Brief Introduction of Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian renowned for her captivating performances in a range of critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. She is widely recognized for her edgy and powerful on-screen presence, which has solidified her status as a Hollywood icon. Beyond her cinematic achievements, Jolie is a dedicated philanthropist and a prominent advocate for human rights, particularly focusing on the plight of refugees. Her extensive work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has taken her to numerous conflict zones worldwide, amplifying her influence as a global humanitarian.
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Angelina Jolie Overview
| Full Name | Angelina Jolie Voight |
| Date of Birth | June 4, 1975 |
| Age | 50 (as of June 2025) |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Family | Jon Voight (father), Marcheline Bertrand (mother), James Haven (brother) |
| Height | 5 ft 6.5 in (1.69 m) |
| Profession | Actress, Filmmaker, Humanitarian |
| Net Worth | Estimated $120 million (as of 2025) |
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Early Life and Education of Angelina Jolie
Born in Los Angeles, California, to actors Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand, Angelina Jolie was introduced to the world of cinema from a young age. Following her parents’ separation in 1976, Jolie and her brother, James Haven, were raised primarily by their mother, who sacrificed her own acting ambitions to nurture her children. Her childhood was split between New York and Los Angeles; she moved to Palisades, New York, at age six with her mother and returned to Los Angeles five years later.
Jolie’s formal training in acting began at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, where she studied for two years. She later enrolled at Beverly Hills High School, where she reportedly felt like an outsider among the affluent students. Teased for her thin frame, glasses, and braces, she transferred to Moreno High School, an alternative institution. During this period, she embraced a “punk outsider” persona, characterized by all-black attire and a rebellious spirit. Despite these challenges, her interest in acting, sparked by watching films with her mother rather than her father’s fame, continued to grow. At 16, after a period of aspiring to be a funeral director, she graduated from high school and returned to her theater studies.
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Angelina Jolie’s Career
Early Career and Breakthrough
Angelina Jolie’s professional acting career began in her late teens, initially finding it difficult to secure roles and often being told her demeanor was “too dark.” She appeared in several of her brother’s student films and music videos for artists like Lenny Kravitz and Meat Loaf. Her first leading role was in the low-budget science-fiction sequel Cyborg 2 (1993), a film that left her so disheartened she didn’t audition for another year.
Her career trajectory shifted with her role in the 1995 film Hackers, which has since become a cult classic. However, it was her performances in television films that garnered significant critical acclaim. She won a Golden Globe Award for her portrayal of Cornelia Wallace in George Wallace (1997). Her role as the troubled supermodel Gia Carangi in the 1998 HBO film Gia earned her another Golden Globe and established her as a serious actress. This was followed by her Academy Award-winning performance as a sociopathic mental patient in Girl, Interrupted (1999), which solidified her position in Hollywood.
Rise to International Stardom
The early 2000s saw Angelina Jolie become a global superstar, largely due to her role as the iconic video game heroine Lara Croft in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001). The film’s success established her as a leading action star. She continued to star in a string of successful films, including the action-comedy Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) alongside Brad Pitt, the action-thrillers Wanted (2008) and Salt (2010), and the critically acclaimed drama A Mighty Heart (2007).
Directing and Recent Work
In the 2010s, Jolie expanded her career to include directing. She made her feature directorial debut with In the Land of Blood and Honey (2011), a love story set during the Bosnian War. She followed this with the World War II drama Unbroken (2014) and First They Killed My Father (2017), a powerful adaptation of Loung Ung’s memoir about the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.
Her acting work continued with the immensely successful Disney film Maleficent (2014), where she played the titular anti-heroine, a role she reprised in the 2019 sequel. She also joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thena in Eternals (2021). Her most recent project is the biopic Maria, in which she portrays the legendary opera singer Maria Callas.
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Angelina Jolie Personal Life & Family
Angelina Jolie’s personal life has often been the subject of public interest. She has been married three times, to actors Jonny Lee Miller (1996-1999), Billy Bob Thornton (2000-2003), and Brad Pitt (2014-2016). Her relationship with Brad Pitt, dubbed “Brangelina” by the media, was one of Hollywood’s most high-profile romances. The couple’s divorce was finalized in 2024 after a lengthy legal battle.
Jolie is a mother to six children. She has three adopted children: Maddox Chivan from Cambodia, Zahara Marley from Ethiopia, and Pax Thien from Vietnam. She also has three biological children with Brad Pitt: Shiloh Nouvel, and twins Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline. Motherhood has been a transformative experience for Jolie, and she has expressed that her focus has shifted towards her children as they have grown older.
Jolie holds dual citizenship in the United States and Cambodia. She has been open about her health, including her decision to undergo a preventive double mastectomy in 2013 after discovering she carried the BRCA1 gene, which significantly increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
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Awards and Achievements of Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie has received numerous accolades throughout her career, recognizing both her acting prowess and her humanitarian efforts. A selection of her most notable awards includes:
- Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress for Girl, Interrupted (1999) and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (2013).
- Golden Globe Awards: Three wins for George Wallace (1997), Gia (1998), and Girl, Interrupted (1999).
- Screen Actors Guild Awards: Two wins for Gia (1998) and Girl, Interrupted (1999).
- Tony Awards: Best Musical for producing The Outsiders (2024).
She has also received an honorary damehood from the British government in recognition of her work to combat sexual violence in conflict zones.
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Angelina Jolie Net Worth and Income
As of 2025, Angelina Jolie’s net worth is estimated to be around $120 million. She has consistently been one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actresses, commanding salaries of up to $20 million per film. Her earnings come from a variety of sources, including her acting roles, directing projects, and endorsements. For her role in Marvel’s Eternals, she reportedly earned over $35 million, and she received a substantial payday for the Maleficent films. From 2001 to 2011 alone, her acting work is reported to have accumulated over $120 million.
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Legacy and Influence
Angelina Jolie’s impact extends far beyond the silver screen. She is a globally recognized humanitarian who has used her platform to advocate for numerous causes, including conservation, education, and women’s rights.
Humanitarian Work
Jolie’s dedication to humanitarian causes began in earnest after filming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in Cambodia. In 2001, she was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and was later promoted to the role of Special Envoy. She has undertaken over 60 field missions to refugee camps and war zones to raise awareness and lobby for international support.
She co-founded the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) with former UK Foreign Secretary William Hague in 2012, aiming to end the use of rape as a weapon of war. Jolie has also established several charitable foundations, including the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation for conservation and rural development in Cambodia, and the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which has donated millions to various causes. She is also a vocal advocate for children’s education and the rights of child immigrants.
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Interesting Facts about Angelina Jolie
- Before her acting career took off, a teenage Angelina Jolie had aspirations of becoming a funeral director and even took at-home courses in embalming.
- She has a fascination with knives and has been collecting them since she was a child.
- Jolie is a licensed pilot, having been inspired by her son Maddox’s interest in planes.
- She has numerous tattoos, including the geographical coordinates of the birthplaces of her children.
- Jolie has performed many of her own stunts in her action films, including the Lara Croft and Salt series.
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Social Media Presence
Angelina Jolie maintains a significant online presence, primarily through her official Instagram account. While she does not have public Twitter or YouTube channels, her Instagram serves as a platform to share her humanitarian work and other personal and professional updates with millions of followers.
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Final Words about Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie’s career is a testament to her versatility as an artist and her unwavering commitment to making a positive impact on the world. From her early days as a “punk outsider” to becoming one of Hollywood’s most respected and influential figures, her journey has been one of transformation and purpose. As she continues to take on challenging roles and dedicate her time to humanitarian efforts, her legacy as both a celebrated actress and a powerful force for global change is secure. Her future plans include continuing her directorial work and focusing on her family, ensuring that her influence will be felt for generations to come.