Biography of Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie seemed destined for greatness from birth. Daughter of actor Jon Voight and actress/model Marcheline Bertrand, she was the celebrity birth of her generation. But this early attention did not help her when her parents got divorced. Throughout life, she has often felt awkward and out of place. But in the last few years, as she has ventured into charitable goals, she has seemed to find her place in the world. Here is the fascinating biography of a woman that is a sex symbol, a humanitarian, an actress, and a mother, all rolled into one camera ready package.

As Angelina Jolie grew up, she did not lead the charmed life many people think she had. Her family did not have much money, and as a high school student at Beverly Hills High School, she was expected to dress well no matter who her parents were. As a gangly girl with braces, wearing thrift store clothing, Angelina Jolie was constantly made fun of. Perhaps because Jon Voight was her father, or perhaps because she was just so different from everyone else, they expected her to be something she wasn't. As the world came to find out later, it's difficult to force her to say or do anything she doesn't feel like doing.

Jolie had several unusual experiences in high school, including a live-in boyfriend. At age 16, they broke up, and Jolie got into acting more heavily. Her first role on-stage was as a German dominatrix. But this was not her first brush with sexual activities which many people consider unusual. Jolie engaged in S&M with her live-in boyfriend when they were together, and she still has a light scar from when she asked him to cut her across her chin. This was not the last experience she had with such activities. She has freely admitted to being involved in such activities with both of her husbands and also in a lesbian relationship, and was falsely rumored to have had a sexual relationship with her own brother. Many people were all too ready to believe the rumor, because she had been so open and so bold in her sexual activities.

She began her career in Cyborg 2, although she had previously had small parts in videos, her brother's student films, and her father's films. The movie "Hackers" soon followed, and she married her co-star, Jonny Lee Miller. Because Miller had gained attention in the recent movie "Trainspotting", suddenly, everyone wanted to know who Angelina Jolie was.

Her next notable role was in "George Wallace", a movie about the segregationist Governor of Alabama of the same name. She played his wife, and received rave reviews. But her truly notable breakthrough role came in the HBO movie "Gia". She played the biographical role of Gia Carangi, a drug addicted lesbian model who died of AIDS. Her role earned her a Golden Globe and an Emmy nomination. After winning the Golden Globe for "Gia", her marriage to Jonny Lee Miller broke apart.

Although she gained a lot of attention for "Gia", she really came to the public's attention with the movie "Girl, Interrupted". This was supposed to be a return to glory for former child actress Winona Ryder, but Jolie stole the show. It was on that set where she met her friend and the woman who would become her son's godmother, Jillian Armenante. She won the Oscar for "Girl, Interrupted".

It was during this time that she met Billy Bob Thornton, who she starred with in "Pushing Tin". They married, and continued to shock people with their confessions of odd sexual activities. The marriage lasted for about three years, and supposedly broke up because she became interested in humanitarian work and he wanted to focus on his career. During some of her work as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, Jolie adopted a son named Maddox from Cambodia. Later, she adopted a baby girl named Zaharah Marley from Ethiopia.

Despite a series of movies that did not do well at the box office, people could not get enough of her. This attention only increased when she filmed "Mr. and Mrs. Smith". At this same time, Jolie's co-star, Brad Pitt, saw his marriage to Jennifer Aniston fall apart. Jolie was blamed, and this became even more suspect when the tabloids began printing photos of the two together. Their relationship seemed to quiet Jolie's desire to talk to the press about the most intimate details of her life. Despite Pitt adopting Jolie's two children, they never officially announced that they were a couple until Jolie became pregnant with Pitt's child, Shiloh Nouvel, who was born in Namibia.

Jolie has filmed a movie to be released in 2006, called "The Good Shepherd". This film was directed by Robert DeNiro, and the film is getting Oscar buzz. She is also set to star in "Beowulf", a film which uses the same type animation as 'The Polar Express". She is currently getting a lot of attention in India, where she is filming "A Mighty Heart". This film is based on the story of Mariane Pearl, the wife of slain journalist Daniel Pearl. The tabloids and public are following her so closely that she cannot even take a ride through the streets with her family without causing a commotion.

One of her most famous tattoos says "Quod me nutrit me destruit." This means, "What nourishes me also destroys me." If Jolie can keep from destroying herself, she is destined for a long, illustrious career. Her powerhouse performances have defined acting. If she continues to act for a long time to come, we will be blessed with an actress that is mentioned amongst the greats. If she does not, cinema will suffer for it.