I figured that when the time came, Angelina Jolie would give her story to either Vogue or Vanity Fair. I was right! Jolie covers the September issue of Vanity Fair, exactly 12 years after Jennifer Aniston got her own September VF cover after divorcing Brad Pitt. Unlike the other ex-wife, Jolie isn’t playing the victim card. She does not want your sympathy. She does not want you to feel sorry for her. She knows she’s unconventional and her life isn’t like yours. She has a Rottweiler named Dusty. She bought a $25 million home without blinking. And she’s not here to make Brad sound more appealing. You can read the full VF piece here. Some highlights:
She doesn’t decorate: “I didn’t even know I needed ‘throw pillows.’ ” Decorating, house stuff, “that was always Brad’s thing.”
Life as a single mom: “It’s just been the hardest time, and we’re just kind of coming up for air. [This house] is a big jump forward for us, and we’re all trying to do our best to heal our family.”
The Summer of 2016: “Things got bad… I didn’t want to use that word. . . . Things became ‘difficult.’ ” There has been Hollywood talk that their lifestyle had taken its toll on Pitt, and that he was craving a more stable, normal life for the whole family. When I bring this question up to her, it’s the one moment when Jolie becomes a bit defensive. “[Our lifestyle] was not in any way a negative,” she says quickly, adamantly. “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.”
The kids have been brave: “They’ve been very brave. They were very brave.” Brave when? “In times they needed to be.” Other statements are similarly cryptic. “We’re all just healing from the events that led to the filing . . . They’re not healing from divorce. They’re healing from some . . . from life, from things in life.”
Her relationship with Brad now: “We care for each other and care about our family, and we are both working towards the same goal…. I was very worried about my mother, growing up—a lot. I do not want my children to be worried about me. I think it’s very important to cry in the shower and not in front of them. They need to know that everything’s going to be all right even when you’re not sure it is.”
She started going through menopause in 2015: Last year, in addition to hypertension, Jolie developed Bell’s palsy, a result of damage to facial nerves, causing one side of her face to droop. “Sometimes women in families put themselves last,” she says, “until it manifests itself in their own health.” Jolie credits acupuncture for her full recovery from the condition. Lately, her skin has become drier, she reports, and she has extra gray hairs. She quips, “I can’t tell if it’s menopause or if it’s just been the year I’ve had.”
She doesn’t think she’s a sex symbol anymore: The idea that she could still be anyone’s idea of a sex symbol is laughable to her. But she says, “I actually feel more of a woman because I feel like I’m being smart about my choices, and I’m putting my family first, and I’m in charge of my life and my health. I think that’s what makes a woman complete.”
Cooking classes: “I’m just wanting to make the proper breakfast and keep the house. That’s my passion. At the request of my kids, I’m taking cooking classes. As I go to sleep at night, I think, Did I do a great job as a mom or was that an average day?”
The traveling life: “I’m conscious that the boys are teenage boys, and maybe they’d rather be watching TV with their friends, and they’ve been to Africa, and they may not be as excited as the little ones. But they don’t really challenge me. They just kind of sit on the edge of my bed and say, ‘What are we going to do there?’ ” She assured them that she’d planned fun activities for them, like sandboarding. In any case, “they know that it’s important, and they know that Mom thinks that it’s going to be important when they’re older.”
The nomadic lifestyle: “I never woke up and thought, I really want to live a bold life. I just can’t do the other. It’s the same as I can’t make a casserole. I cannot sit still. I’ve been trying for nine months to be really good at just being a homemaker and picking up dog poop and cleaning dishes and reading bedtime stories. And I’m getting better at all three. But now I need to get my boots on and go hang, take a trip.” She believes that her personal will is infectious. The other day she made some joke to Knox along the lines of “Pretend to be normal.” “He said, ‘Who wants to be normal? We’re not normal. Let’s never be normal.’ Thank you—yes! We’re not normal. Let’s embrace being not normal!”
At one point, Jolie is asked about Brad’s GQ Style interview and she said it didn’t surprise her and VF notes that Jolie seemed “unmoved.” As in, she’s not here to find anything sympathetic with or about Brad and his situation. I suspect she wasn’t even buying his therapy-talk about mea culpas, because it sounds like she’s still pretty f–king angry with him.
Also: as I always suspected, Zahara is in charge of everything. Jolie calls Zahara “Zaz” and “the rock” of the family, and Zahara seems to take it on herself to keep up with her siblings’ activities and inform her mom where everyone is and what they’re doing. Zahara needs to be put in charge of decorating the house. I bet it was Zaz’s idea for mom to take cooking lessons too.
Update: I didn’t excerpt anything from the interview which was about her movie, because I was mostly interested in the stuff about Brad and her kids. I’ll do another post about the child actors.
Photos courtesy of Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott/Vanity Fair.
This is great and all…and I’m happy shes able to do this but I’m actually shocked that the media isn’t talking more about how she cast her lead. To treat children in that manner, let alone impoverished children the way she did, is messed up. And it shouldn’t be brushed under the rug because she is Angelina Jolie and this is Hollywood.
!!!!!!!!! you beat me to this. I just read it and was appalled. I am definitely not going to see this movie.
“Going to see it”? You know it’s a Netflix release right?
…so? I am not going to watch it on Netflix. let’s not get hung up on technicalities.
The casting director did that not her as she is not responsible the casting of actors, you’re barking the wrong tree here.
Bullshit. She is the director. She is involved.
Oh come on, it’s her movie. She SAW it happening. She could have – should have! – stopped it.
Angelina Jolie was a part of casting her movie. She was just as involved in the method as the casting directors. And hypothetically lets say she wasn’t, she knew about it and allowed it to happen. I’m not barking up the wrong tree.
Then you are all out of touch if you can’t understand how acting methods work.
Nah boo. We know how acting methods work. Just because this is how Hollywood casts children in their movie, doesn’t make it right.
When you’re a powerful part of the machine, it is your moral responsibility to stop this from happening. I don’t believe that Angelina had zero sway here.
It’s cruel, and it speaks of privilege. Angelina has done a lot of good for the suffering, but at the end of the day she is still a wealthy white woman who gets to go back to a warm, luxurious, comfortable home after the day among the “mud” is done.
And this anecdote illustrated it in a grotesque fashion. I’m surprised it was allowed to be printed.
As director and EP this is on her. But let’s assume the casting director did it on their own, why is she so casually discussing it in a fluff piece as if it were a good thing? If this was solely her casting director, the story should be about how she fired him for that casting exercise
@Miles – EXACTLY. And there is a huge difference between sheltered first world kids who are getting cast in Hollywood and extremely traumatized children they found in circuses, orphanages and slum schools in Cambodia. These kids probably didn’t have the first idea about what a casting was.
Doesn’t matter. If she approved it and became aware of it, but did nothing to stop it, she takes part of the responsibility for exploiting impoverished children. No excuses. She’s an adult.
Fa. This story was part of HER interview. It’s not some horror dug up to pin on her. She’s the one giving out this information.
Agreed. And especially for a woman who works with refugees and SEES the state of the world? I don’t give any shits about what she thinks about Brad or her vague allusions to what happened, I want to know why she thought she could treat CHILDREN the way she did. I think less of her after that story.
I totally agree. That was emotional torture for all the children that ‘auditioned’ – and the one with the most trauma ‘won’ the part. Sick.
Miles, I couldn’t agree more. This should not go unnoticed – I read the interview this morning, and it just stood out as something very troubling. The Cut at NY Mag already has a post about it.
Yep. And I just saw that Pajiba has, too.
WHAT? What did she do?
Oh I just heard . That wasn’t cool but of course some fans will defend that.
THIS. It was all over my Facebook but the media (like this article) isn’t mentioning one thing about it. So disturbing
Yes. Thats some messed up method casting for adults let alone a child. The whole profile felt very staged to showcase motherhood and relatable domesticity which is why that part shocked me. Did no one behind the scenes realise that this anecdote is extremely problematic? And was Netflix aware of this process? Cambodia may not have the same child actor protections Hollywood has but a studio can surely put their foot down on stuff like this.
Am relieved so many people SEE it is wrong. Thank you.
why wasn’t any of that mentioned in this post? just because it’s angie, i guess. we can’t say anything bad about at angie!
As Kaiser said in the story you just read, she will be doing a separate post about it, and it’s up.
Great article Angie. People thought you were gonna spill your guts like Pitt for some pity party but you didn’t. I think she has matured a lot. She has a lot on her hands and the media and people sit back and wait for something to criticize. She is money for that reason. All the talking he did and she said very few words but her tone summed up everything. I agree that he has her gagged and it’s unfortunate because people will never know why she filed but anyhoo keep ya head up and take control of that hypertension it will kill you if not handled. You got it tho. I would have had a stroke if I went through all that shite storm. Yet some of you come up i here and post the same ole crap and want to talk about kids in Cambodia you give not one darn about. Only because she said something you can find a way to knit pick.
Wow. You really don’t care about the children at all, do you? If you did, you wouldn’t be defending her lack of compassion for them in the casting process.
Really, there’s a lot of concern trolling going on.
The same posts that attempt to express neutrality about Jolie,even as they excoriate her for her casting game with her child actors in no less than 6 or 7 posts, will turn around and snark that no one sees her movies anyway, in a cutting post.
Which actually isn’t true as her last wide releasing directorial film(Unbroken) and acted film (Maleficent) which she was paid 20 mil plus backend and will be filming the sequel as well) averaged 700 million and almost 200mil into 2015.
Yes her 25 theater small releases – art house picks don’t break the bank. But whose does?
Hopefully the children were compensated after their audition? For all the work she’s done on behalf of refugees, I can’t believe she would let this fly without some sort of financial benefit to them. There has to be more to the story…
It was cruel and way too psychological a test for youngsters, even if they said they knew what was happening. And I don’t believe a word that comes out of her mouth. Single mom? Don’t think so. PLENTY of help there and millions of dollars. Learning to cook? What, private chef comes over in your massive kitchen? I’m over this diva throwing smoke screens at how she is ‘healing.’
I was much more disturbed by the anecdote about the Cambodian passersby who didn’t know a movie was being made and thought the Khmer Rouge had returned. The few minutes of anguish those children experienced while auditioning is nothing against what Pol Pot handed out and what those adults would have been reminded of when they saw the uniforms. Year Zero, anyone?
Never mind her relationship to Pitt and whatnot – I found the description of how she did the casting for her movie extremely disturbing:
“To cast the children in the film, Jolie looked at orphanages, circuses, and slum schools, specifically seeking children who had experienced hardship. In order to find their lead, to play young Loung Ung, the casting directors set up a game, rather disturbing in its realism: they put money on the table and asked the child to think of something she needed the money for, and then to snatch it away. The director would pretend to catch the child, and the child would have to come up with a lie. “Srey Moch [the girl ultimately chosen for the part] was the only child that stared at the money for a very, very long time,” Jolie says. “When she was forced to give it back, she became overwhelmed with emotion. All these different things came flooding back.” Jolie then tears up. “When she was asked later what the money was for, she said her grandfather had died, and they didn’t have enough money for a nice funeral.””
This sounds extremely manipulative, boderline abusive to these little children.
Really? And how would you construct a test to find a five or a six year old child actor to be a star in extremely hard and emotional movie? How do you think directors extract emotions from kids in the movies? People who think this game is disturbing must have grown up in an extremely sheltered and protected environment and have never spent summer playing with children on city streets.
That’s what I said some people don’t understand how acting methods work.
Playing mind games with impoverished 5 year olds is just cruel. It sounds as though the casting team treated them like toys/props instead of actual human beings with real feelings. That casting process was a major fail on Angelina’s behalf.
Please say how Neens? Do you know how they talked to children before the test? Do you know what they explained to children after the test? No you don’t. You just assume the worst.
Oh stop. AJ could slap babies and kick puppies and her extreme fans will still defend her. I didn’t grow up in a sheltered or protective environment and this crap is cruel. I bet she wouldn’t do it to her own children to get the emotion she wanted.
Do you really think a 5-year-old from a slum fully comprehended that that casting process was all make believe? That poor child wanted to keep the money so she could give her grandfather a proper burial. Cruel and twisted.
I have never heard even the craziest proponents of method acting recommend it for children. A child must know that this is all just pretend and they should not be mining their emotional and psychological hardships for it. Its always messed up when they cast inexperienced children from impoverished backgrounds to basically play themselves because so much of the pain that ends up on screen is real.
The argument Danny Boyle made about the Slumdog Millionaire kids is that mining their pain for a two hour film improved their future opportunities but as sickening as that is, it doesnt even apply here. You had dozens of children being put through this for absolutely nothing. Anyway, Cambodia HAS child actors, use them. If they arent good, train them. The kid in the Sixth Sense didnt actually see dead people.
I am asking again: how would you find a five year old child who could carry that movie and is able to express all the emotions? That little girl who wanted to keep the money is the leading actress in the movie.
Lies.
Jolie was not the only one who needed child actors in her film ever in the history of film you know:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-child-actors-casting-20170111-story.html
Particularly the last paragraph is notable::
“I love casting children,” McGregor adds. “They have a very different sensibility to adults. They haven’t figured out life yet. They are raw. You have to be very, very careful not to exploit that, but when you find some magic it is an absolute joy.”
Typical casting involves camera tests and script reading. No ‘game’ can tell you how a child will react to the material they have to work with!
See also Jodie Foster for Taxi Driver and Portman for Léon back in the day when the rules were less strict about how to employ underage actors. In 2017, this ‘game’ Jolie clearly consented to using on foreign children with no acting experiences screams exploitation.
ETA: Children don’t have acting methods as such (the younger the less likely) and the best ones are the ‘naive’ kids who work with pure intuition and instinct who don’t realise they are ‘acting’ in front of a camera. No child age 7 is going to employ Stella Adler or Method to ‘get into character’. That’s adults making conscious choices using their own experiences often times. Even employing those techniques does not mean one is a good actor so it boils down again how the person looks onscreen (camera test), personality and forming character (script reading) and chemistry with co-star (camera test).
There are humane ways to extract emotion from tiny children that don’t involve cruelty. And aside from that, the end does not always justify the means.
Yes but these children were not professional actors. SAME STANDARDS DO NOT APPLY. They are traumatized, “real” people.
I have read dozens of stories of child actors discussing how directors talked to them about thinking about a family member who was killed or dying to elicit emotions,to cry for a scene.Unlike most kids in her situation she had a therapist to help her. Often times films get kids who have lived difficult lives and many times their and their families lives change for the better.As much as AJ loves kids I have no doubt she helped that child actor.So instead of focusing on that one day I will focus on her life after that day.Focus on the pics of her playing with Jolie Pitt kids during breaks from filming which I saw on fan pages.Focus on her getting a chance to visit America and go to Disneyland.Stop acting like AJ just used the child and discarded her after the film.GMAB
I don’t know…how about describing a scene to a child and ask them to act it out? The fact that you can’t conceive of any other method than this cruel one shows you may be blinded by your devotion to Angelina Jolie. She isn’t perfect. (She’s also not a monster).
Maybe she should have talked to Danny Boyle or one of the many other directors who has found and gotten great performances from child actors they found in similar conditions and who didn’t find it necessary to play cruel games to do so.
And if the only way you can cast your movie is by emotionally harming vulnerable children, then you don’t make your fucking movie. No matter how important you think telling the story is, it is not more important than the actual children you hurt to do so.
It is wrong. An average child actor from Santa Monica could participate in that exercise and it would make sense. That would show range and ability to connect to the subject. Taking already traumatized children and exploiting their suffering for a (insert several curse words) movie is pathological. This makes me question her ability to empathize and see other people as more than props in her life story. It is cruel. There are no excuses. None. There is no argument anyone can make that will convince me that mentally abusing a vulnerable child is right.
What is wrong with her?
So you didn’t find manipulative and borderline abusive?
It is called an “audition”. Auditioning children for movies shouldn’t have to involve manipulating them into doing so.
Wat. This is far from the only way to cast an “acceptably traumatized” CHILD in a movie. For one, you can explain the project in terms they can understand, hold an audition and then help them harness their hardship into a performance.
This audition process was cruel.
Man I wanted to see if you posted the most disturbing part of the interview about casting kids. It was heartbreaking and very uncomfortable.
Anyways sounds like she has a handle on moving forward which is good. Honestly she’s handled everything well. And I’m not even a big fan of hers (humanitarian work aside).
No she’s not perfect, or a saint but I love this woman. She’s so damn strong !
Women always are the ones left holding everything together in the end. Men can just get away with walking away from it all.
Not really, google Robert Carlyle’s biography.
I’m really getting tired of celebrities talking about their children. It is not fair on kids to have their privacy violated like this.
Oh my, I only got to the part about casting the child actor. Even worse. What is wrong with Angelina?
Did you just read the headline? She gave no details other than that they are doing better. She didn’t say who is having a hard time or if anyone is acting out. She just said that they are healing. That is it.
Since they are her chilcdren, she can say whatever she wants about them.
She also does not make sense she talks about crying in the shower so the children dont see it but has no problem talking to an international magazine about it?
I doubt her children will be reading vanity fair or google their mum’s name for news. She & brad have said countless times that the kids have a lock so they can’t read about themselves on the Internet.
If they have friends with phones they can read about themselves and their parents on the internet.
I didnt like that too. There was no reason to have this at her house other than to showcase herself as a mother. You have kids walking in and out of the interview and even though she could demand the kids presence be off record, the interviewer is given permission to describe interractions. Most actors have these types of interviews away from their home. Say a hotel room or a restaurant. She could also have it in a movie editing suite to highlight the directing or a charities offices or a friends home or a park or a long drive or even in her home with all the children away. I’m sorry but obvious PR strategy is obvious.
Ramona you’re tedious when it comes to Angelina. Now you’re dictating where she should and should not conduct her interviews, they’re her interviews she can have them wherever she damn well pleases. I hope you were similarly concerned when she and Brad did the Vogue spread at their home a few years ago, or just as offended when Brad conducted his GQ interview at his sad lonely house. I hope you continue to be just as offended when others have interviews at their homes. She is their mother and whether you Brad stans like it or not, she currently has custody of her kids and thus accordingly spends time with said kids at their home, where she is free to conduct her interviews if she so pleases. Duh her PR strategy is obvious as is Brad Pitt’s and every other celebrities.
I want to agree with you but I can’t. Their lives aren’t like normal children’s lives and they are used to journalists and all sorts of people around their house.
Of course she is pressing an angle during the interview. Every interview is meant to solidify or improve the celebrity’s image and to promote something. They don’t do interviews for the fun of it or just to chat for the hell of it there is a point to the interview. Mother Angie holding the unconventional family together is her point.
Keely, you must not know me. I frequently side with Angelina. I have no problem with her holding interviews in her home when the kids are absent. To do it while they are there and set it up so that you are in a central area where they are bound to come through is the type of crafty PR that not even Jennifer Garner has plumbed. It reminds me of a recent Trump interview in which his granddaughter “just happened” to walk in in time to showcase grandpapi Trump being relatable. This kind of thing backfires always. So lets be clear. If Halle Berry or Jennifer Garner or Beyonce or any other mum did this, we would all be on her ass. Angelina will get no special treatment from me.
Actually Ramona I’m very aware of you and your Angelina comments on this site and no you’re never on her side and that’s your prerogative, but please don’t try sell me that line. I don’t get the outrage, do I think these kids are over exposed? Yes, do we fans know way too much about them? Unfortunately yes. But having said all of that, they’re her kids and I know some may disagree but I’ve never thought Angelina or Brad for that matter had an issue with their kids being in public on the rare occasions that they are, and I don’t see why we random people on the internet should.
It’s faux outrage over nothing on your part, these kids are at the center of everything Angelina does. She married Brad for them, she probably stayed with him for them, until she realised that for them she had to end a toxic situation. It’s probably for them, that she hasn’t detailed exactly what his behaviour has been. She involves them in her projects, talks about them ad nauseam in interviews, so why would she suddenly exclude them now just because it makes Brad stans uncomfortable that she lives with the kids and he doesn’t? To deduce some machiavellian plot from her conducting an interview at her home where her children live with her is just absurd.
Brad did his interview at his house, there was mention of kid’s toys and bikes (strategically) placed around the property. Where was the criticism of him?
If I were the reporter I’d be doing everything I could to make sure the interview was in that house. That house is a masterpiece and I would love to see it in person.
The casting directors came up with that idea. Jolie made sure the kids were alright. They had a therapist on set. She made sure the kids & their families were looked after all throughout the making. I’ve seen many features of the making of the film & the little girl who was cast is more than fine, as are the other kids. Before you judge? Think you should get the whole story first. The kids are best friends with her children & are taken on trips with them & their families are very well looked after.
Of course they were fine. It was a game to test children response to emotional situation, it was for a role in an extremely emotional movie. People just want to be outraged for something.
No, people would rather defend their favourite celebrity instead of admitting that those children were treated callously.
They are just looking to be negative if this was cruel Netflix would have not allow to report this on magazine.
You obviously have little experience with 5 year olds. They don’t have a very great understanding of what is reality and what isn’t, especially impoverished and children who have dealt with great hardships. Professional acting is hard enough for children who have a supportive family and environment, much less children who are disadvantaged. I like Angelina and the way she has dealt with her personal life this last year, but this casting call was just wrong. I wish she had just stopped it.
What use is the therapist on set to all the kids who weren’t chosen and were never on set? What use is it when the film wraps and the child actor is still dealing with the repercussions years down the line?
This kind of exercise is highly likely to bring up massive issues, the kind you need to spend years and years in therapy trying to work through. It’s not something you throw at a bunch of vulnerable children to test them.
Massive issues, really? What everyday child goes trough every day in school (bullying, judgment) is much more cruel then a day of casting for a movie.
No Sara it isn’t. How do you come to that conclusion? Acting is hard work and film sets are often high stress environments and the children experience pressure that some adults can’t even handle. Don’t lessen these children’s experiences just to defend AJ. She is wrong in this. Having a therapist on set means what exactly? A few discussions doesn’t do diddly for a deeply traumatized child. So after the movie they were all adopted into happy loving financially comfortable families right?
A therapist for the children/people chosen to work on the film! What about the ones who went back to the orphanage confused about the point of having had money and then it being taken away? Why go to orphanages in the first place? They have acting talent in Cambodia surely.
You really think they were not payed for the test call? That they were left confused and taken back to orphanage traumatized? Ok than.
Because money heals everything 🙂
And the story does not give any indicators about the type of compensation they actually got. It focuses on the cruel casting and nothing about the poor children really. For a humanitarian I expected at least to read that every orphanage got a donation from her for educational purposes or something. Or therapy just like the people on set got. But nothing!
Her children are traumatized by their parents’ crap marriage but already traumatized kids can be exploited so they can play pretend in her wonderful film. Yippee, hypocrisy at its best!
It’s almost like money doesn’t solve being emotionally manipulated and confused. Golly gee, I bet that orphan felt SO MUCH BETTER because they got a pat on the head a check before going back to their orphanage.
Explain it away all you want, it was crappy behavior. I’m disgusted by this – 5 year olds aren’t super emotionally stable beings to begin with – I feel terrible for these kids.
Actually, it’s pretty disgusting that she planned to have a therapist there, knowing her methods of “casting” children would likely leave them traumatized. She knew what she was doing and didn’t care enough about the kids to stop it from happening.
Awful “casting process.” I come from an abusive childhood and reading of her method of selecting children made me cry. Except for her humanitarian works, I’ve never been a big fan of her, and now I feel nothing but disgust at her cruelty, and sadness for the kids that she helped hurt.
Gorgeous woman and a truly nice interview where the woman is not attacking the man in any way to gain sympathy. More importantly, she is also not giving him a free ride and doesn’t offer any excuses for his behaviour either.
Unlike other Hollywood actresses, Angelina has never wanted sympathy nor does she let her life be dictated by the media and public. She leads her life the way she feels is right and everyone else can just follow or leave.
I get why she is angry because here is a man she loved and created a beautiful family with and he then goes on and messes up that family.
I think she is more angry at the fact that Brad not only choose alcohol 🍺 over family but also to save his reputation over the expenses of hers and their children. He let the media rip her and Mad apart for months before putting a stop to it.
Alcoholism is a dangerous illness that has ruined thousands of families and no matter what people say, the sadness and anger will always be there. It also changes people’s personalities and the rest of the family members are then left with the shattered pieces.
I am glad she is focusing on family but please don’t leave the cinema – I love her acting and directing and she should definitely do more of that. Cannot wait to see FTKMF and read the reviews from TIFF.
Agree, gorgeous cover! After all the Trump news, it was nice to read about Angelina Jolie. Stress is awful and causes quite a few health problems. I am glad she has been able to cope with it. Keep moving forward.
retracted
I’m a fan. But this to me was not a great interview. I just didn’t like it at all. She doesn’t sound like herself at all. And for those saying that “women are left to clean it up”. Well that happens when you are the one leaving. It just all sounded so weird to me. I do get that the children don’t like traveling as much and want to stay put. I see she and Brad are not on good terms. And she is playing a bit coy with what she is giving away. I was expecting something different. This was just a bit boring in that most of the article was Tabloid Referenced Mess and just saying what has been said for years. Hoping the movie does well; but why put in that part about the casting. It is going to put a negative shadow over the film. Which is sad because I think the film doesn’t need that. Disappointed in some way and I don’t know what it is about it that is bothering me.
Yes Busted, you’ve made your feelings very clear. We’re aware.
The quote, “Women are left to clean it all up”. Very true. How often have you seen women trying to keep it together for their children, deal with major stress, and whatever because their spouse screwed up. Happens a lot. Angelina aside. It happens all the time in marriages. The ones that leave the relationship and the only that stay in the relationship.
Paige- women screw up their marriages all the time too – but are often the ones who have custody either way. It’s not always that they’re cleaning up other peoples’ messes – they’re being forced to clean up their own just as often. But that’s how it works – when you’re the parent with custody, you’re the one having to do most of the legwork to keep the kids happy – whether you’re at fault, or the spouse is.
I agree. I think the writer’s angle made Angie seem spaced out, overpriviledged and careless—dog dirties creamy white sofa, tra-la-la, AJ topples tea, no biggie. She’s finally learning to cook but now she can’t decorate for sh*t. She cries in the shower so the kids won’t know how sad she is except announcement, now it’s in print.
IDK—I came away very displeased with this piece, and I hated the photo styling, too, except for the one of her in the chair with the suspenders. The rest all looked so cold, glam and fake. And now everyone is up in arms about the Cambodian child casting. I’m sure they told the kids it was pretend, a game. But public is moving in for the kill. I smell trouble.
Thanks to all of you for posting the casting stuff. I also disagree with the notion that she doesn’t want you to feel sorry for her. The stuff about crying in the shower, about putting herself last until it affected her health….It’s probably all true, but she knows exactly what she’s doing by putting the info out there.
I agree. Just because her husband was abusive to their children does not mean Angelina isnt playing the PR game right now. Its all about her being weak and a victim, crying, more diseases.
She’s not playing the victim, nor is she weak. If she had bell’s palsy she had that & for whatever reason she’s decided to let us know, the same way she told us about her double mastectomy etc. Did you think she was playing the victim and weak then too?
@queenb.. You really think angelina isa playing pr games? Brad is the master if it all. To be honest what I don’t get is that when Angie filed for the divorce, people will speculate a lot. A lot of it will blame angelina . Brad is aware of that! What does he did? None he just let it! Let Angie take all the blame. Let be brad the poor victim… He’s not! When gq interview came out. Everyone is praising brad! Angie sacrifice a lot for this undeserved man. Angie took all the custody because brad had a serious problem. He cant take care of them that time, maybe until now. And yet this brad pity pitt not even a second acknowledge Angie’s work. Esp for their kids. He’s the one who put them on this circus… Not angelina. People say she’s promoting a movie. That’s true. That gq magazine interview brad was also promoting a movie and it took him months to speak and acknowledge on what he did when everybody who hates Angie thinks it’s all her fault. Who plays the media in awesome way? It’s brad! Even until now, brad is all about himself. Angie said she will put her family first and I think that what she’s doing right now. Do you remember when brad said that he will put family first? Gq interview? And yet he will be working this coming august on his new movie… Brad knew he messed and blew his family up. He may be smiling but I belive brad is really sorry and sad inside.
Reality is they both play the PR game, Brad more so than her, but yes she does it to. It’s her job, and she is also promoting her movie too. As a woman in Hollywood she needs it more, as she has less avenues and second chances than men. Yes even Angelina Jolie, remember the crap she got in those leaked Sony emails. On a lighter point, if no one in Hollywood played the PR game there would be no celebitchy, and what would all of us do then.
But Del who exactly praised Brads GQ piece? He was mocked for it everywhere including Daily Fail. Even Wendy who is the most clueless gossip ever went in on him.
You know she cries in the shower a lot. I remember reading before about Angie 😭 in the shower in another interview years ago. She also talks about learning to cook, Brad saying last year she has no right in the kitchen, he makes the breakfast. Zz was in charge or takes charge of the house. She believes all her medical issues helps her to become a stronger woman which is natural. I love Angie but I have heard some of this before. I would have loved to hear 👂 More about how she decorated the 🏡. How the kitchen and bedrooms are decorated, Lol. I know, I know… IM ALL ABOUT THE FLUFF. Also, I did not understand what she meant about the children and the divorce. “They are not healing from the divorce”. Is she saying the kids did not want the divorce?
“They are not healing from the divorce.” She’s claiming the break up of the marriage and ALL those ramifications is NOT the problem at all. The only healing the children need is because of Brad. She did what needed to be done to end the marriage and is absolved from any ensuing trauma because she was right and Brad was wrong. She blames every difficulty the children encounter on Brad. And I’m sure the children know it.
It was a total and complete way of her saying NOTHING that I did (the dramatic and sudden divorce, dragging the kids around the world in a nomadic lifestyle) had any ill effect on the kids. It was ALL Brad’s fault. I just divorced a narcissist and I can see them from a mile away. They have a complete inability to see anything they do is wrong, and blame everything on the other person.
@LadyT I agree and it’s really unhealthy parental alienation. I wish she would get the help she needs to deal with her own issues about her dad and her own parent’s divorce. I think she’s projecting a lot of her anger about her past onto Brad.
Did you miss the part where she said she had a therapy session and Jon Voight was there with the kids? Clearly you did, it means she’s dealing with her issues. There’s a custody evaluator attached to the case , since January in fact, as well as several therapists ,a judge and lawyers. Brad Pitt is not some ordinary Joe Soap, he has access to the best lawyers to look after his interests and professionals dealing with the case. LadyT harps on about parental alienation everyday, like she knows something about the case we don’t. In what universe do you believe Brad Pitt, his lawyers , therapists and a judge allow that to continue? But I guess believing that rather than the fact that they’re still dealing with stuff is much easier for you. Like Wasser said these things take up to a year & I think unlike you LadyT she actually knows what’s up. @Cheri, the same way you’re projecting your bs onto Angelina all over this thread.
I don’t harp on about “parental alienation” everyday or ANY day but have no way to prove it. Fight fair Keely. Is this your way to undermine me as a poster? Label me a loonie rather than a thoughtful poster? If you have a problem with my words above, go ahead, we can debate our differences but don’t address me otherwise.
Exactly. It is sad how many people gobble it up and think she is “so strong”. She’s got them where she wants them.
Yeah I didn’t understand the “she doesn’t want your sympathy” angle at all. She’s talking about crying in the shower and Bell’s palsy and a cancer scare, she seems very much to want our sympathy. Combined with the casting thing, I think overall this interview wasn’t a great look for her.
+1 she wants you to feel sorry for her. Bells Palsy. It is likely she came down with a virus-she seems very thin and does not take good care of herself so not surprising. She won’t die from it. Hypertension-can be hereditary or stress. Or diet. Sorry I am a cancer survivor so nothing phases me,
The fact that she has 6 children and does not know how to make breakfast shows what a bubble she lives in. All we know about her mothering skills is from photos. Yes her kids love her and I am sure they love their dad too. They probably don’t know how traditional,households work–wake up, go to school, parents go to work. Weekends with friends, family, parties and activities. Summer camp or vacations.
I will be very curious to see how the children turn out. Did all the traveling and bohemian lifestyle benefit them?
these kids have no stability. zero. i wonder if they even manage to maintain friendships, or have one particular house that they call home AND feels like home. why does no one ever talk about that? children of celebrities have it weird enough, but at least some parents attempt to give their children an actual childhood with childhood experiences.
Of course those children have friends & stability. You think because they travel & are homeschooled that she is a bad parent? It’s obvious those children are very loved & have had more life experiences from travelling than people do when reaching old age. They are healthy, loved & educated & have friends. Not all childhoods have to be or are the same. So what’s the problem?
They lived out of suitcases for 9 months despite the fact that she could have bought any gated property. Why did it take so long? They’re still not unpacked. You make a home don’t you, you can just buy a house and dump your suitcases in there and call it ‘home’. In between she traveled for work but the older kids seem to be over it slowly but surely and I think her dreams of her children following in her footsteps and traveling everywhere is more fiction than reality. They are not special children, they have normal needs and personalities eg wanting to stay home and hang with friends and waste time watching TV. Teenage stuff. It’s Jolie who wants to pick up her boots and travel. They let her be because it’s their life from a young age but I’m not too sure that they will live extraordinary lives after they will be in charge at age 18-21 as Jolie and her fans seems to think. Jolie also has maintained in the past she would still like to travel even if the kids didn’t so what choice do they have? She’s not going to slow down, that was clear from this interview. She piles up the work even more it seems.
Omg Artemis, at the time of the interview, she was in that house for 4 DAYS!! Give her some break! How is she piling work? She didn’t do anything for a year!
They lived in a rental for nine months. The rental property probably gave them the privacy the needed. They had a home but it wasn’t permanent. I think she didn’t buy a permanent location until the children were settled into their new way of life. The house is very close to their old home. The kids are in the same neighborhood and they can hang with the same friends. She’s not unpacked because they just moved in. If you read the article, it said she had just moved in the new home.
Artemis you can’t win. I give you a medal for valor but they can’t hear you.
I used to schlep my brood all over the place so they wouldn’t spend too much time apart from their father and it was fine since they were very young. Now my oldest children are in school and I have to be aware of the positives stability affords them. Last year we lived abroad but it was a long term thing not week here and week there and back and forth. Children thrive on routine. It centers them and allows them to feel safe and to explore their independence and to learn conflict resolution within their friendship groups. Her children’s lives are far more chaotic and public. I don’t see how zipping all over the place constantly is ideal. I have nothing against traveling and exploring the world but that pace is manic.
Teenagers especially need to have social groups. She says they don’t like it but she has decided it is for the best. How about listen to what they are saying and stop romanticizing an experience they clearly don’t want. From reports her children aren’t even well behaved or on any type of schedule.
I like her for the most part but she isn’t perfect.
Omg, she wouldn’t decorate it herself! This is why people hire help. And what about all the previous months they were living out of suitcases? She’s got enough money to buy oversized properties but none to make it a home? What’s stopping the children from helping to unpack, there’s almost 3 teenagers in the house? Isn’t that what a family does, getting it together TOGETHER or are they so used to moving every 4 months they cannot be bothered either? She can travel and arrange everything for her jobs but her household can stay a mess because they are ‘not normal’? Get a grip. If you don’t like decorating and sorting out the house, you pay people to do it, it’s called life and hers certainly is easier than ours to organize.
This to me read like a family who doesn’t have any discipline and only works on the things they like to do and everything else falls to the side which to me doesn’t sound healthy. Her children are already having jobs on her pet projects (like legit TITLES) but at home it’s a mess they cannot be bothered with. How can you rebuild your life when you cannot even unpack a suitcase or a box honestly? But she is already thinking of grabbing her boots and flying off somewhere again…le sigh as it that doesn’t take organisation?
I don’t see why you’re making such a fuss over unpacked boxes. They literally just moved into their new home. The world isn’t ending because they aren’t settled yet. They lived in a rental home in Malibu before moving into the Los Feliz home. They traveled to Cambodia and London for her work. They took a family vacation to Namibia recently. Each stay for about a week or two. They’ve been outside of the States about a month total in the ten months since the split. Huge difference from when they were in Europe for months for Brad and Angie’s work or vacationing. She hasn’t taken on any new film projects.
@Magnolia , now you’re just lying about reports stating the kids aren’t well behaved. Other than star magazine and the like fabricating stories about the kids and their behaviour , there actually aren’t such reports. If anything we keep hearing the children are well behaved and then people like acting surprised that the JP kids are well behaved. There’s even a fairly recent article right here on CB to that effect, from an actual person who interacted with them, not “mysterious” star mag ” sources or insiders” or whoever peddles such bs. Seriously it gets ridiculous with some of you, there’s legitimate stuff to criticise Angelina on- like this story with the casting of the kids in the film. But how she chooses to raise her kids is really none of your concern, you raise yours the way you see fit and she’ll do the same. If God forbid they become serial killers, don’t worry we’ll know exactly who to blame.
LOL “stable”? Generally, traveling from place to place constantly because their mother is too selfish isn’t really screaming “stability” to most of us.
@Keeley Sorry but I am not lying nor do I read Star magazine. Who is becoming serial killers? What are you talking about? You will blame who? You make no sense.
This is a gossip site and we are here to give our opinions and views. You don’t know me or where I get my information from. I am not nearly as invested as you seem to be in celebrities and their lives so I have no reason to lie. For what end? What would I possibly gain from lying? Angelina is not important enough to me to even work up the energy to bother to make up something to say about her. If I say something about someone like that it isn’t from tabloids or any other magazine. I would say I read this or that if that is my source. There is plenty I don’t say because it was told to me in confidence or it would be obvious who told me or obvious to people who know me and I am not here to hurt anyone. I stand by what I said. You shouldn’t assume so much.
Sure I use my life as an example because duh it is my life and I can relate to traveling with children. I am also observant enough to see the positive effects of routine. In previous interviews she and Brad have talked about it. It isn’t a radical opinion for heaven’s sake.
I come here because it is a fun lighthearted distraction and I like some of the commenters and articles. Lately, the Trump articles are a big draw. But fans like you are a puzzle to me. I don’t understand slavish devotion to a celebrity or getting bent out of shape over them.
Being anonymous gives you the cover to accuse me of lying but I am very sure if we were face to face you wouldn’t have the nerve.
Really ?
In the article it clearly says Viv had a friend over for a sleepover.
I just saw a pic Pax on a date last week.He and the teenage girl were eating ice cream.
Maddox has an IG and he is often seen with friends.
You don’t know anything about these kids.
Let’s talk about how you know all this? You don’t need this information. Paps should not be stalking kids. That’s where your concern should lie. Not about what randoms on the internet think but about the general safety, welfare and privacy of kids who didn’t ask for this life.
I hope to God neither parent is allowing paps to be tipped off about their kid’s whereabouts. But in Hollywood it happens because celebs are concerned about managing their image.
I think in the early years that was more the case, they never seemed to be in one place for more than a few months, had houses all over the world, and were always renting where the parents were working.
Lately it seems like they’ve settle more in LA and are just traveling occasionally, which is probably good with all the family changes. I think traveling and living in other places is wonderful, but not all the time if you can help it. I think it’s good to have a home base where the kids can have long term friendships outside of their family, be involved with school or other activities, etc.
They’ve been photographed hanging out with friends in Malibu and Los Feliz. They have friends contradicting the belief they can’t make friends.
I am sure they have friends. Kids who move around tend to learn to each out fast. The problem is that they also tend to struggle to build intimate friendships. If you are a preteen girl and you have a friendship circle in LA but keep being ripped from it for weeks at a time, you miss out on bonding. So much changes so fast at that age. By the time you return, you have missed new crushes, new rivalries, new inclusions. You are always on the outside looking in. And the same applies to the new friends you make in Cambodia, London or New Orleans. Many friends but you are never quite on the inside of the circle. It’s even worse when you are home schooled. These other kids are bonding at school, five days a week and you only pop in a few hours after schoold IF you are even in town.
The only thing they have going for them is they are six of them. Hopefully they are each others besties
I think they’ll be traveling a lot less as the kids get older. The article implies that her teenagers didn’t want to go to Africa but went along because they knew she wanted them to go for the experience. As the younger ones get older, the resistance will only grow. They’ll want to be independent and hang out with their friends which is completely normal.
My future motto: Got to put my boots on and hang-let take a trip😜
Read the article last night. I liked that it covered more than just “life after divorce.” There was always more to her than her relationships and I’m glad those parts of her life were discussed. Much more interesting to read about, in my opinion (although I do agree the part about casting the movie was pretty disturbing). I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about her thoughts on Brad and the collapse of their marriage/family, but it’s nice that it wasn’t the focal point. It seems they are all moving forward as best they can, which is all anyone can do.
I like Angelina, but I think she’s most definitely playing the victim here. She’s not a single mom, she has multiple nannies, chefs, maids, etc to help her out. Plus the whole ominous “events that happened” thing. She knew what she was doing, lol. Believe me I can’t stand Brad, I’ve always thought he was a douche and those “events” solidified that, but Angie is smart and knew what she doing here. I think some people just hate Jennifer so much that they put blinders on for Angie and make comparisons where they don’t need to.
*runs for cover*
This isn’t about Aniston and really I wish that comparison wasn’t mentioned in the opening.
I disagree that Jolie is playing victim.
However that does not mean that she is not playing the PR game. Two different things IMO.
Jolie is no victim and she knows that people will never see her that way. That will not sell.
In fact, people are more ready to accept Brad – the abusive alcoholic as the victim, but I digress.
But Jolie wants her story out there.
IMO, Jolie is making it known that it’s not peaches and cream. She has her struggles – both regarding her health (which is to be expected. Anyone familiar with menopause or surgical menopause will know what I mean). That did not disappear simply because she and Brad are no longer together.
And now since the divorce. She and Brad divided certain tasks based on their skills – Brad was better at homemaking and all that but Jolie was better at planning/organizing and scheduling. Brad always talked about how detail-oriented Jolie was and she always talked about how Brad always made sure wherever they stayed was comfortable and had touches from home for the children. They depended on each other. Which is why now Jolie struggles to decorate her new house and why Brad struggles to organize.
Is Jolie to spew psych babble like Brad? Or self-help dribble like some other celebs?
No, she is describing her journey. Good days and bad, ups and down.
Yes, she initiated the divorce but under horrible circumstance – after an inebriated Brad abused his kids. What mother would stay with a man who abused her kids? How many here have suggested how they would leave (or kill) a man if he ever laid a finger on their child?
Do people think that was easy or a happy choice? That she was delighted to walk away?
Jolie loved Brad. She gave up her life in London for their relationship. She changed her mind about birthing children because she loved Brad and felt he would parent all their children the same. She loved that man.
His actions broke her heart. This entire situation has been a challenge for all.
But because this is (beloved) Brad and (detested) Angelina well most people just want to see Jolie finally get hers apparently, never mind that Brad was quite happy to do his damage to all involved. Teflon Brad strikes again.
As to the casting of FTKMF, I won’t address that yet because I haven’t read about it and I prefer to read the entire context of the situation.
“This isn’t about Aniston and really I wish that comparison wasn’t mentioned in the opening.” I agree, the marriages ended under very different circumstances, there’s no reason to compare how the women acted (or to tear one down to build the other up).
I also agree she’s not really playing the victim, but is very precise in what she’s publicly saying. For the sake of their kids, I wish both of them would have just said “no, not going to talk about it”. Though Brad’s Psych 101 nonsense was ridiculous and embarrassing, at least she’s speaking normally about it.
Sadly, plenty of women allow men to physically, sexually or otherwise abuse their children. And plenty women abuse children themselves.
Yeah I found it odd they are trying to make it seems like she’s a wilder version of Jennifer Garner or something. Jolie has said herself in the past she’s got a lot of help so she’s not a typical mother and she was grateful for that help. Now the children are featured (and no mention of any support in the house), she’s in charge of the housekeeping and meal planning (what now?) and we’re supposed to believe she’s on top of it including her 6 other jobs she’s got going? Plus the cooking lessons??? Uh..no. But of course she cries in the shower (when would she have the time really?).
I also found it odd she cannot express a normal vulnerability to her children (crying) to protect them but then admits in an international magazine she does not have it together, it is not as it seems? Why not trust your children they will understand without thinking you’re burdening them? How can she trust a magazine and the world with these feelings but not her own family? She talked about her health issues with them but they cannot find out she’s hurt by the divorce and the events leading up to it as if they wouldn’t understand…they lived through it too! Why be in therapy when you cannot address these things anyway?
Years ago when she said she holds things in and then bursts out crying at the table, I wondered how that dynamic would work once the freshness wears off and communication becomes ever more so important. With Pitt distancing himself more and more physically (travel) and emotionally (drinking) and Jolie being similar due to her nature and work that takes her everywhere and clearly holding her emotions in, I think their marriage was crap for long time before the big incident and therapy should have been sought prior to the divorce. Pitt and Jolie as they get older, it’s clear that what they are presenting that that is their personality and both have them seem to have some deeprooted issues.
I understand what she means about crying in the shower in her case. She was so close to her mother and her mother was treated like crap by her father. She felt the need to mother her mother and be the strong one since her mother appeared weak. I think she is very aware of not doing that to her children. I applaud her for that. It alludes to the stories about Maddox defending her and getting into it with Brad. It clearly disturbed her and she did the right thing by packing up and leaving hot mess Brad. It isn’t fair for a child to have to do that.
She definitely wants us to know BP is not her favorite person.
Crying is a strength not a weakness. She’s not crying because she did something wrong, she is crying because somebody hurt her. It’s normal and the children clearly know what went wrong as they were in the thick of it. They are in therapy for a reason: to talk. So talk then in therapy and to your kids, not some magazine! Surely her children would read it and find out at some point no?!
This is not a one off thing, she secluded herself in the shower when she was working on her 1st film and didn’t feel confident. Pitt found her. She cried at the table after her mom died after keeping it in for months. She doesn’t seem very good with certain emotions but has no issues talking to her kids about health issues?
Personally I grew up having a lot of grief (mother and grandfather) and my grandmother never talked either and only admitted when I was 16 she used to cry in bed. Now I’m the kind of person who is not comfortable crying with loved ones and who cries in bed. I don’t understand why caretakers are a-OK with emotions like anger and happiness but avoid crying and other vulnerabilities? Being vulnerable is beautiful and strong, nothing to hide. I hope I will cry in front of my children and speak to them about why I’m feeling that way because the alternative is not something I aspire to.
I like what you said Artemis. Crying is an honest, helpful reaction to certain feelings. It seems like a healthy thing to share, not hide.
Thanks LadyT,
I’m so tired and sad of a society where women have to be everything to everybody but we cannot shed a tear once lest we be seen as weak and emotional. It’s such a nice release and for any adult, male or female…to not be able to do that in front of their own children to show and TEACH that vulnerability always reads as sad to me.
Crying is cathartic for sure but maybe she means she was ugly gut wrenching crying and that can scare children. The kind that leaves you exhausted.
It is absolutely not healthy to teach children that their emotions are wrong or shameful. Including anger and sadness. Anger is another one people try to hide.
What is impressive about what you said Artemis is that you are very aware of how it felt for you and are determined and mindful enough to do it differently. There is no such thing as mistake free parenting but children know when they are loved unconditionally and cherished by their parents.
Jess: I disagree, imo she’s a single mon with lots of help. Another thing, why is Jennifer in this conversation. Brad was with Angelina for 12 years, he was with Jennifer for about six years why can’t we talk about Brad and Angelina without bringing up JA.
Because anytime St Jolie looks a little suspect let’s throw JA under the bus. It’s pathetic.
I wish she’d stop playing these games when talking about whatever happened with Pitt. If she’s not going to say what transpired (which is fair enough, it’s no ones business), then she needs to just say that; that it’s private and she won’t be discussing it.
These statements that are vague but full of implications are clearly meant to get people speculating about what exactly happened, and I don’t see how that’s helpful to anyone involved.
She’s not going to say and she shouldn’t have to. Pretty sure it’s better for the kids.
As I said, fair enough, it’s no ones business.
But she’s not saying nothing. She’s saying a lot. She’s encouraging speculation, most of which centres around dreamt up scenarios involving specific children.
Spot on, @Jessie. She’s deliberately encouraging and prolonging the speculation. IMO it would be best for their family — and their stated goals — if Pitt and Jolie just quit talking to the press and fighting the PR game for a while.
She said plenty. Her anger, disdain and blaming of Brad came through loud and clear. Her answer to her relationship with Brad was a pause followed by a canned non answer. Brad and his throw pillows are trivial. The children are “brave” about “life” but she’s described as defensive and adamant that it’s not a problem with lifestyle or “the divorce.” It’s all there.
I felt that too, especially when she mentioned that bit about $h*t hitting the fan during the post-production of FTKMF, as if the mere existence of the film and her helming it set dude off. It’s not like dude suddenly turned into an non-supportive, sexist cretin when she’s on the cusp of achieving greatness. Yeah, right…
PR
@jesse. Angie has a right… You know brad id that too… Except the fact tht brad can’t say that anu specifics because he’s the one who messed up this situation.
Yes, and I had many issues with Brad’s statements too. But this article isn’t about Brad.
Beautiful cover.
I am happy she didn’t pretend like everything was great,like divorce is a walk in the park.
I just read about the casting for the movie. There is something terribly wrong that a parent whose children were”traumatized” and in therapy would be on board with treating someone else’s children like they did. But I suppose there was no one to speak up for those children so they were exploited for a buck.
The movie was filmed at least a year or two before the plane incident. 2015 I think.
Whatever she says, she’s cast as the villan. You only have to see the difference in comments about her & the support & fawning for brad. He’s the one who messed up & yet comes out the good one in the press & in the public eye. Most of it from other women. Seems women are the misogynists when it comes to this pairing.
Oh FFS. Brad messed up. Period. Ten months later Angelina gives an interview that makes her extremely unlikeable to me. Her lifestyle, her divorce, her attitude, her claims are all hers to chose. But I do not I like the woman in this interview. That’s not misogynistic- that’s specific. I can’t stand Caitlin Jenner either. That does not mean I have a problem with transgender people.
I have to agree after reading many comments here. Brad did something bad enough to be investigated by multiple agencies and have supervised visitation with his children, but everyone’s scrambling to forgive him and make excuses. Angelina discusses some post-divorce pain and she’s somehow a pr-hungry villainess who’s hurting her family? Give me a break. She’s far from perfect, but the negative sentiments toward her are overblown and frankly absurd. The fact that Brad, who actually did something very wrong, gets forgiven so easily by contrast does reek of misogyny.
I was stunned by all her health issues…hypertension and bells palsy! She better take care of herself or she’ll have a stroke.
She did say she was better now. she used acupuncture to heal the Bell’s palsy and I’m sure she on hypertension medication. Ps: it was good to know that she was not in a bad marriage for long. I believe things got bad last summer with Brad’s drinking and she kicked him to the curve. I believe he’s trying to get the family back, see music video he did with F Ocean, but she’s not ready. However, she did not kicked him under the bus.
Right. she should hand the kids over to someone in the family and go relax somewhere… for a couple weeks or month. She has a lot of medical issues.
Drama queen is back
LMAO thanks for all the comments about someone you can’t stand.
Pressed
Which one? They are ALL over these threads.
Rofl.
PR for your movie
becoming a victim
Who am I to talk about her lifestyle but I think Brad was right about wanting stability for their children. These kids live out of suitcases with 1-2 nannies per child. Moving how often from a country to another? No real life experience when accompanied by teams of domestic and security staff all the time. Exposure to outside sources controlled all the time.
And for Angie needing cooking lessons to make proper breakfast at her age. Come on. Really? Really?
How would Brad provide stability when he has 2-3 movies attached to his name?
I think people worry too much over these kids travel schedule.
@SoulSpa, I was thinking the same thing about the cooking lessons but didn’t want to mom shame or whatever, even though I’m just a wife, not a parent. I’m a professional working woman who doesn’t really enjoy things like cooking or decorating, but I know how to do both. I’m only slightly younger than Angie, and I started cooking regularly at 30. I can’t imagine not knowing how to cook if I had a half-dozen children. It seems like Angie defends her questionable choices by saying it’s okay to be normal. But cooking is a life skill and depriving children of a stable home does adversely affect them. There’s plenty of military brats and third culture kids who can attest to the fact.
What do you mean for stability? According to Brad and Angelina, their stability was having their family together, not necessarily having a routinary life. He said he disciplined the boys, and that they tried to stay together even while filming, but that went out the window the last year.When has Brad wanted that? I haven’t heard/ read a BP interview about that and correct me if I’m wrong.
Even when it seems that only one parent is at fault, the other one must be careful of what attitude projects to the children and the world.
My brother in law was a dog, did many things wrong, but his wife chise to act as a victim blaming the other woman, and her attitude, while she has a right to be hurt, is not healthy for the children. Now it has been years and still there is suffering around, particularly “punishing” the father and his side of the family. It never ends.
I hope everyone accepts they are hurt and heal eventually. AJ has a way to go still.
Hope she at least paid the kids grandfathers funeral costs and let the other kids keep the money
That casting story is *gruesome* and The Cut summed it up very nicely. Won’t be seeing the movie, and have lost a lot of respect for Jolie, who I have admired so, so much.
A woman in her 40s who has lived in privilege her entire life and owns or did own multiple mansions didn’t know about throw pillows? Wow..
That was Brad’s department. “Throw pillows” was her opportunity to show disdain for that trivial stuff. A large wet dog jumps on the white sofa and she’s amused, swipes at it with her bare hand and shrugs it off. WTH? That’s all beneath her. It wouldn’t be “Cambodian” to shout-that’s a sign of weakness. Co-parenting with this woman would be a nightmare for anyone desiring an ounce of structure.
instead of moving on she is making things difficult.Everything has to be in her terms. She is a very difficult person.
Just to nitpick. . .
As I recall, the Cambodian view of shouting was mentioned in the article only in the context of explaining how her understanding of Cambodian culture factored into her ability to involve Cambodians in the production of a film. It was not suggested that that perspective shapes her approach to parenting.
Drama queens.
Yep.
Boring interview. I expected more from her about the events that led to the divorce but seems Brad gagged her.
Brad gagged her? Many celebrity gossip outlets were expecting her first interview after the divorce to be juicy and filled with gossip about their divorce. They were waiting for a big scoop. She took the other route. She chose to talk about her life now, but chose not to got into detail about their divorce.
Brad did the same. He talked about himself, his problems, but he didn’t get into detail about the events that led up to the divorce. He just said his drinking played a part in the divorce. They’re famous but at the end of the day they have six young children and the details should remain private because of their children.
I think the Bell’s Palsy is code for botched injectables.
Could be, but I’ve known several women to develop Bells Palsy during highly stressful life events. We’ll never know!
2 problems:
1) Cover photo looks like a wax figure or a plastic sex doll.
2) No photo of the adorable, wet rottweiler on the white couch (with or without Jolie)! I would love to see that more than these empty glamour poses.
I’m thinking now the airplane incident was the last straw for her. Probably Brad’s alcohol problem and maybe not having much to do with the children, and who knows what else.
Absolutely. No doubt about it. It was real and it was wrong. My question is for how long is this going to be ALL Brad’s fault? Angelina sounds as royally pissed now as she did ten months ago. The blame game has to end sometime. That’s not healthy or healing for her or the children under her influence.
I’m going to bypass everything else and ask, “WTH is up with her nose”?
I’m soirry I don’t have time to read everyone’s comments. Re Bell’s palsy they keep saying she had nerve damage, but they don’t say what from. My boarder, after losing his job, woke up one day with a droopy face…doc said it was stress, and would go away on its own, which it did. There was no nerve damage; somehow there’s something fake about this part of the narrative that just feels like it’s inaccurate information which seems sort of dangerous to me…
Pitchforks are out I see……. if you don’t like her why spend time to comment….. are your lives that horrible?
I admire many things about Jolie.
A Vanity Fair cover story is by definition PR. Leave the kids out of it.
I just eye roll at hearing that her *passion* is making a proper breakfast and keeping a home but hasn’t done that for the last 15 years. Sigh. People make choices and Angelina has made hers.
It’s lucky she has thick skin. Bitches are after her for even breathing.
I agree, hopefully she will make a statement or explain the casting alternative, which is so wrong to go after her about. It only took one person to start that mess and it was someone who had to come up with something because what else could they drag her for in that interview.
That doesn’t explain the way she discusses it. She obviously had no problem with it. It’s as though she feels it lends credibility to the project or something when it was just needlessly cruel.
Zaz sounds like the bossy, family leader after my own heart.
Never felt this chick, never will. She seems like an unstable, angry, calculated, cold fish. Not a fan of his either. Just my opinion. Not everyone has to like her. And heeeeere come the comments……
I first of all want to say that as a humanitarian I admire Angelina immensely. The work she has done for refugees and woman and children in particular is incredible.
But that does not make her a person without flaws and I think people need to learn to seperate the two. Just because you are a humanitarian does not make you a perfect person in all aspects of life.
This interview rubbed me the wrong way.I get it. Her husband let her and her children down and she is rightfully. But I’ve said it on this site many times in regard to all celebritiy marriages: relationships hardly ever collapse because of one person. It take two. We all play our parts in the end. I absolutely agree that Brad should carry most of the blame but divorce is always a good time for introspection; what mistakes did I make? Are there things I could’ve handled better? What can I learn from this to not end up here again? But to me it seems like she hasn’t got to that point yet. It’s okay to be furious, hurt, and feel betrayed.. especially at the beginning but forgiveness is a beauty thing and her children will be better off for it.
I wish BOTH her and Brad the best going forward and I wish their stans would do the same.
I think people have gone entirely too far with Angie and Brad divorce. Especially with Angie its like it’s a head hunt out for her. She said absolutely nothing wrong in these few words she did give. She offered info very little about what happened and yet people dissect the three sentences like she gave her side of the story. That is why I wish she had been the old Angie here and I think most people feel the same way.
She seems to want to say but feel that she will get major backlash. That is why I think during this whole process she has had issues with her health. That pressure and criticism of her hit her hard. Brad is hurt but Angie was hit the hardest.
He offered his reason and in his own why slyly said oh it was me but never made things clear either. This for me leads me to believe it is something else they both don’t want the public to know about and it is hurting Angie’s credibility moreso than his and he is letting it ride like he always has.
Just that little tidbit she gave VF has caused an uproar with people from either she is lying about her health and using it for attention (HA) to the nonsense that they actually care about the process used by the casting people on the few kids auditing for the lead role.
It never ends and as long as she is thought of as this phenom who Brad Pitt clearly is still in love with and she won’t give in they will continue this same process. Some people hate her for just that reason and want her to be punished anyhow anyway. So they resort to writing hit pieces, commenting hate remarks on blogs, criticizing EVERYTHING she does including her movies which imho aren’t as bad as half the crap you see on tv and netflix. But its Jolie and no we can’t let her this perfect person and talented too. That is too much.
She is a victim. A victim of her own self. She isn’t crazy, insane, a witch, a person who had sex with her brother, hates her own father, adopts for publicity, uses the UN for her PR stunts, nor a bad actress but she is so damn gorgeous people want to hate her for being cool, a loving mom, desired by everyone including the golden boy of HW who left the golden girl for her, an activist, hard working, and just plain good. They hate that cause they arent all those things and lest not forget rich.
Good luck Angie again and keep doing ur thing and let these people talk. Nothing can be as bad as losing your mom. You got thru that you can get through BP and the negativity that has surrounded your since forever. Keep doing those movies, bringing light to people being mistreated. No matter what you say, how much you weigh, who you are with there will always be the negativity and hating. So live your life, don’t let Brad get away with being anything until he learns how not to do drugs and drink, forget the critics and haters, love your family and continue to not normal. Those who actually matter support you.
All I have to say is I never want to hear Beyoncé fans are too much after reading this comment section lol
I have yet to see her take responsibility for her own part in things, it’s always someone else’s fault.
Nicely written Izzie.
How she isn’t asking for sympathy here? Just read your own headline. It’s a subtle way maybe but come on if you analyze it like we do here with everything it’s ovious.
YUP
@Izzietheother Excellent. Perfectly stated. I feel like she NEVER takes accountability for anything. She very carefully plays the victim but also seems angry if anyone asks her anything she doesn’t want to truthfully answer. She always plays the dead mother card and then diverts the interview to usually a cryptic, non-answer. I love her as an actress and in no way want to take away from her accomplishments. There is just something about her I do not trust. At all.
This interview didn’t work for me. I could go into detail, but would have to read it again to lay it out why, Many contrived parts, like the children around in the interview. I guess because she is still angry at Brad, Dad is now allowed back in her life, as she makes it a point to show.
Very odd interview in places. Great in other places, though. And they don’t need healing from “divorce”? Their world changed overnight with mom and dad. It’s not just what happened that night. Divorce is painful for children when an immediate split happens, and healing for children.
I like Angie better in live interviews. They don’t feel as PR driven.
That’s because this interview felt choppy. Too much unnecessary celebrity gossip included that we didn’t need. The writer took a short interview and tried to make it long as possible by including pieces that sound like they came from In Touch and Life & Style. Short and simple with the photos would’ve been the best way to go. Way too much tabloid gossip in between the interview. It was a turn off. It would have better as a live interview. VF writers suck.
I think she’s still trying to push the idea that the whole divorce is solely Brad’s fault (like her mom did to her with her own dad.) This is not realistic or a good thing for the kids.
And they ARE all still feeling the effects of the divorce, it’s natural and okay to admit this but she can’t. She needs therapy to get over her own childhood divorce trauma instead of replaying it all out in her kid’s lives.
Her movie time and its all over again old times.. I have no clue about what went in the casting or if its her responsibility but ,there always be something negative will happen when she promoting….ahhh
That said her interview read real no moping too much etc.. Good luck ange
This is going to suck for Angie big-time.
This type of slip up and complete CF is not like her. She’s so dying to tell everyone that Brad fucked up and did bad shit to the kids, that she doesn’t realize she was doing shitty stuff to other less privileged kids.
I hope she apologizes and provides restitution, but I also wonder how this will impact the divorce narrative. It gives people a lot of ammo for the villaness jolie narrative.
I just realized that since Brangelina has been dethroned as King and Queen of Hollywood we haven’t anointed new monarchs. Do we have any nominations?
I think Ben Affleck and Lindsay Shookus are the obvious answer
Shookus is not an actor. How about Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes. Godes? (Pronounced Goddess)
Lol KB.
Heads would explode.
The interview was way more interesting than the child actors bit. The movie is called AT FIRST THEY KILLED MY FATHER.
For as site that was so interested in Brad you sure didn’t point out the obvious… She wants to tell us what has happened on that plane but held back a lot.
love the interview and love her. Y’all up in arms should donate to a Cambodian organization and show us how sad you really are. #Fakenews #Fakeconcern you don’t give one damn about Cambodian children
Then why doesn’t she? Listen Angie’s a great woman but let’s not shall we. Don’t dance around the subject. Either say what happened and get the burden off your chest or say that you do not wish to speak on the matter any further and it’s none of the Public’s business. Alluding to things is just conjuring up more speculation towards the incident. She’s obviously very angry at Brad and I’m not going to sit her and act like she doesn’t have a reason to be but damnit you had six children with this man! And an 10+ year realtionship. Reducing it to one incident on a plane is childish. Yes, the plane was the catalyst but they obviously had a somewhat of a tumultuous relationship due to the fact that they are both difficult people to live with. You put two people with extrem personalites in one realtionship and you get a great high and low low’s. Brad is an a-hole. He’s admitted it.. but when you cannot look in the mirror and say “hey, even though he screwed up, I can learn from this, too” you are in the wrong too.
Why doesn’t she what? Donate? She’s a Cambodian citizen because of what she’s done for the country. Her land is for animals and people in Cambodia. Didn’t read the rest of your pretend outrage.
Let me know when the gang of therapist allow Brad to have more time with his kids.
Y’all are a total joke. Again please donate to poor children around the world and stop being a keyboard warrior. I bet her kids do more than you fools
One incident that had repercussions. I’m trying to think like a person in her situation. Their entire world was rocked by one DCFS investigation. Her children were hurt. She was hurt. Brad was hurt but her kids come first. I guess she thinks back to her kids being investigated and asked all type of questions. The same thing happening to her and gets mad all over again. Its unhealthy but it’s a long road. It appears she’s in therapy and she has developed a relationship with her father. Therapy helps.
.
As well as giving loose change to beggars I pay $70 a month to charity. Does that buy me the right to criticize Angelina?
I have no dog in this fight (#TeamJennForever) so I’m just here for the comments & wooooooow.
Kind of gets to me that her husband wasn’t there for her post surgery… she had her breasts and uterus removed for goodness sake!! not to mention the after effects of menopause and bells palsey. What a year to shoulder alone. And then the messy divorce to top it off. Yet she still manages to put her kids first. And bring a crew of kids over from Cambodia for a day at Disney. I’ve grown to admire this woman immensely.
What do you mean he wasn’t there? They did a joint interview where she talked about how great he was afterwards.
I mean – he’s not there, is he? He admittedly was drinking his way through his emotions. Healing is not an overnight process. the divorce, after so many years together, follows very quickly on the heels of her surgeries. She is pro actively fighting to stay alive and healthy for her children and he is not there.
I there is nothing more terrifying than a cancer diagnosis when you’ve got young children:( having a solid partner stick it out with you through the tough times makes a world of difference. It also means you have a shoulder to cry on (rather than sobbing alone in the shower).
Jenna I agree, weren’t there pics of him all over Europe around the time she was recovering? I think it’s obvious to all that things in that marriage weren’t as they seemed. If Pitt can’t seemingly deal with the everyday stresses of raising kids, I can’t imagine him dealing well with a recovering Angelina. It’s interesting their relationship literally made her ill, the hypertension, the bell’s palsy. She’s still dealing with the fallout & being with the kids everyday (her choice I’m aware) and Pitt gets to enjoy concerts, festivals , museums nightly & the fawning of people all over the internet- must be nice.
The sad thing is, even if Angelina did somehow get custody of the kids because Pitt is a shitty parent, all these people would absolve him of that and make it Angelina’s fault for ” alienating ” the kids. I’ve seen people here talk about Angelina playing the victim and never taking responsibility, to my mind all she’s done is take responsibility her whole life, and do what needs to be done while sad Brad gets to bask in the adoration of his fans and sympathisers one concert at a time. Like some said , it’s a good thing she’s got thick skin. She’s a strong woman Angelina.
Pitt once stated that he liked to have HQ – headquaters – when filming abroad. He seems a bit more like a homeboy. Whereas busybody Angie jets all over the world.
Let’s see how the kids turn out. They surely won’t form stable longer-term friendships with other kids because they aren’t in the same place for long. Thanks to Angie. I doubt that that is a healthy way to grow up. Kids really should get the chance to form longer-term friendships (3-4 years) and experience the ups and downs and the development.
Pitt can’t be that bad a parent because the authorities didn’t find anything on him. And nowadays a parent is screwed if they even do so much as a slap on the derriere. And don’t get me started on “verbal abuse”. So how bad can Pitt have been as a father as they didn’t even put him on the authorities “watchlist for parents who might screw up” ?
Yep, violence and verbal abuse shouldn’t have a place in education and upbringing of children. But parents are really caught between a rock and a hard place there. Most parents work and are stressed out from work. And then they come home and do the household chores and then have to raise kids: do your homework, do you need help, tidy up your room, turn down the music … And imagine that with 6 (?) children while constantly traveling with a whole team and with a co-parent who has a completely different concept of parenting.
@No dignity . You’re making excuses here, the whole the authorities found nothing doesn’t wash with me, or stand up to scrutiny because of the fact that so many months later this issue has not been resolved. No one cedes their parental responsibilities and rights the way Pitt seemingly has over nothing, I’m sorry that just doesn’t happen. Just because behaviour did not meet the criminal standard to press charges it does not mean that something awful didn’t happen on that plane & I disagree with @Pam L this is not a mere case of Angelina balking at Pitt disciplining the kids. No one, not his lawyers, not the judge , not the custody evaluator who isn’t employed by either of them btw would entertain this kind of situation for this long over nothing.
Like i said above, how the kids have been raised the last 12 years is on both of them not just Angelina. Pitt went along with this, read stuff he’s said, you people should stop infantalizing Pitt and acting like he had no say in his life for 12 years, you know that’s just not true.I’m done arguing , believe what you will. Angelina knows her truth, her kids do too and Pitt knows his. Like i said to someone else above, these kids are not your concern. If you have any, I wish you good luck in raising them the way you see fit and I hope that they are or turn out as virtuous paragons of humanity.
Nevermind.
@ folks not blaming AJ for the debacle auditioning children by playing a money game with them. The denial that AJ knew about it is called backpeddaling. The casting director is the falling on ber sword to protect the pincipal because people are going to see AJ and their perception of AJ makes a difference.
Love them both. But I still believe this is about Brad or his parents trying to discipline the kids and Angie balking at that because she didn’t have boundaries and was allowed to do whatever she wanted growing up. I also still wouldn’t be surprised if the confrontation between Brand and Maddox on the plane resulted from Maddox getting up in Brad’s face. No father–man–I know would stand for that.
She started going through menopause in 2015: Last year, in addition to hypertension, Jolie developed Bell’s palsy, a result of damage to facial nerves, causing one side of her face to droop. “Sometimes women in families put themselves last,” she says, “until it manifests itself in their own health.”
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Pics – else I don’t buy it.