Shiloh, in May 2006 in Namibia, and then adopted Pax (born November 2003) in 2007 from an orphanage in Vietnam. She and Pitt welcomed their twins Knox and Vivienne in July 2008. Since their divorce, the exes share joint custody of their children.

To learn more about Angelina Jolie, click  here

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Angelina Jolie Age, Height, Biography, and More!

Angelina jolie bio.

Have you ever wondered about the enigmatic force that lies behind the silver screen, captivating audiences with her sex appeal, edginess, and unparalleled acting prowess? 

A woman whose name echoes across the realms of Hollywood, philanthropy, and filmmaking alike? 

If so, then let us delve into the remarkable journey and biography of Angelina Jolie which consists of Angelina Jolie Age , Height, Place of Birth, and more.

Jolie is an American actress , filmmaker, and humanitarian whose brilliance knows no bounds.

Born Angelina Jolie Voight on June 4, 1975 , this luminous starlet emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the world of cinema.

Her raw talent was recognized and celebrated with an Academy Award for her spellbinding supporting role as a mental patient in “Girl, Interrupted” (1999) .

Angelina’s portfolio boasts a diverse array of unforgettable performances, from the heart-pounding action of “Wanted” to the electrifying chemistry with co-star Brad Pitt in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”

But her talents extend far beyond her work on-screen. Angelina Jolie has graced the director’s chair, leaving an indelible mark with films such as “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” “Unbroken,” and “By the Sea.”

Her visionary direction has earned her accolades, adding yet another dimension to her impressive profile.

Beyond the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown , Angelina Jolie is equally renowned for her philanthropic endeavors.

As a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency , she has championed numerous international charity projects, particularly those centered around refugees. Her dedication to making a positive impact on the world has earned her admiration and respect from all corners.

While her professional accomplishments are undeniably awe-inspiring, Angelina Jolie’s personal life has also been a subject of fascination.

Her high-profile marriage to actor Brad Pitt and the birth of their beautiful children, including Shiloh , Knox , and Vivienne , have been the subject of media frenzy.

Angelina was also seen in the 26th film of Marvel Cinematic Universe , titled Eternals alongside Gemma Chan, Richard Madden , Salma Hayek , and Kit Harington .

In 2023, Angelina Jolie continues to shine as one of the most powerful and influential individuals in the American entertainment industry.

Her journey is a testament to the extraordinary heights one can reach when passion, talent, and compassion converge.

But the tale of Angelina Jolie does not end here. What is Angelina Jolie height and current age , you may ask?

What does the year 2023 hold for Angelina Jolie net worth? These questions will unveil even more layers to this remarkable woman, making her story all the more intriguing and inspiring.

Angelina Jolie Biography

Name: Angelina Jolie

Known For: Played the role of ‘Lisa Rowe’ in the critically acclaimed movie Girl, Interrupted , ‘Lara Croft’ in the titular film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider , and directed the American war film named Unbroken.

Angelina Jolie Date of Birth: 4 June 1975

Angelina Jolie Age: As mentioned above, Angelina Jolie was born on June 4, 1975, which makes Angelina Jolie age, 48 years old (as of July 2023).

Angelina Jolie Height: According to reports, Angelina Jolie height is 5 feet 6 ½ inches or 169 cm or 1.69 m .

Angelina Jolie Weight:

Angelina Jolie weight has been the subject of conflicting claims from various sources. She weighs around 54 kg or 119 pounds , according to a top Magazine.

But, another popular website has cited a different Angelina Jolie weight of around 44kg (98 pounds) , which appears to be disproportionate to her height.

However, another source states that she weighs 45 kg (100 pounds) , whereas some mention her weight to be 54 kg.

Angelina Jolie Body Measurements:

According to several sources, Angelina Jolie body measurements are as follows:

• Breast size : 36 inches (91.5 cm) 
• Waist size : 27 inches (68.5 cm) 
• Hip size : 36 inches (91.5 cm) 
• Bra size : 34C

Angelina Jolie Eye Colour:

Angelina Jolie has blue eyes , which are regarded to be among the most attractive in the world. However, other accounts claim that Angelina Jolie eye colour are mostly hidden owing to her predominant use of colored contacts which give her eyes a brighter blue or green .

It’s unclear whether she uses colored contacts on a daily basis.

Angelina Jolie Hair Colour: Dark Brown

Angelina Jolie Nationality : American

Zodiac Sign/Star Sign: Gemini

Known Languages: English

Religion: Christianity

Favorite Foods: Fast Food, Cheerios, and McDonald’s

Favorite Perfume: Carolina Herrera

Favorite Pet: Bulldog

FavouriteTv Series: Animal Planet, and King Of The Hill

Favorite Colour: Black

Favorite Musicians: The Clash, and Matchbox 20

Favorite Book: Vlad The Impaler – In Search Of The Real Dracula by M.J. Trows

Favorite Drink: Tequila

Hobbies: Collecting First Edition Books, and Dagger

Angelina Jolie Net Worth:

Angelina Jolie net worth 2023 is estimated to be at $120 million , according to several sources. This enormous fortune is the result of her diverse career as an actress , director , and humanitarian . Throughout her lengthy career, she has amassed millions of dollars from film earnings, sponsorships, and shrewd investments.

Angelina Jolie net worth reflects not just her exceptional accomplishment in the film world, but also her continuous commitment to humanitarian causes.

However, it’s important to remember that Angelina Jolie net worth 2023 statistics might change over time, impacted by a variety of things such as her job ambitions and investing decisions.

Marital Status:

Angelina Jolie’s marital status has changed multiple times throughout the years.

According to the most recent information, Angelina Jolie is now divorced from actors Jonny Lee Miller , Billy Bob Thornton , and Brad Pitt .

Her first marriage lasted from 1996 to 1999 to Jonny Lee Miller.

From 2000 until 2003 , she was married to Billy Bob Thornton. However, it was Angelina Jolie marriage to Brad Pitt in 2014 that received the most media attention. Unfortunately, in 2019 , that union ended in divorce.

Children: 6

Nationality: American

Angelina Jolie Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California

Currently Living: Mansion Los Feliz, California

Angelina Jolie Controversies

• The relationship of Angelina Jolie with her father Jon Voight, has always remained tainted and hostile. Things took a drastic turn when her father in an interview revealed that he already knew Angelina’s marriage with Billy Bob Thornton would be a disaster. He further went on to say the most appalling thing about his daughter and mentioned that she had serious mental problems and was unfit to raise or adopt a child. Angelina was very disappointed, after hearing such words from her father who said that it would jeopardize the legal procedure of adoption.    
• A news source in 2004 confirmed that Angelina while filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith alongside her dashing superstar Brad Pitt developed an intimate bond. Her strong chemistry and closeness with Brad was the reason which affected his happy married life.

• Brad in 2004, was married to popular actress Jennifer Aniston but soon divorced her in the next year owing to her blooming relationship with Angelina Jolie.
• In 2006 , Angelina and Brad officially confirmed their relationship and soon were expecting their first child as well.
• After Angelina divorced Brad Pitt, all the media personnel stormed to their house to record their statements which led to their split up . Though, both the actors were quiet for some time and refused to say anything.
• Finally, Angelina broke her silence and revealed that he was abusive throughout their marriage and often resorted to violence against their six children. It made her petrified and to ensure the children’s safety she got separated from him.    
• Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were embroiled in a dispute over their French winery in July 2023. According to Jolie’s cross-complaint, Pitt’s behavior was violent before they even boarded the plane, and he had a “confrontation” with their son Maddox . Pitt filed a lawsuit against Jolie in February, saying that she breached his “contractual expectations” by selling her part in their vineyard to Tenute del Mondo.

Interesting Facts about Angelina Jolie

• In her childhood, she was known as Angelina Jolie Voight and her parents both were renowned actors of Hollywood.
• Despite her father being an Academy Award Winner, at her mother’s insistence, she decided to become a model at the age of 11.
• She was bullied and body-shamed in her High School and her classmates also taunted her for not being rich like them.
• After her parent’s divorce, she did not have a healthy and cordial relationship with her father which led her to drop her father’s name and she was further known as Angelina Jolie.
• Jolie’s 1993 film Cyborg 2 was a commercial disaster and everyone doubted her acting skills, but her television portrayal of ‘Cornelia Wallace’ in the two-part miniseries titled George Wallace soon established her on the pedestal of greatness as she bagged the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film.
• Jolie’s other television film Gia turned out to be a critically acclaimed film owing to her versatility and sublime performance, she also received her second Golden Globe Award and was also awarded the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Female Actor – Miniseries or Television Movie.
• Angelina is also a trained , licensed , and passionate pilot, and in 2004 she bought a plane Cirrus SR22-G2, to continue her passion.
• While shooting for her film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in Cambodia, it brought a drastic change inside her, the experience of war and poverty in the country shifted her focus to humanitarian work and she soon contacted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, for their intervention and help.
• She is a phenomenal social activist and has raised numerous issues from child education to cancer awareness for the betterment and welfare of society.
• Jolie’s split from her husband Jonny Lee Miller took a huge toll on her mental health and she suffered a nervous breakdown and had to spend 3 days in a psychiatric ward .
• In 2020, Angelina Jolie was placed at the 99th position by Forbes in its list of the World’s Highest-Paid Celebrities and she was one of the second actresses from Hollywood to feature on that list, the other being Sofia Vergara. The list also featured other decorated celebrities’ names like Kylie Jenner , Jennifer Lopez , and Katy Perry .
• She has always been vocal regarding the noble cause of adoption and with her then-husband, Brad Pitt adopted three children named Maddox, Pax, and  Zahara .
• In an interview, she revealed that she has Bell’s palsy , which has caused one side of her face to droop.
• Apart from Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Eternals where she portrayed the role of ‘Thena’ alongside actors like Don Lee, Harish Patel , Lia McHugh, and Lauren Ridloff. She also reprised the titular role of ‘Maleficent’ in the film ‘Maleficent 3’.
• Jolie has at least 14 tattoos on her body.
• Did you know? Angelina Jolie encourages her children to explore the world and learn various languages

Angelina Jolie Quotes

1. What nourishes me also destroys me .

2. I do believe in the old saying, ‘What does not kill you makes you stronger.’ Our experiences, good and bad, make us who we are. By overcoming difficulties, we gain strength and maturity .

3. Without pain, there would be no suffering, without suffering we would never learn from our mistakes. To make it right, pain and suffering is the key to all windows, without it, there is no way of life.

4. If you don’t get out of the box you’ve been raised in, you won’t understand how much bigger the world is.

5. Our diversity is our strength. What a dull and pointless life it would be if everyone was the same.

6. I’ve been reckless, but I’m not a rebel without a cause.

7. There’s something about death that is comforting. The thought that you could die tomorrow frees you to appreciate your life now.

Angelina Jolie Movies, Television Films, and Music Videos

Awards won by angelina jolie.

Affair/Boyfriend(s) of Angelina Jolie

• Anton Schneider – Angelina Jolie when she was merely 14 years old, fall in love with her friend Anton Schneider. Jolie’s mother Marcheline, was completely happy with her daughter’s decision and even invited Anton to stay with them. But, the teenage love wasn’t strong enough and both had to end their relationship and concentrate on the new adventures of life lies ahead.
• David Mayer de Rothschild – Angelina Jolie was said to be dating David Mayer de Rothschild, a British millionaire, as of March 2023 . They were photographed laughing together in Malibu. It’s unknown if they’re still together or not. She has also been linked to other men, including a billionaire and a real estate agent. Angelina Jolie profile and personal life have received a great deal of attention, and her relationships have been widely watched by the media.

Angelina Jolie Family

Father- Jon Voight

Mother-   Marcheline Bertrand

Brother- James Haven

Ex-husbands: Jonny Lee Miller (m.1996, div.1999), Billy Bob Thornton (m.2000, div.2003), and Brad Pitt (m.2014, div.2019)

Children :  Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Pax Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Knox Jolie-Pitt, and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt

Angelina Jolie Profile on Social Media

Instagram: @angelinajolie

Twitter: @joliestweet

Angelina Jolie Education/Qualification

School: William O. Schaefer School, Tappan, New York, and Beverly Hills High School, Beverly Hills, California

College: Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute

ALSO READ: Eva Mendes Biography

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• Biographies
• Angelina Jolie Biography

Directions for Angelina Jolie’s Biography

Step 1: Listen to the Angelina Jolie Biography  and take notes. Step 2: Read the biography if desired to check your notes or learn more. Step 3: Answer 10 questions and check your answers based on the biography. Step 4: Find the next biography to make practice more.

By following these steps, you can improve your English skills while learning about famous people’s biographies .

Step 1: Listen and take notes

Please push the play button on the audio player and listen to Angelina Jolie’s Biography . When you listen to this audio please take notes on a piece of paper.

Step 2: Read Angelina Jolie’s Biography

Angelina Jolie is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards for her remarkable work in the film industry and for her humanitarian efforts. She was born on June 4, 1975, in Los Angeles, California to Marcheline Bertrand and Jon Voight. From a young age, Angelina was passionate about the arts and found her love for acting at an early age. She began her career as a child actor, appearing in numerous Hollywood movies such as Lookin’ to Get Out (1982) and Cyborg 2 (1993).

In 1998 she gained recognition after playing the titular role in Gia, which earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. This was followed by her performance in the popular film Girl, Interrupted (1999) which won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Subsequently, she starred in a number of blockbuster films such as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), Wanted (2008), Salt (2010), and Maleficent (2014). She earned a second Academy Award nomination for her performance in the film, Changeling (2008).

Here is a list of some notable films in which Angelina Jolie has appeared:

• Girl, Interrupted (1999)
• Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
• A Mighty Heart (2007)
• Changeling (2008)
• Salt (2010)
• Maleficent (2014)
• By the Sea (2015)
• First They Killed My Father (2017)
• Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
• Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
• Eternals (2021)

This is just a selection of Angelina Jolie’s filmography , and she has appeared in many other films throughout her career. Each film showcases her versatility as an actress and her ability to bring compelling characters to life on the screen.

What are Angelina Jolie’s life success milestones?  

Angelina Jolie’s life has been marked by numerous milestones, both in her professional career and personal endeavors. Here are some of her notable life success milestones:

• Acclaimed Acting Career: Angelina Jolie has achieved immense success as an actress, earning critical acclaim and accolades for her performances. Her portrayal of Lisa Rowe in “Girl, Interrupted” (1999) earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, catapulting her to stardom.
• Humanitarian Work: Jolie’s philanthropic efforts have been a significant milestone in her life. She has dedicated herself to various humanitarian causes, including advocating for refugees, promoting education, and combatting global poverty. Her involvement with the United Nations as a Goodwill Ambassador and later as a Special Envoy has further amplified her impact.
• Directorial Debut: Jolie made her directorial debut with the film “In the Land of Blood and Honey” (2011), which explored the Bosnian War. This milestone showcased her multifaceted talents and her commitment to shedding light on important social and historical issues through storytelling.
• Activism and Advocacy: Jolie’s voice has been instrumental in raising awareness about critical issues, such as women’s rights, sexual violence, and the plight of refugees. Her advocacy work, speeches, and influential articles have contributed to meaningful conversations and positive change on a global scale.
• Humanitarian Awards and Recognitions: Jolie’s efforts have been widely recognized and honored. She has received numerous awards for her humanitarian work, including the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, the Global Humanitarian Action Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
• Philanthropic Initiatives: Jolie has established and supported various philanthropic initiatives. She co-founded the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative and the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which focuses on community development, healthcare, and conservation efforts worldwide.
• Global Impact as a Role Model: Angelina Jolie’s influential presence as a role model and advocate has inspired countless individuals around the world. Her commitment to using her platform for positive change and her dedication to empowering marginalized communities have made a lasting impact.
• Personal Growth and Resilience: Throughout her life, Jolie has demonstrated resilience and personal growth, navigating challenges and transforming them into opportunities for self-discovery. Her commitment to her own well-being, as well as her emphasis on family and motherhood, exemplify her strength and determination.

These milestones represent just a glimpse of Angelina Jolie’s extraordinary life achievements. Her unwavering dedication to humanitarian causes, artistic endeavors, and personal growth continue to shape her legacy as a prominent figure in the entertainment industry and a global advocate for positive change.

In recent years, Angelina has become more active in humanitarian work. In 2002 she was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and since then worked to ensure that refugees are protected and provided with necessary aid. She has also been actively involved in global efforts to promote education and healthcare in developing countries.

As her career continues to evolve, Angelina Jolie remains one of the most accomplished actresses and humanitarians of her generation. Her accomplishments have earned her numerous awards and accolades including the Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards. She is an inspiration to many for her courage, resilience, and commitment to making a positive difference in the world.

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