Angelina Jolie is a multi-faceted individual who has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and society at large. Her exceptional acting abilities have allowed her to portray a diverse range of characters, from vulnerable and fragile individuals to passionate and committed activists. Moreover, her personal life with Brad Pitt has been the subject of much speculation and adoration from fans worldwide. Jolie’s latest film, Wanted, showcases her love for adventure and thrill-seeking, which is evident in her choice of roles. She is not afraid to take risks and push herself to her limits, both on and off-screen. In a recent interview with Rich Cohen, Jolie opens up about her unconventional family life, which has been shaped by her own experiences growing up. Jolie speaks candidly about the loss of her mother and the complicated relationship she shares with her father. Despite these challenges, she remains grounded and determined to make the most of every opportunity that comes her way. Additionally, she talks about the sensuality she experienced during her second pregnancy, providing an intimate look into her personal life. Overall, Angelina Jolie is a unique and fascinating individual, whose talent and personality continue to captivate us all.
It’s common knowledge that pregnancy is a special experience that varies from woman to woman. While some women enjoy the transformations their body goes through, others don’t. Angelina Jolie falls into the former category and seemed to embrace every moment of her twin pregnancy in 2008. She was frequently photographed during this time, which led many to speculate that her partner, Brad Pitt, who is undoubtedly easy on the eyes, played a role in her positive attitude towards pregnancy. Regardless, Jolie proudly displayed her growing baby bump that had grown noticeably larger once it made headlines.
She expressed her fondness for it with a cheerful laugh and a wide smile, stating that it makes her feel feminine and imbues every inch of her body with a sense of intention. She demonstrated with hand gestures, akin to a basketball player, pressing down on a ripe fruit. The ability to become more supple and adaptable while carrying a tiny life within is truly an incredible experience.
While conversing at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas, the actress divulged her pregnancy experience and how it varies from woman to woman depending on their partner. Jolie counts herself as fortunate since her partner finds her pregnancy attractive, which boosts her confidence. Before our meeting, Jolie dropped off two of her kids at a nearby school while the remaining four were under the care of nannies and tutors at a rented ranch. These kids are Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh, and Pax, all adopted from different countries. Additionally, Jolie briefly touched on the existential theme of the movie “Tree of Life” and Pitt’s role as a strong father in a nuclear 1950s family.
When I chatted with Jolie, she told me that people can’t stay overnight if they need help from the organization. But, the group works with women from different ethnicities and cultures, like a Vietnamese instructor, a lady from Belgium with Congolese roots, and an imaginative American who organizes art programs. Although their rules may change in the future, the team is doing a great job right now.
The Jolie-Pitt family is defying traditional norms through their unique and unconventional family structure. Their children come from diverse backgrounds, and while Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are not officially married, they possess striking beauty. Despite criticism over their marital status, Jolie emphasizes that both she and Pitt have been down that road before. She also explains that creating a loving family and being exceptional parents requires effort, and perhaps their unorthodox approach is what works best for them. Although they lack a legal marriage certificate, their commitment to each other and their family surpasses any official document or ceremony.
As Jolie arrived at the Four Seasons, she cautiously surveyed the room and kept her head low while making her way across the lobby. She appeared quite accustomed to being in the public eye, but also seemed to feel a sense of unease. Her presence was commanding, almost like an emissary from a secret organization or a messenger from a lost kingdom, as evidenced in every photograph taken of her. Despite often being portrayed as a princess or aristocrat, she exuded a more authentic and relatable persona in person. During our interview in the hotel restaurant, Jolie was surrounded by people, much like debris orbiting a planet, in a phenomenon known as gravity. She donned a silky maternity dress under a blazer that had hints of a stand-up comic or Frankenstein. As we conversed, she removed her jacket to reveal the hieroglyphic tattoos on her arms, which told stories of her past teenage years and marriages to Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton. My curiosity was piqued when I asked about her pregnancy and how far along she was.
With a sad smile, she decided not to disclose the due date to avoid causing any worries. Whenever Pitt or Jolie worked on a movie, they brought their family along and tried to create a familiar routine by carrying items from home. The couple considered cities and towns as mere locations and instead regarded any place that feels like HOME in all caps as their sanctuary. Jolie is an exceptional celebrity who brings her characters’ stories to life, making her a reverse Method actor. She doesn’t become the character; instead, the character becomes her, as seen in her exceptional performances in Girl, Interrupted, Gia, Beyond Borders, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
Angelina Jolie has opened up about her decision to take on a physically demanding and violent role in the action movie Wanted. Jolie was dealing with the difficult loss of her mother at that time and was in a strange state of mind. She had just finished filming a kidnapping movie and was transitioning to another film centered around loss and abduction. This period was particularly busy for Jolie, who was juggling various film projects, adoptions, and philanthropic work, while also facing constant media scrutiny about her personal life. Despite all the attention and pressure, Jolie had established herself as a highly respected actress and one of the industry’s highest-paid stars. Speaking with Jolie in 2008 felt like engaging with an iconic Hollywood figure at the height of their fame.
As we enjoyed a delicious meal together, Jolie exuded a sense of contentment and joy that only pregnancy can bring. We relished each bite as if time had slowed down, savoring the moment. Her laughter was infectious, accompanied by a hand that covered her smile. Occasionally, she would glance out the window with a wistful look in her eye. Our conversation flowed effortlessly, touching on everything from her family to her career, and of course, her relationship with Pitt. Despite her previous vow to marry outside of the entertainment industry, Brad drew her in, even though he wasn’t what she had initially been looking for. He turned out to be the perfect father figure that she had always hoped for. To Jolie, he was more of a passionate architect and traveler than an actor. She had high hopes that he would focus more on architecture, despite not being an architect himself. Brad had previously worked with partners to design hotels and studios, and he also collaborated with other architects to renovate a shotgun house using green architecture, teaching Jolie valuable lessons about the importance of the environment in our homes.
Angelina Jolie recently commented on the rise of paparazzi culture and how people are becoming more fascinated with sensational and scandalous news. She likened consuming these types of stories to indulging in junk food, which may give temporary satisfaction but can be harmful in the long term. In the past, celebrities kept their private lives separate from their professional work, but nowadays, people seem more interested in trivial matters such as fashion and romantic relationships. When asked about parenting, Jolie redirected the conversation to her kids and made a lighthearted joke about using clichéd statements to diffuse sibling arguments.
While chatting with my friend, she shared a parenting technique she had come across in a magazine. The method involved rewarding children with sticker stars that could be traded for treats, not only to control their behavior but to teach them about capitalism. However, she believed her mother’s parenting style was more valuable. Her mother encouraged her to embrace her individuality, something my friend considers essential. She did mention that she could discipline her kids if needed. As adoption was a topic of interest, I asked her if the bond with an adopted child differed from that of a biological one. She didn’t think so, but she did find the experience of having a C-section miraculous, considering her lifelong desire to adopt. She felt lucky to have children from three different continents. When I asked about her first adoption experience, Jolie said it fulfilled her desire to provide a home for a child. Watching her child grow and learn brought her great happiness.
In an interview, Jolie shared her motherhood journey and how it began with the birth of her son Maddox. She recounted the apprehension she felt when a nurse left her alone with Maddox, unsure of how to care for a newborn. Jolie sought guidance from her mother on how many bottles Maddox needed in a day. When Shiloh was born in Namibia, Jolie was pleasantly surprised by the warm and cozy environment of the small hospital where they were the only patients. She disclosed that they named Shiloh after a name her parents had almost given their first child before a miscarriage. Jolie also discussed her religious beliefs and plans to raise her children to learn about different religions and cultures. Throughout the interview, Jolie paid tribute to her mother and the valuable lessons she taught her, including the importance of prioritizing the needs of those being raised.
During a conversation about her mother, Jolie became emotional and had difficulty controlling her voice and tears. She shared how she explained her mother’s passing to her son through various beliefs about the afterlife. Additionally, Jolie took responsibility for organizing the retrieval of her mother’s body from the morgue and expressed gratitude that her mother was no longer in pain. Jolie reflected on her childhood experiences and recalled watching her father portray a character who died in a film, causing her to question the boundary between fiction and reality. In spite of her father’s award-winning movie “Coming Home,” Jolie admitted to never having viewed it.
The way Jolie grew up has played a role in her thoughts on rumors about her involvement in Pitt’s divorce from Aniston. She experienced her father leaving her mother for someone else and has a strained relationship with him, which is significant because he is also an actor. Jolie desires to have a large family, as her parents divorced during her childhood. She believes that artists raise their children differently, emphasizing creativity and art. Though some of her earlier film roles were not great, her acting talent stood out, including meeting her first husband in Hackers and playing a lesbian in Gia. Her relationship with Pitt was solidified in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, which may have contributed to his split from Aniston and exposed the facade of movie stars pretending to be ordinary people.
Meeting Jolie at the historic Hay-Adams hotel in Washington, D.C. was a memorable experience. During her stay, she presented an award to Mariane Pearl and gave a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations. Over dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, we talked about her involvement with refugees, which started when she traveled to Cambodia while filming “Tomb Raider.” Witnessing the struggles of landmine victims inspired her to become passionate about global issues and take trips to countries like Pakistan and Sierra Leone with the U.N. I was curious about whether Jolie’s philanthropic work consumed her life and if Brad Pitt merely followed along. However, she explained that they both shared common goals and supported each other in their respective areas of interest. They were both passionate about making a difference in the world, particularly when it came to orphanages, orphan rights, and children. This shared passion was what strengthened their relationship. Our conversation also touched upon the topic of paparazzi and tabloid stories. Jolie did not indulge in such stories because she had friends who could be the subject of those tales, and she did not want to read negative false stories about them. She believed that over 95% of what was said about celebrities was entirely untrue. As our conversation drew to a close, I could feel Jolie’s genuine commitment to helping others, and I left feeling inspired by her passion for making a positive impact on the world.