Who Is Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie (born Angelina Jolie Voight; Los Angeles, June 4, 1975) is an American actress, director, screenwriter, producer and humanitarian. She is the recipient of an Academy Award, a Tony Award and three Golden Globe Awards. Films in which she has appeared have grossed more than $6.9 billion worldwide.

She first drew wide attention through the television films “George Wallace” and “Gia.” She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the drama “Girl, Interrupted.” Her portrayal of Lara Croft in “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” brought her worldwide fame, and “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” “Wanted,” “Salt” and “Maleficent” confirmed her status as an action and fantasy star.

Beyond cinema, she is known for decades of humanitarian work. She served as Special Envoy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), directed war dramas and campaigned against sexual violence in conflict. This biography follows her path from a childhood in Los Angeles to her role as Maria Callas in the film “Maria.”

Early Life and Childhood

Family and Background

Angelina Jolie Voight was born on June 4, 1975, at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, into a family of actors. Her father is Jon Voight and her mother was Marcheline Bertrand, an actress and former model. She has an older brother, the actor James Haven.

On her father’s side, she is related to the musician Chip Taylor and the volcanologist Barry Voight. Her godparents are the actors Jacqueline Bisset and Maximilian Schell. She has Slovak ancestry through her father, and Dutch and Canadian ancestry through her mother.

Her relationship with her father was strained for many years. Jon Voight left the family when she was young, and on September 12, 2002, she was legally granted the right to drop the surname Voight and keep the name under which she already performed. Her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died of ovarian cancer on January 27, 2007. After her death, Jolie and her father gradually rebuilt contact, which they confirmed publicly three years later.

Childhood in New York and Los Angeles

Her parents separated in 1976. Angelina and her brother lived with their mother, who gave up her acting ambitions to raise them. When Angelina was six, her mother and her partner, the filmmaker Bill Day, moved the family to Palisades, New York. They returned to Los Angeles five years later.

She first appeared on screen in 1982 in “Lookin’ to Get Out,” in which her father also acted. Her interest in acting grew mostly through her mother, with whom she often watched films. Her teenage years were difficult, and she later spoke about that period in interviews. Stability, as she described it, came only after she became a mother.

Education

After returning to Los Angeles, Angelina enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, where she studied acting for two years and appeared in several stage productions. She later joined the Met Theatre Group in Los Angeles.

She began regular schooling at Beverly Hills High School, where she felt isolated among the children of wealthier families. She then moved to an alternative school, Moreno High School. She graduated at 16, rented her own apartment and returned to theater studies.

After filming “Gia,” she paused acting for a time and moved to New York, where she took evening courses at New York University. Sources differ: some say she studied directing and screenwriting, others say drama.

Early Career

At 16, she decided to pursue acting professionally. At first she struggled through auditions, as directors often judged her presence to be too dark. She acted in five of her brother’s student films, made while he studied at the University of Southern California (USC), and in music videos, including those for Lenny Kravitz and Meat Loaf.

Her first professional film role came in 1993 in the science-fiction sequel “Cyborg 2,” which was released straight to video. She was so disappointed with the film that she did not audition again for a year. She landed her first major studio role in 1995 in “Hackers,” in which she acted alongside Jonny Lee Miller. The film was not a box-office success but later gained a cult following.

Roles in “Love Is All There Is,” “Mojave Moon” and “Foxfire” followed in 1996. In 1997 she starred in the thriller “Playing God” with David Duchovny and appeared in the miniseries “True Women.” She also featured in the Rolling Stones video for “Anybody Seen My Baby?”

Rise to Fame

Golden Globes and the Oscar

The turning point was the television film “George Wallace” (1997), in which she played Cornelia Wallace, the second wife of Governor George Wallace, portrayed by Gary Sinise. The role earned her her first Golden Globe and an Emmy nomination.

The following year she played supermodel Gia Carangi in HBO’s “Gia.” Her performance was intense and unvarnished, and she won a second Golden Globe and her first Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award, along with another Emmy nomination.

In 1998 she appeared in the ensemble film “Playing by Heart” with Sean Connery and Gillian Anderson. The next year she acted in “Pushing Tin” and “The Bone Collector,” the latter alongside Denzel Washington.

The peak of this phase was her role as Lisa Rowe in James Mangold’s drama “Girl, Interrupted” (1999), based on the memoir by Susanna Kaysen. Acting alongside Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie won the Golden Globe, the SAG Award and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Lara Croft and Worldwide Stardom

In 2000 she appeared in the action film “Gone in 60 Seconds” with Nicolas Cage, which became her most commercially successful film to that point. She gained global fame as the archaeologist and adventurer Lara Croft in “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” (2001), based on the popular video game. For the role she learned a British accent and underwent intensive martial-arts training. The film earned about $274.7 million, and its 2003 sequel, “The Cradle of Life,” did well too.

After a run of less successful films, among them “Original Sin” with Antonio Banderas, she staged a major comeback in 2005. In the action comedy “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” she starred alongside Brad Pitt, and the film grossed about $478.2 million worldwide. During this period she ranked among Hollywood’s highest-paid actresses.

Greatest Achievements

Acting Highlights

Critics widely praised her performance as Mariane Pearl in the drama “A Mighty Heart” (2007), which earned Golden Globe and SAG nominations. In 2008 she appeared in the action film “Wanted” and in Clint Eastwood’s drama “Changeling,” for which she received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award, the Golden Globe and the SAG Award. In the animated “Kung Fu Panda” franchise she voiced Tigress.

The thriller “Salt” (2010) earned about $293.5 million. The part was originally written for a man and was changed when Angelina Jolie was suggested for the lead. Her biggest commercial hit came with “Maleficent” (2014), which grossed about $757.8 million, followed by “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” (2019) with about $490 million. In 2021 she played Thena in Marvel’s “Eternals.”

One of her most admired recent roles is Maria Callas in “Maria” (2024) by Chilean director Pablo Larraín, which follows the opera singer’s final days. The film premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, and Angelina Jolie received a Golden Globe nomination for it. To prepare, she took singing lessons and learned famous arias.

Directing and Producing

She made her directing debut with the documentary “A Place in Time” (2007). Her first narrative feature, “In the Land of Blood and Honey” (2011), tells a love story between a Serb soldier and a Bosniak prisoner during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992–1995). She cast only actors from the former Yugoslavia, among them Goran Kostić and Zana Marjanović. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and Sarajevo named her an honorary citizen.

It was followed by “Unbroken” (2014), about the Olympian Louis Zamperini, with a screenplay by the Coen brothers; the drama “By the Sea” (2015), in which she acted alongside Brad Pitt; and “First They Killed My Father” (2017), about the Khmer Rouge era in Cambodia, which she wrote with Loung Ung. Her most recent directing credit is “Without Blood” (2024), based on the novel by Alessandro Baricco, starring Salma Hayek and Demián Bichir.

As a producer, she was part of the team behind the Broadway musical “The Outsiders,” which won the Tony Award for Best Musical on June 16, 2024, her first Tony.

Humanitarian Work

UNHCR Special Envoy

Her first exposure to humanitarian crises came while filming “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” in Cambodia. After returning, she contacted UNHCR, and in February 2001 she set out on her first mission, an 18-day visit to Sierra Leone and Tanzania. She donated one million dollars for refugees in Pakistan, then the largest donation UNHCR had received from an individual. She was named a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador on August 27, 2001, in Geneva.

Over the next decade she undertook more than 40 field missions in more than 30 countries, including Darfur, the Syria–Iraq border and Kabul. She covered all her own travel costs. She described her experiences in the book “Notes from My Travels” (2003). On April 17, 2012, she was promoted to Special Envoy of High Commissioner António Guterres, the first such post in the organization, with the authority to represent UNHCR at the diplomatic level. She continued under his successor, Filippo Grandi.

She stepped down from this position in December 2022, pledging to keep advocating for refugees. She visited Ukraine in 2022 and, in November 2025, schools and medical centers in Kherson and Mykolaiv. After Israel’s military operations in Gaza in 2023, she publicly called for a humanitarian ceasefire, and on January 2, 2026, she visited the Rafah border crossing in Egypt to assess the delivery of aid.

Foundations, Education and the Fight Against Sexual Violence

In 2003 she bought a house in Cambodia’s Battambang province and turned the protected land into a wildlife reserve, which grew into the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation. Later, together with the economist Jeffrey Sachs, she set up Asia’s first Millennium Village. In Namibia in 2010 she established the Shiloh Jolie-Pitt Foundation to support conservation.

She funded girls’ schools in Kenya and Afghanistan, co-chaired the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict (2007) and, from 2008, the legal-aid network KIND for unaccompanied child migrants. She also helped launch the Malala Fund of Malala Yousafzai, with a personal donation of more than $200,000.

In May 2012 she launched the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative with British Foreign Secretary William Hague. In June 2014 she co-chaired the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, whose protocol was endorsed by 151 countries. In 2016 she became a visiting professor at the London School of Economics (LSE), and in 2021 she published a children’s rights book with Amnesty International.

Personal Life

Marriages and Relationships

She had her first serious relationship at 14. She first married in March 1996, to the actor Jonny Lee Miller, whom she met on the set of “Hackers.” She initiated the divorce in February 1999, and it was finalized in 2000. On May 5, 2000, she married the actor Billy Bob Thornton in Las Vegas. They divorced on May 27, 2003.

She grew close to Brad Pitt while filming “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” in 2005. The public was consumed by claims that she was the reason for his divorce from Jennifer Aniston, which Angelina Jolie denied. She confirmed her pregnancy in January 2006. They became engaged in April 2012 and legally married on August 14, 2014, with a celebration on August 23 at Château Miraval in France. She then began using the name Angelina Jolie Pitt.

The couple separated on September 15, 2016, and Angelina filed for divorce on September 19 citing irreconcilable differences. By some accounts they were legally single on April 12, 2019, while their lawyers announced a divorce settlement on December 30, 2024. Sources differ on the year, as 2019 marked the end of their marital status and 2024 the agreement. A separate lawsuit concerns the sale of her stake in the Miraval winery. In court filings, Angelina also made claims about an incident on a 2016 flight, which are part of the legal proceedings.

Children

Angelina Jolie has six children. Her first child, Maddox Chivan, was born on August 5, 2001, in Cambodia, and she adopted him on March 10, 2002, from an orphanage in Battambang. Zahara Marley, born on January 8, 2005, in Ethiopia, was adopted on July 6, 2005, in Addis Ababa. Pax Thien, born on November 29, 2003, in Vietnam, was adopted on March 15, 2007, in Ho Chi Minh City.

She gave birth to her daughter Shiloh Nouvel on May 27, 2006, in Namibia. She gave birth to the twins Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline in July 2008 in Nice. The children received the surname Jolie-Pitt in 2006, and Pitt adopted Maddox, Zahara and Pax. Some of the children later requested a change of surname.

Health and Public Advocacy

On February 16, 2013, Angelina Jolie underwent a preventive double mastectomy after learning that a BRCA1 gene mutation gave her an 87 percent risk of breast cancer. She wrote about it in an essay, “My Medical Choice,” in The New York Times on May 14, 2013. In March 2015 she had a preventive removal of her ovaries and fallopian tubes, which she also discussed publicly.

Her openness in the media was dubbed “the Angelina Effect” and led to a significant rise in BRCA testing in many countries.

Interesting Facts

• She officially dropped the surname Voight on September 12, 2002.
• In her youth she considered becoming a funeral director and took courses at home.
• She earned her pilot’s license in 2004, and by 2014 she owned a Cirrus SR22 and a Cessna 208 Caravan.
• She received Cambodian citizenship in 2005 through a royal decree by King Norodom Sihamoni.
• A species of spider has been named after her: Aptostichus angelinajolieae.
• Her 2011 deal with Louis Vuitton was reportedly worth about $10 million, a record at the time for a single ad campaign.
• She donated the proceeds from the first photographs of her children, sold to magazines, to charity.
• A YouGov survey named her the most admired woman in the world in 2015 and 2016.
• She officially joined Instagram in August 2021 with a letter from a girl in Afghanistan and gained millions of followers within hours.
• She announced a fashion venture, Atelier Jolie, built on sustainability and collaboration with artisans.

Awards and Honors

Angelina Jolie has won two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, two SAG Awards and a Tony Award, with nominations for two BAFTA Awards and two Emmy Awards. Her most important honors include:

• The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for “Girl, Interrupted” (2000).
• Golden Globes for her supporting performance in “George Wallace” (1998), for “Gia” (1999) and for “Girl, Interrupted” (2000).
• SAG Awards for “Gia” (1999) and “Girl, Interrupted” (2000).
• An Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for “Changeling” (2008).
• The honorary Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy, November 2013.
• Honorary Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (DCMG), June 2014.
• The International Rescue Committee’s Freedom Award (2007).
• The Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer of “The Outsiders” (2024).

She is an honorary citizen of Sarajevo for helping raise awareness of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Legacy and Influence

Angelina Jolie is one of the few Hollywood stars whose public image traveled from rebellious young actress to global humanitarian face. Media have repeatedly called her one of the most influential women in entertainment, and Forbes named her the most powerful celebrity in 2009. She was Hollywood’s highest-paid actress in 2009, 2011 and 2013.

Her openness about her health changed how genetic testing is discussed publicly. Her advocacy for refugees and survivors of sexual violence influenced political initiatives and gave them international visibility. As a director she also holds a notable place, having brought films about the wars in Bosnia and Cambodia to audiences worldwide.

In a January 2025 interview, she said she would like to be remembered as a good mother and as someone who believes in equality and human rights.

Biography – Frequently Asked Questions

When and where was Angelina Jolie born?

Angelina Jolie was born on June 4, 1975, at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California.

Which film won Angelina Jolie an Oscar?

She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing Lisa Rowe in the 1999 drama “Girl, Interrupted,” receiving the award in 2000.

How many children does Angelina Jolie have?

She has six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne. Three were adopted and three were born to her.

Who has Angelina Jolie been married to?

She was married to the actor Jonny Lee Miller (1996–2000), the actor Billy Bob Thornton (2000–2003) and the actor Brad Pitt (2014–2019). She was in a relationship with Brad Pitt from 2005.

Why did Angelina Jolie have preventive surgeries?

A BRCA1 gene mutation gave her a high risk of breast and ovarian cancer. In 2013 she had a preventive mastectomy, and in 2015 a preventive removal of her ovaries and fallopian tubes.

What does Angelina Jolie do besides acting?

She directs, writes and produces, and she long served as a Goodwill Ambassador and Special Envoy for UNHCR. She has also launched foundations, educational projects and the fashion venture Atelier Jolie.

Which films has Angelina Jolie directed?

She has directed “In the Land of Blood and Honey” (2011), “Unbroken” (2014), “By the Sea” (2015), “First They Killed My Father” (2017) and “Without Blood” (2024).

What is her best-known recent film?

One of her most notable recent films is “Maria” (2024), in which she plays the opera singer Maria Callas, directed by Pablo Larraín. It premiered in Venice.

How tall is Angelina Jolie?

According to most sources she is about 170 cm tall, or five feet seven inches.

Conclusion

Angelina Jolie is among today’s best-known actresses. From early roles in low-budget films she reached an Oscar, worldwide fame as Lara Croft and major commercial hits, and then moved on to directing and producing. At the same time, for more than two decades she worked for refugees, fought against sexual violence in war and spoke openly about health. Her biography therefore covers not only a film career but also lasting public influence.