Angelina Jolie missed her aunt’s funeral to attend ‘WWZ’ premiere in London

Here are even more photos of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt last night in London. I think this is the breakdown of activities: they went to the World War Z premiere together, then Brad went solo to the Muse concert (which was part of the post-premiere party). Then Brad and Angelina went out to eat at the Haymarket Hotel, then they stopped at the Carlton House (I don’t know why) and then they went back to their hotel.

I’m including some photos of Angelina with a fluffy teddy bear – apparently, a fan gave Angelina the teddy bear, which she held on to for a while and then she gave it to a 4-year-old named Sophie Martinez. Sophie burst into tears when Angelina gave her the bear and Angelina told her soothingly, “It’s a nice teddy.” Sophie’s parents – Brazilian students living in England – told the Mail that they were “touched” by Angelina’s gesture.

I keep seeing stuff about how The Villainess Jolie was so terrible because she “missed” her aunt funeral, which was also yesterday in California. Angelina’s maternal aunt passed away more than a week ago, and Angelina was already scheduled to go to London with Brad. Could she have broken those plans to go to her aunt’s funeral? Probably. But her family seemed like they understood. Angelina’s uncle told E! News, “Angelina will be in London on Sunday so she won’t be able to attend but she has been in touch with us and with various other members of the family, which has obviously been lovely and has meant a lot to us.”

Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.

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221 Responses to “Angelina Jolie missed her aunt’s funeral to attend ‘WWZ’ premiere in London”

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  1. LadyMTL says:

    If her family didn’t have a problem with Angelina not being at the funeral then why should I?

    Besides, can you imagine the magazine headlines if she hadn’t shown up at the premiere? “Angie doesn’t want to be seen in public!” “Brad walks the red carpet as Angelina hides away!” And so on.

    • NM9005 says:

      Are those headlines more embarassing than the comments on the ones now that say she doesn’t cara about her aunt? That after discussing her mastectomy, she now ditches a family member who actually succumbed to breast cancer?
      Furthermore, Pitt did many RC’s alone for ‘Killing her Softly’ so it not like he can’t do it alone.

      Methinks her uncle should’ve shut up. He has the Voight-syndrome: talking too much. I’m sure if she would have ditched the premiere and go to the funeral, her uncle would have blabbed it. Which would have resulted in a pap madness at the funeral since the uncle gave ALL the details about it. At least the pap madness is appriopiate now, in a place where they can control it.

      Sometimes you have to celebrate the living. WWZ, no matter how hard of a crapfest it will be, was very important to Pitt. She can have a bit of fun. She can always visit her aunt later. The other side of the coin is that there are many RCs for her to attend for WWZ and it’s not her film. Her aunt only had one funeral. Well, in the end, she has to live with it, if she’s comfortable with it and her family then what does it matter to us.

      • KB says:

        I think you hit the nail on the head with how important WWZ is to Brad. If it were another movie, it might be different. Maybe celebrating this movie with Brad just felt better for her. This is an emotional time for her because of her own recent life experiences. She should get to choose where she wants to be right now without judgment. And I say this as someone who has only started to warm to Angelina the past few months.

      • Remember The '80s says:

        Or sometimes you just have to celebrate the living dead

      • Thora says:

        I doubt the aunty was offended.

    • Anonymous25 says:

      I beleve she and the children were already in France when her aunt died.

      You cannot predict when someone with cancer will die and you cannot sit around waiting for them to die. No one wants that for their loved ones.

      My sister was perfectly okay awaiting an operation unrelated to her breast cancer and insisted everyone wait til it was over before they descended upon her for a visit. She caught a cold which qucikly turned into pneumonia and she died while I was in the air flying to get to her bedside. So never, ever judge these things.

      • BooBooLaRue says:

        Been through this with several members of my family A-25, you are right you cannot wait around and they wouldn’t want you to. Am sorry for the loss of your sister, hard stuff.

      • gg says:

        Yes, absolutely. You never know what’s going on inside people behind the scenes and death is a very sensitive thing. Everyone deals with it differently; on their own time and in their own way. Just went through this with my mom in February. One thing that makes things easier sometimes with regards to funerals – cremation allows plenty of time for organization and planning. I was thankful to have the time to put together a bangin sendoff to my mom because of her choice.

      • BooBooLaRue says:

        So sorry GG for the loss of your mum. Mine died a year ago Feb and it is the hardest loss yet for me. Peace.

      • Anonymous25 says:

        Thank you, booboo. Most kind of you.

      • Anonymous25 says:

        Aw gg, so sorry. What a loss for you. For me there was nothing quite as painful as losing my mother. Be comforted that is does get less painful as time passes even if it never goes away completely. She is living in you and carrying on life through you. Be well.

    • Amy Tennant says:

      It was going to be a no-win situation as far as the tabloids and haters were concerned. I think she’s the only one who could make that decision.

    • MollyB says:

      If she had gone, the paps would have known exactly where and when she would be and that would be her first post-surgery pictures, so they would have been worth a fortune. That funeral would have been turned into a media circus. Taking that factor into account is a reality her family has to live with. I’m sure her decision had more to do with wanting to avoid that than anything.

    • Lauren says:

      If Angie went to Auntie’s service it would have been a media circus. Angie still looks fragile & weak, i think it took all her strength to be at Brad’s side for WWZ. I don’t care if folks figure they are media whores, or disingenuous. Angie is trying to stay alive for her family. My beloved Mum has had three breast cancer ops in 19 years. Chemo, radiation and tomoxifen did not stop her Cancer from reoccurring. The tomoxifen made my Mum violently ill and almost killed her..it has countless side effects. Stop judging Angie, i truly believe she underwent these painful operations for her children & Brad. I am not a Brangaloonie, just a woman with a family history of breast cancer. If Brad was my partner, i would choose to be with him-the father of my children..rather than my aunt’s funeral service, whom i sure would understand my difficult choice.

  2. GoldenState says:

    Hmm, I’m torn. Hasn’t she been to a hundred of his premiers? Why go to this one, when she had oodles of money to cancel and support her fam? Maybe her and this aunt weren’t too close?

    All I know is that when my brother attended a conference so he could receive an award, rather than attending our Grandma’s funeral, I was PISSED.

    • lamamu says:

      She–and her struggles–are part of the selling point of his movie. Timing is everything with celebrities and these two are masters of it.

      • Mindy says:

        EXACTLY!!!!!!

      • evyn says:

        Oh, please. Then you would be right here commenting on how she made the funeral all about her. Or how she used the funeral to get further sympathy for her breast surgeries.

      • lamamu says:

        Evyn, not at all. Business is business. And these two run theirs very well. She is bringing positive attention to his movie that many are speculating is a huge disaster. She grew up in Hollywood and understands the game.

      • MisJes says:

        +1 Lamamu, you’re spot on.

      • Kim1 says:

        Why the name change?

      • sophie says:

        Exactly. If this had been Aniston the loons would be claiming how terrible a person she is and hates her family. Double standard for loons.

      • Emily C. says:

        Yep, this.

        And I think it’s ridiculous that when people point this out, they’re accused of hating Jolie. What, it’s hatred to say that someone knows how to run her career very, very well? She made a conscious decision for her and her husband’s careers here. That’s her right, and neither good nor bad.

      • Sal says:

        Sophie, yet Jenloons were excusing Aniston not being by her mother’s side when she had a stroke and instead galavanting around the town with Theroux. Such double standards for jenloons indeed.

      • Aud says:

        Spot on.
        They are absolute masters of it.

    • Dusty says:

      I am not torn. There is only one time to pay last respects. Shame on Angelina and anybody who puts business before the right thing to do.

      • Lia says:

        Who says the only way to pay last respects is to be present at a funeral. You can reflect and think about loved ones who have passed even if you cannot attend.

      • evyn says:

        Dusty, I respect your beliefs, but not your criticism.

        Personally, I believe in showing them how much you love them when they are alive, rather than crying over them when they are dead.

      • Andrea says:

        Funerals are for the living. The dead do not need are prayers. Funerals are a place for the living to grieve and say good-bye. We aren’t in a place to judge how much she loved her Aunt bc she chose to grieve in a different way.

      • Pale fire says:

        I tried to,convince my self of the same thing.
        I learned the hard way. Couldn’t take off due to a demanding boss, with a dream job internship in NYC, and trying to be better than the other intern who i was up against. Said I would mourn and honor in another way,another day. But there’s only one day family freinds and aquaintances come together to honor and mourn. That’s why funerals are so important. I didn’t realize till after, the mistake I made. And I didn’t even end up getting the job.
        It’s a huge huge regret of mine.

      • Just Me says:

        It is NO ONE’S place to tell someone else when and how they should mourn. And no one else’s business, either. I’m not a Brangelina fan – but I did lose my Mom a few years back. Some things should be off limits. Period. This is not good gossip.

      • Emma - the JP Lover says:

        @Dusty, who wrote: “I am not torn. There is only one time to pay last respects. Shame on Angelina and anybody who puts business before the right thing to do.”

        You’re jumping to a huge assumption, aren’t you? How do you know Angelina hadn’t spent time with her aunt, to say goodbye, before her aunt passed? She just may have, you know.

        And I am SO bringing Jennifer Aniston into this: When her mother had a severe stroke, Jen made one photo op visit to the hospital, then hopped on a plane to New York City with JT. When people questioned how she could leave L.A. when her mother was in the hospital, her fans cried “She’s in New York on business! She has to attend the “Artists for Haiti Auction” at Christie’s Auction House.”

        Jen’s mother had a severe stroke and was admitted to the hospital on September 12, 2011. Jen and Justin were photographed wondering all over New York City laughing and holding hands on September 14, 2011. The Ben Stiller hosted “Artists for Haiti Auction (where Jen purchased a small painting for $450,000)” was held on September 22, 2011.

        And just for the heck of it … here’s a shout out to Jen’s old nose, or at least one of them:

        http://jenniferanistondaily.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=478&pid=19075#top_display_media

        Angelina Jolie, her brother James Haven, and Brad Pitt were in the hospital room on January 27, 2007 when Angie’s mother Marcheline Bertrand passed away at the age of 56. Has it occurred to any of you that attending her aunt’s funeral might have been too painful for Angie? My cousin’s son passed away unexpectedly exactly one month after my sister’s 17-year-old son died. None of us attended my cousin’s funeral, and the family understood why we couldn’t do it.

        Angie’s family knows how painful it was for her to lose her mother. I’m sure they understand why she wasn’t able to attend her aunt’s funeral … for whatever reason. Her family’s opinion, after all, is the only thing that matters.

      • Sabrine says:

        It’s better she didn’t go, absolutely. The funeral would have been ruined for everyone with the swarm of paps that would have arrived in droves. They would have had to be held back with ropes, and their yelling and picture taking would have been a horrible distraction for those mourning their beloved family member. I just can’t imagine how awful it would have been.

        As it says, she has been in contact with the family.

      • Glaughy says:

        Hey Dusty, who are you to judge how she grieves? How do you know she hasn’t paid her respect and said goodbye in her own way. Everyone mourns differently and I find it amazing that you can be so judgmental and say there is only one set time when you can pay your respects. Ridic

    • Elle Kaye says:

      You probably have your OWN reason for being mad at your brother, but that doesn’t mean you should judge every situation based upon your own. I have buried my brother, my mother, and my brother-in-law. I am getting tired of burying people. And if I decide at any point in time that I don’t want to attend one, then anyone who judges is just a miserable person. I know my limits. And I also know that the people who really matter would understand.

      I can promise you this…not once after any of those funerals did I stop and say…”I can’t believe _______ didn’t come.” If that is what a person is worrying about at a time like that, then they need to rearrange their priorities.

  3. o_o says:

    I only have one thought: Angelina Jolie’s aunt’s family need to fucking stop talking to the press.

    • F5 says:

      They can’t. Famewhoring runs in families.

      • truthSF says:

        How, when the uncle is only related to Angelina through marriage.

        You never saw the aunt, whom she is blood related to, run her mouth to the media when she was alive.

    • Aud says:

      While I think her missing the funeral is a huge contradiction [I would have expected more solidarity as her family has a cancer gene on her mother’s side], it seems that few understand how the media operate, including you.

      If the media discover that you have a famous relative or an event somehow shines attention on your relationships, then the media don’t stop harassing you until they get a story and they’re not nice about it – they put pressure on so that it borders on undue influence, saying things like ‘if you don’t tell us, we’ll the story elsewhere [and it may not be to your liking, be adverse, etc].’

      I know this from personal experience, with my family being on the receiving end of a#$hole journalists, and no, we weren’t nor are famous, but an event occurred in relation to one family member that ended up on a front page headline.
      So in other words, imagine if you’re related to someone famous. They don’t let up, so the option you have – so they don’t make up crap – is to speak to them.

      And who generated the attention with regard to a cancer scare and double mastectomy? Angelina.

  4. BernieBaby says:

    I’ve missed a relative’s funeral because of planned work travel. It happens, and it doesn’t make anyone a monster. I think it’s kind of crazy for people to judge somebody for that.

    • Lia says:

      +10

      • MorticiansDoItDeader says:

        I missed my Uncle’s funeral because I didn’t have anyone to watch my young children. They have one sitter, who was in school. Otherwise, family watches them and all of the family was at the funeral. They understood, and I offered my condolences in other ways.

  5. marie says:

    I really like his hair long..

    It is not my place to judge how folks grieve, everyone does it differently. I don’t feel right commenting on whether or not she should have been there, it’s none of my business..

    • V4Real says:

      She has her reasons for not attending her aunt’s funeral. I have missed a few family members funerals as well for my own reasons so no judgement here.

      I was just wondering if perhaps she felt any discomfort knowing that everyone who laid eyes on her was going to be staring at her chest area.

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      Seriously. It’s her business and I doubt it’s a decision she made lightly.

      I’m not entirely opposed to the long hair but I’m not lovin’ it either and it looks so greasy in these pics.

    • gogoGorilla says:

      Agreed. Plus, maybe they weren’t that close.

      I don’t mind the long hair on Brad. It kind of brings his cowboy roles to mind.

    • original kay says:

      Funerals are for the living, the dead don’t know what is going on.
      If she chose to grieve in different ways, that’s her business.

      I did not attend the funeral of my grandmother. sounds callous? I adored her. My family I do not adore, do not even like (extended family) and so I made the choice not to share my grief with them. They would offer no support, and after years of trying I found I had nothing to give to them any longer.

      I grieve for her every day, but it’s my grief.

    • Nerd Alert says:

      +1

      I draw the line at snarking on (natural) looks, which is way before snarking on mourning styles. Nobody gets to tell me how to grieve, and I don’t try and tell others how to, nor do I judge them for it. It’s the old “funerals are for the living” idea…the dead aunt doesn’t care she didn’t come.

      And even though his hair is clean, it makes him look dirty. Ew.

  6. o_o says:

    On second thought, here’s another thing.

    The funeral would have turned into a fucking media circus if Angelina Jolie had attended.

    Good grief.

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      Really good point.

    • Rhea says:

      And the story would be about how she’s being inconsiderate and turns the family private grieving moment as one of her “famewhoring moment”. She would never win either way.

      • Trouble says:

        Except she had surgery without anyone knowing…..if she wanted to attend the funeral it could have been treated as top secret…if anyone can make it happen its HER!

      • LL says:

        @ Trouble

        How when the uncle told the public the time, day & location. The public had no idea about her operations. This would have been different if the public knew of her mastectomy, then you can say that.

      • Leah says:

        No she couldn’t because her uncle keeps talking to the media.

      • Anonymous25 says:

        It’s very easy for anyone to find out funeral plans. They are usually published with the obituary for friends and family to read. It’s an official notice in the paper often. If there is a church they usually attend then services are also easy to find out.

        Angelina was out of the country already when her aunt died and she did her family a favor by not attending. The paps are animals with no respect and would have made a mockery of the funeral. The paps outdoing each other to win the bounty on a photo of Angie right after her BRCA related breast surgery to avoid cancer at the funeral of her aunt who just died of BRCA related cancer would have been an ugly scene.

    • Aussie girl says:

      That is a good point. Why put the family under more strain or make her auntie’s funeral about her.

      • Trouble says:

        Have the uncle put out a fake date and location? There are ways…if she wanted to could have been arranged.

      • Rhea says:

        @Trouble : the one who gets to decide WHEN and WHERE the funeral—should be her auntie’s husband and own children. Not Jolie a.k.a the niece.

        Don’t you think it’s weird if Jolie said to her auntie’s family, “Hey, I’m gonna arrange the funeral to be at this time and day, but only some people who get to come to the funeral because this is TOP SECRET.”

        Unlike her surgery where she could limit the number of people who knows about it, how could Jolie ask her auntie’s family to limit and restrict the number of people who knows when the funeral would be?

        How could she control and making sure not one of the many people who knows and would like to come to the funeral to grief and pay respect to her auntie would keep it as a secret?

        The funeral is about her auntie. Not about Jolie. Let the auntie’s family and friends grieve properly and in private without worrying that it would turn into a media circus.

  7. Ellie66 says:

    Wow she is just glowing she looks beautiful! She is a amazing woman I just love her! Brads hair not so much. 😉

  8. Ari says:

    We have no idea if she had spent time with the family prior to this or what – she could have paid for the thing for all we know! Anyway she looks like she has a some weight back on her and its awful to state that but I am happy about it she looks beautiful

  9. serena says:

    I love seeing photos of them. I’m becoming a total Brangeloonie.

    • insomniac says:

      I am too, and I generally try hard not to get into real-life couples. Down that path lies heartbreak.

  10. Bacon! says:

    So she was already scheduled to be in London, working, and has spoken with her family members, I’m assuming offering condolences, and they understand and aren’t upset.

    Why is this even being reported on? Because as soon as there’s positive publicity about AJ, people feel the need to turn around and shit on her for no reason?

    • Anon says:

      Its about Angie and will probably get many comments 🙂

    • Sal says:

      +1 Any excuse for the hater-stans to hate on her. I truly believe she did the right thing. By her aunt, not just Brad or herself.

  11. m says:

    Maybe she wasnt close to the aunt.

  12. Tessa says:

    What matters is how you treat someone while they’re alive. And her presence would have made the funeral a paparazzi target. This is being so overblown. I’ve missed funerals for work, and with the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been put in WWZ and the nightmare that it has been, Brangelina needs to WORK to get this movie to open. They are a brand together, and his work is hers and vice-versa.

    • Aussie girl says:

      It could just be as simple has that. She knew brad has invested a lot and wanted to support him and their brand. For whatever reason, she had a reason for not attending and it’s her choice. Case closed.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      Yes it matters how you treat someone when they are alive…she didn’t go see the aunt while she was dying.

      • LL says:

        “Angelina has been in touch throughout the week and her brother Jamie has been with us, giving his support day by day,” Ron said. “They both loved Debbie very much and although Angie is not able to come right now she has sent her love and support which was very nice.”

        “We have seen Angelina a number of times since Debbie was diagnosed with breast cancer and Debbie and I were both very proud of her recent decision to have the double mastectomy and to do everything she can to keep her family from having to go through what we’ve been through,”

        http://www.eonline.com/news/423105/exclusive-angelina-jolie-s-aunt-loses-battle-with-breast-cancer

      • Tessa says:

        Uh, how the hell would you know that? We didn’t even know she had a mastectomy, reconstruction, etc… So you know she was not with her aunt? Seriously?

      • Tiffany :) says:

        When Angie made the annoucement about her double mastectomy, the uncle was asked about Angie’s aunt that had cancer. He said that they hadn’t seen her for some time, but that she had reached out by phone.

        Forgive me if I don’t rush to the assumption that he was lying about that.

      • Jax says:

        I am personally offended by your comment that you believe that A did not do enough to comfort her aunt during her illness. There are many people around the world who cannot drop their lives to attend to the sick and dying. It’s called life and it does not stop. And her possible reasons for not attending are legit from they don’t want to face the death, to they have 6 children who are growing and living, to they have business issues that preclude their attendance. Maybe it was something else. But you judge this? How A honored her aunts life and grieves her aunts passing is hers to live with. It sounds that the aunt was well cared for by her immediate family during her illness. If her aunt was able to spend time with her in anyway via phone or by camera, that is the aunts comfort, not yours, so why do you care? If you feel that you’re better then thou for what you think you would do, we’ll I hope you attend every funeral and wipe the brow of every person you have associated with in life then when their time comes to pass over, otherwise you are a hypocrite for judging others actions during a time such as this. I am offended only because the life I have chosen as a military member precludes me the joy and pain of many of my immediate family’s successes and failures, the highs and lows, the day to day life moments that make you smile and the finality of death that brings such pain. I have learned I can’t always be there, but it does not take away my love for the people I can’t be with and your callous remarks are a disservice to those of us who are in the same boat. So seriously, please think before you throw hateful comments judging someone on how you think a person should grieve.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Jax,
        I think it is truly sad that you are “personally offended” by my comment. Really? That is just too much.

        Secondly, she is at a movie premiere. How you can equate that with military service is beyond me. Yes, there are many legit reasons for missing a person’s funeral. I don’t count a movie premiere as one of them. Feel free to think differently.

      • Sal says:

        Tiffany, where did you read that her uncle said that? Source please?

  13. SB1982 says:

    Missing a funeral is not a big deal, in my book. Funerals are for the living, not the dead; I don’t like attending them, really. The body that is in the casket/ashbox/whatever isn’t what I feel is the person who died. When my Dad died, I refused to go look in the casket at the viewing. Why would I? That wasn’t my Dad- that was a lifeless body. I respect those that go to funerals, but I also understand those who choose not to. In this case, she had a prior engagement and obviously communicated with her family; that is her business.

    • Esmom says:

      I have hard time with funerals, too, especially when there’s a religious service and it’s clear that the officiant didn’t even know the deceased. It can be so impersonal. But I know for my parents generation, having a wake and a funeral and a burial is a tradition that cannot be broken.

      I’ve told my husband and kids to NOT under any circumstances have a funeral for me. I just put it in writing, actually, so there’s no misunderstandings.

      I agree that it’s Angie’s business why she didn’t attend the funeral — the possible reasons are many and valid. And there’s no reason why she can’t grieve and pay her respects in private.

      • MorticiansDoItDeader says:

        Sometimes seeing the deceased helps bring closure. If they were in particularly bad shape when they passed, some people feel better about viewing their loved one after we embalm, cosmetize etc. My mom was traumatized by watching my grandmom pass. She died from kidney failure and they pumped her full of fluids (which blew her up like a balloon). Her tongue was swollen and protruding, and her eyes were bulging. I embalmed my grandmother and was able to restore her appearance, which helped my mom, aunt, and uncle immensely. My uncle, who I hadn’t spoken to in 6 years, (because he’s a misogynist pig) wept and thanked me. I could go on and on about why viewings and funerals are valuable, but they don’t hold the same meaning or value for everyone. I will say that those who are bothered by funerals typically have difficulty coming to terms with mortality (their own and that of their loved ones), thereby making the grieving process much more difficult.

        @esmom, it may be important for your husband and kids to have a funeral for you. Also, putting your wishes in writing doesn’t guarantee that they will follow them. Once you die, you go from person to property and it’s up to your husband (or, if he isn’t alive, your kids) to do what they want with their property. The best you can do is hope that they will honor your wishes.

      • Janet says:

        Esmom: My mom did the same. She told both me and my son she did not want a funeral when she died. We honored her wishes. Instead of mourning her death we celebrate her life. My uncle also declined a funeral, choosing instead to donate his body to medical science, and his wife (my aunt) said she wants the same thing when she dies. Sounds like a good plan to me.

      • Esmom says:

        @MorticiansDoItDeader: I hear you, absolutely. I have seen people get closure that way and I have never avoided a funeral because of my own discomfort. When done thoughtfully, they can be a beautiful celebration of a person’s life.

        But most recently when my best friend’s dad died, I saw her grief be exacerbated by a funeral that she felt didn’t reflect her dad’s life at all. It was planned by a relative who insisted on making it highly religious — when her dad was about as far from religious as you could imagine. At the time she was too grief stricken to realize what was happening and too exhausted to try and change things. She could barely function for weeks afterwards, just horrified that the final send-off felt so off and inappropriately matched to what really mattered in his life.

        It made me realize that it’s best for those left behind to leave a clear idea of your wishes. I hope my family honors mine, we’ve talked openly about it. I hope that scattering my ashes privately in a place that was important to us will bring them as much closure as a traditional funeral does for others.

        I guess my point is, and this relates to Angie, too, that we all grieve differently and that there’s no one “right” way to honor those we’ve lost. 🙂

    • Anon says:

      @SB1982 My son (1977) has this view. Does not do funerals, has said he may not go to mine. I think we (people who go, if we can) must accept this view. He like you, if he go’s will definitely not view my body or his dad’s. I believe everyone should do what is comfortable to them. Feelings about death and funerals are very individual and personal.
      @MorticiansDoItDeader I agree with you being from a generation that has those values re death and funerals. However, I am quite accepting of how others behave re death and funerals so those (like my son) that don’t deal with it like I do get no judgement from me.

    • pwal says:

      When I was a little kid, the first funerals I went to were for my nieces who was babies. Because I freaked out at them, I wasn’t required to attend them, therefore I missed my grandfather and grandmother’s funeral. I don’t think I was cheated out of the experience of mourning.

      Fast forward to to my 20s, my father passed away from cancer. I went to his funeral and was okay, mainly because I was relieved that his suffering was over and the funeral home did a good job making him look good. Maybe because I was there to see the suffering he endured and that what was left was merely a shell that used to house his soul, I was of the right mindset to go.

      My mother is elderly now, and I know for damn sure that if she passes away, I will have to go, mainly because she has communicated to me how important funerals are to her. She believes that a well-executed funeral reflects the love that the family has for the deceased.

      Maybe the ones criticizing Angelina should think about the mindset of the person who was dying and has since died. For all we know, Marcheline, Rolly and Debbie had aversions to funerals, especially since their parents died young. Debbie’s husband and kids have a right to make Debbie’s funeral as simple or elaborate as they like, but ultimately, if Debbie told Angelina that she didn’t want her to come to the funeral or if she was neutral about it, that discussion and decision was between the two of them.

  14. Badirene says:

    If she went to the funeral chances are the press would have followed her to it to get the first post surgery photos of her. If she did not attend the premiere the headlines would have been that her and Brad were splitting up, she cant win either way. At least this way her aunts family get privacy at a difficult time.

  15. mordor says:

    This woman just announced a double mastectomy and the headlines read about her “breast cancer” scare. And she went on and on about how it runs in her family and her aunt lay dying and instead of attending a funeral to pay respects, she’s at a Hollywood event. She hasn’t been with Pitt on a red carpet in a year and a half and both of them have had red carpet events and went alone. She wasn’t at his KTS premiere and all of a sudden, she just has to show up to this one.

    • Jenny says:

      Just wondering how going to the funeral would help her dead aunt’s breast cancer? If her family understood that she had a prior engagement and isn’t upset, why would you be?

      • mordor says:

        Funerals are about paying respect. As much as Jolie milked (whether by proxy or directly) her aunt’s struggle with terminal breast cancer, you’d think that’s the least she could was to show up over a red carpet event she’s been in many of times – and decided to forgo just as many for Pitt’s premieres.

        Whose solidarity with was more important? The one no longer on Earth – a one time deal – or another Hollywood event for which there will be more to come? For rich many times over elites as them, money is still more important than a death in the family?

      • Emily C. says:

        @ mordor — That’s an easy answer. The one who is still here on earth is more important. The dead husk in the casket isn’t here any longer.

        If Jolie’s aunt’s living family wanted her there and she disappointed them, that’s one thing. She didn’t ditch her family for money; she ditched her family for family, and for the careers of family. I bet the rest of her family understood. Families usually do.

    • MisJes says:

      +1 Mordor, I am shocked how many people on this thread are giving her a free pass. Had certain other celebrities pulled something similar, they’d be jumping up and down about it.

      • mordor says:

        If that was Gwyneth Paltrow… 🙂

      • MisJes says:

        Amazing! That is exactly who I was thinking of 😀

      • Lulu says:

        Or the woman who’s name shall not be spoken…

        Seriously though, maybe Brad really wanted her there. At some point, your mate precedes your family. It should be that way.

      • don't kill me i'm french says:

        +234

      • Jenny says:

        Like I said, I don’t think what AJ decided bothers her aunt at this point one way or the other and those close to her do not seem upset either; doesn’t that mean anything? I find it more “shocking” that people would sit in judgement of what is so obviously an extremely personal decision that all who are directly involved seem ok with.

        I also think there is a big difference between putting business obligations before a funeral or a relative who is sick or dying. Once some one has passed it is too late to show them care or love. AJ’s family said she had been there for her aunt since her diagnosis; that matters more.

    • Sal says:

      Spinner funerals are for the living. Not for the dead. Shes already paid her respects to her aunt’s relatives. She has an obligation to attend to the living, but no matter what she does you will never give her a pass or use logic will you.

  16. JL says:

    Big deal on the funeral, the fact is life goes on and for her that is a work commitment, just like my husband attends dinners/ balls etc for my work when it’s required, as do I for him.
    That in no way means she cares less or was disrespectful. It probably made the funeral a lot more serene without her there constantly dodging the paparazzi.

  17. BeesKnees says:

    My wild conspiracy theory is that she thought that if she attended her aunt’s funeral in California, the paps would try to infiltrate it. So with that in mind, she decided to just go to the premiere in London.

  18. EDP says:

    Brad’s haircut needs a funeral

  19. evyn says:

    People are always going to find something negative to say about her no matter what she does.
    If she had gone to the funeral, and the paparazzi showed up, that would have been her fault, too.
    Her aunt was sick for a long time, AND she died over a week ago. She had plenty of time to accept her death and to mourn her. She probably doesn’t need to see her put into the ground to have closure.

  20. lisa2 says:

    this thread will give the none fans their place to bash her. She has never spoken about her aunt in public. Never talked about any of her extended family nor their personal business. If the ex boyfriend of her mother had not gone to the press no one would have known she had an aunt nor that her aunt was ill. her aunt herself has never given an interview about Angelina. The uncle is the one talking after her death. So all the talk of strangers being so upset by her not going to a funeral is just a way to bash her. She was out of the country at the time of the death. And if she had gone the media would have been all over that funeral. As it stands does anyone see that there was NO MEDIA coverage of that funeral. None because the press knew that Angie was not going to be there; and because she was not there.. guess what they didn’t care. Just like the people that don’t like her don’t care about the aunt. If they were so concerned about Angie’s extended family they would have already known the aunt was fighting cancer. And they didn’t.

    People get to make personal decisions.

    • LL says:

      I agree everything you said. Like I said a previous post about people bringing up her aunt is all fake concern. These people don’t care that Angie didn’t go to her aunt’s funeral, they just using it a excuse to bash her.

    • pwal says:

      A sampling of what would’ve happened if she went (as told by tabloids and blogs)

      Her time of arrival; was she too early? too late? Did bodyguards accompany her? Did the bodyguards mistreat Debbie’s family? What is she wearing? It’s appropriate. It’s typical. She’s wearing nude pumps? Whhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!

      If she came alone-Brad is insensitive; he should’ve come with her. Is she wearing her ring? If she can wear her ring to the funeral, why can’t she wear it on her UNHCR trips? Maybe the engagement is off. Why is she wearing her ring? Wearing jewelry at the time of bereavement is in bad taste. Why didn’t she bring the kids? Maddox must have known Debbie; he should’ve been there. Is it a good idea to bring the kids? Death by cancer isn’t a pretty picture; is she trying to traumatize her kids? Where is Angelina seated? Near her cousins and uncle… why isn’t she seated with her cousins and uncle? Are they mad at her? She’s seated with her cousins and uncle… well, that a sure of getting snapped with the family, illustrating that she was close to them. Is she crying? Is she crying enough? Why isn’t she crying? She must hate her aunt. She’s afraid of messing up her makeup. Wearing makeup, at a time like this. Perfectly made up… way to make every event a Kodak moment.

      If Brad came along-oh,great… Brad’s here. Way to draw more attention to a somber event. Wait a minute… is Brad being attentive enough? He’s an @$$; he should take care of Angie. God, Angelina, way to be a drama queen. Brad has to take care of you, instead of offering support to your cousins and uncle. And what is he wearing? Couldn’t he get his pants creased just once? Wearing Tom Ford… come on, Brad… way to lord your wealth over Angelina’s poorer relatives. And this the perfect occasion to merit a haircut, Brad.

      The funeral itself- oh, she has a nice casket; Angelina and Brad must’ve chipped in. Well, the casket should’ve been better-not saying Michael Jackson gold casket-but nicer. The flowers… there’s too many flowers-Angelina must’ve felt guilty and overcompensated. Wait a minute… there should be more flowers. Brad and Angelina should’ve kicked in for the flowers. This flower? Given all of the places and things that they seen, they could’ve found better flowers. Hell, they could’ve taken Aunt Debbie on trips all around the world to see different types of flowers, because the flowers chosen isn’t sophisticated enough.

      Open casket- why did they opt for open casket? Cancer ravaged Aunt Debbie; she should be remembered for the lovely woman she was. Why is she wearing that? Did her sons and husband picked that out for her? They needed a woman’s imput; Angelina should’ve help. Oh, wait, Angelina picked the dress. It’s awful. But then again, should we be surprised? Angelina is just not stylish. Is Debbie’s makeup okay? Angelina should’ve provided imput; after all, she did take courses for funeral director way back when.

      Closed casket- wow… the cancer must have taken its toll. No one wants to see that. I bet Angelina doesn’t want to see that-it could be her future. If Angelina’s behind the closed casket decision, she’s a selfish b*tch.

      I could go on…

      • doofus says:

        “She’s wearing nude pumps?”

        lmao, I HATE those stupid things…but I did get a good laugh out of your post!

      • TLC113 says:

        OMG, this was so perfect. The beauty is that it could have been written for almost any over-dissected female celebrity on almost any website…

      • Lulu says:

        Lmao @ Pwal’s post!!

      • Amy Tennant says:

        YOU WIN THE BEING AWESOME ON THE INTERNET AWARD

  21. Julaine says:

    She has made a major deal about her personal decision to confront a health care issue by proactively undertaking extensive genetic testing and major elective surgery. While I support her decisions and her level headed approach to her family medical history I view them as sane and pragmatic instead of brave or heroic. Wouldn’t anyone, knowing the odds and having her resources do the same? Particularly the mother of six young children. She is fortunate that she could afford the testing, did not have to fear how the outcome would effect her risk of losing her insurance coverage, could take as much time off work as she needed to recover, had access to quality medical care, no fear about who was going to care for her children or run her household while she was off work, etc.

    As for her Aunt’s death. If you are going to publish an Op Ed article to draw attention to a devastating illness that ravishes generations of women and use yourself as a poster child then I think you should go to the funeral of a family member that was struck down by it instead of a movie premiere.

    • ??? says:

      Thank you for making such an eloquent, sensible, and balanced contribution. I agree completely.

      • Sullivan says:

        If you write an op-ed piece about your personal experience with cancer, then you must attend your aunt’s funeral because she died of cancer. No, life isn’t that black & white. There are many ways she can honor her aunt’s memory. In private.

    • MisJes says:

      I agree 100% with this post. As I stated up thread, I am shocked that so many people are happy to let her off the hook, and reason why a movie premiere should have taken priority over a family member’s funeral.

      She should have had the decency to show up and pay her respects.

    • pwal says:

      Angelina didn’t discuss her aunt in the NYT article; her mother’s ex-boyfriend took it upon himself to go to Inside Edition and talked about her aunt’s illness. JMO, Angelina protected her aunt’s privacy for many years and her missing the funeral will further insure that. The paps will likely not scope out the cemetary to find Debbie Martin’s gravesite unless there’s a solid chance that a familar celebrity will be spotted there.

    • LL says:

      While I support her decisions and her level headed approach to her family medical history I view them as sane and pragmatic instead of brave or heroic.

      I consider this opinion so short-sighted its no even funny. I’ve seen many comments saying she’s crazy for getting rid of breast b/c doesn’t have cancer. So no many people don’t think of that being sane and pragmatic. Think you are using her having money as a negative. Just b/c she has money and fame doesn’t negate that her decision is brave. Any women regardless fame/financial situation is brave going through with such a tough decision.

      As for her Aunt’s death. If you are going to publish an Op Ed article to draw attention to a devastating illness that ravishes generations of women and use yourself as a poster child then I think you should go to the funeral of a family member that was struck down by it instead of a movie premiere.

      Someone said something like this on previous thread and basically doesn’t make sense now as it didn’t make sense then. You’re basically she needs to show the public that she cares for her aunt, she has to show up to a funeral. I hate when people tell people how to grieve and if they don’t grieve they want them to, they get upset.

      Like its been said before that she’s been in touch with her family before and after her aunt’s death, so mostly likely made peace or said her final goodbyes to her already. Not going to funeral doesn’t negate that. I’ve (and many others) known people that go to funerals of love ones that didn’t care for and didn’t see before their deaths. But does that mean they love them more if they show to funeral and not see them when they are alive.

    • lucy2 says:

      I agree in general- she has a lot of advantages in this that most women don’t (time, money, insurance, help at home, access to the best medical, etc), but I do think it still requires some bravery to willingly undergo extensive surgeries.
      I remember a few years ago a young, non-famous woman was on one of the morning shows because she got tested and made the same choice – it was very controversial at the time, and a lot of the response was very negative. I had a hard time understanding why – if someone handed me those test results, I wouldn’t have to think too hard about my options. It’d be scary and difficult, but the alternative is far worse, IMO.

    • floretta50 says:

      What a silly comment: Improvising what you think you know about Jolie’s family dynamics. Nobody knows what Jolie did for her auntie while she was alive. As it says in the bible,the dead knows nothing.

  22. Sel says:

    I agree that her aunt’s funeral could have turned into a circus had she gone there. Plus, this movie is very important to Brad. His production company is behind it, it’s cost millions of dollars, it’s been dragging out because of reshoots. This film will make or break his production company (from the sound of it when he talked about it in interviews). This was not just a starring role in a movie from Brad. I get that she wanted to be there to support him, just as he was there to support her through her medical tribulations. We don’t know what went on behind the scenes with her aunt. Maybe they weren’t close. Maybe she already saw her prior to her passing and said her goodbyes. She’s been talking to the family according to her uncle. So what’s the problem? He doesn’t sound like he has an issue with it.

    But I’m an Brangeloonie, so I’m biased.

    • V4Real says:

      Here’s the thing, a lot of people on this thread have a lot of good points about whether Angie should or should not have attended her Aunt’s funeral. I said that Angie has her reasons for not attending the funeral as I myself have missed very close relatives services. We don’t know what’s going on in this woman’s personal life; we just go by what we hear in the media.

      But on the other hand I get what some commenters are saying about Angie coming out as the poster child for cancer but yet she missed her Aunt’s funeral who died of cancer for a movie premiere.

      I still believe she has her reasons for missing the funeral and it’s her personal choice. But regardless of how much money went into production for this film; it wouldn’t have caused Angie anything to miss it. Movies on this level usually gets more than one premiere; couldn’t she have gone to the Hollywood premiere to support Brad.

      • yolo112 says:

        ..maybe it’s as simple as she wanted to be there for Brad, since she can’t be there for her aunt..

  23. FartSack says:

    Do you think that Angelina and Brad might be doing their mourning privately? On top of it, they have their mourning to do with the potential loss of her health and body issues, despite her sensible decision. Maybe it’s just a little too much for people to do all at the same time…

    • Sullivan says:

      Well said, FartSack. Good Gawd, typing that sentence made me giggle like an 8 year old.

      • Just Passing Through says:

        Sullivan…..you made me chuckle out loud! 🙂

      • Pancake Bacon says:

        @Fartsack: I COULD think that, but I could also think she could have found a way to mourn privately in person with the aunt. Who cares about the “paps”? Angie knows what she would be there for.

      • Loira says:

        It is not about her, but her aunt’s family. Why to go now that there were going to be papz. The funeral was announced,a nd probably thepaps could easily find the place and time.
        Maybe she already mourned, maybe she will visit the family and burial site. It is up to them to do it PRIVATELY.
        The family and their friends do not need the money hungry paps around.

  24. Daahling says:

    I know I am about to sound like a cold hearted person. I think Angelina is fabulous–I do (I don’t like Brad–meh). Can I just say that Angelina might have chosen a less, um, voluptuous implant, because when you have the face veins showing, boobs that are that huge are kinda Real Housewife-ish. Maybe they haven’t settled (I don’t know–my boobs are real and spectacu–they’re okay). I love Santa Angelina, but I saw her rack here and went, girl, no. LOL If I were her friend, I would kindly encourage her to eat a little more. She used to have amazing curves, and now… Maybe it is just her health issues. She does look malnourished, though.

    • Trek Girl says:

      There are probably still some swelling issues and, like you said, they’ll still need to settle. They probably won’t look as big later. I doubt she wouldn’t have gotten the right size for her and what she’s comfortable with.

    • Lulu says:

      Your boobs stay swollen for up to a year after implants. She likely had the same size replacement as her original breasts, and what we are seeing as more, is just swelling that will subside over the next year. Plus they take time to drop down, into a more normal position.

      • Jenny says:

        It’s easy to understand with all the stress she has been under that she might look a bit thin and drawn. Hopefully being proactive about her health will help to give her some peace and ease her mind.

      • Izzy says:

        +1

        Also, the design of the dress itself kind of accentuates the chest. She looks lovely regardless.

  25. don't kill me i'm french says:

    She prefered to be at a premiere than to go to the funeral of her aunt :his business is more important than the last homage for a member of her family?
    She was able to be low-key during 6 months (no paps pic) and she was NOT able to go to the funeral because of the paps (of course!)
    I start to believe that the ANNONCE (only the annonce) of her double masectomy was a RP stunt to sell Pitt’s new movie

    • ray says:

      +1

      But I do not think it was PR for Brad’s movie. It was proably just for her own self validation. She seems to have a need to be seen different than others and it has always been there. In her younger days it was the wild antices now its the +ve work (which is all right)

      Anyways why doesn’t she share some of her makeup with Brad. his skin looks haggard to me.

    • Judge Ye Not says:

      Most of the time quiet observer; however, the hateful comments directed toward this woman and her significant other out of pure spitfulness made me take note. Took a lot of courage for her to share the info regarding her health issues and it was her decision. Not for PR but possibly as a tribute to her mother (whose birthday is in May around mother’s day) and also to her aunt (who was succumbing to the deadly disease that has decimated her family). Had she attended the funeral it surely would have turned into a media spectacle as much as these message boards have. Take solace in the fact that you have your health and your family and be prayerful that you will never to have to experience such a painful experience in the light of scrutiny by judgmental functional illiterates.Peace

      • Sal says:

        Agreed. The passive-aggressive hating of this woman is ridiculous. Hater-stans really do bend over backwards to find something to attack her with, then accuse human beings with a heart who try to get the hater-stans to see reason with rational posts are attacked. Apparently if you have a heart and don’t judge, you are a ‘stan’. rme smh Such passive-aggressiveness and outright aggressiveness from the hater-stans.

    • ray says:

      This passive aggressive stanning remind of kstew threads. On her threads her adult woman stans will curse people who dare to see her in other light with words like “may your daughter go through hell and all.” Angelina shared it with world. That’s a nice thing to do but sure there is high chance that it was one stone two birds thing.

  26. Jade says:

    This is between Angie and her family so since we will never know the true picture I choose to resist judging her. She gets judged all the time anyway and she knows it. Perhaps she has given her respect, we will never know. Perhaps her conscience is clear and the family is ok with her decision, so she decided to go to the premiere damned or not. We will not know the true picture. So some of us can choose to chide her, some of us can choose to give it a rest.

  27. diva says:

    I can’t judge anyone in their decisions to attend or not attend a funeral. Funerals are not a major deal to everybody. Realistically that person is dead so it doesn’t affect them if you show up or not.

  28. Ai says:

    Since her aunt passed several days ago, how can some of you be so sure that she hasn’t paid her respects to her aunt and family. People grieve and do things differently when real life throws situations at you etc. Things don’t have to be one or the other. She could have already paid her respects (there are other ways) and choose not to attend the funeral (seems like she had their blessings to do so) and at the same time support her partner.

    • LL says:

      I think its just fake concern to be honest. Most people who are saying she should’ve been at the funeral have no idea how she’s dealing with the death. They just think going to a funeral means that you care but if you don’t go to the funeral you don’t care. They know nothing about her family but think they have all the answers and she doesn’t.

      • Janet says:

        The people who are carping on her not being at the funeral are people who will look for any excuse to carp on her no matter what she does. If they weren’t bitching about this they’d be bitching about something else.

      • Vanessa says:

        @Janet, such truth in your words, and here’s hoping you’ll remember them in the next ‘Jenny poo’ thread, as you rip apart her hair /clothes/ face, call her dumb/ vapid/ boring, say her fiance is using her for her money, is a hollywood failure. and is getting cold feet, or in other words ‘using any excuse to carp on her no matter what she does.’

      • Sal says:

        Vanessa if Jenloons didn’t slam Angelina for 8 years, people wouldn’t give it back to Aniston in retaliation. Sorry but the Jenloons don’t get to whinge about Aniston getting carped on since they started it. I’m sorry to say but the aggressor doesn’t get that right. They need to cop it back to be even.

  29. Enn says:

    My only observation on this is that I think it’s entirely possible that she spoke to her uncle and asked him what he wanted her to do, and he insisted she go to London. I also think that the paparazzi would have been climbing roofs and trees to get funeral photos, so perhaps it was a decision made to give the family privacy.

    I’m not a Brangeloonie, so I’m not giving her a pass just because she’s AJ. I think she’s savvy enough to know that there would be backlash from this.

  30. Anon says:

    How much do you think a picture of Angelina going to her beloved Aunt’s funeral would have sold for? Even from a camera phone?
    Angelina does know her beloved Aunt deserves better than this, so does the family. I dare say, the Aunt probably knew before she died, Angie couldn’t be there…and why.

    • Lucky Charm says:

      THIS + 1000! Exactly what I was thinking. The public didn’t even know this aunt existed until someone else (Not Angelina) said something, and the Uncle giving out all the details of the funeral certainly didn’t help. I can only imagine the media frenzy that would have ensued if AJ was there, and everyone else (Debbie’s friends and other family members) would have been so uncomfortable and upset at the circus it became. I think it’s because SHE WAS thinking of her aunt that she chose to attend the WWZ premiere instead.

      I know that if one of my close relatives died, and I had a famous relative that was internationally known, I would be upset and angry that I couldn’t have the proper atmosphere to pay my last respects because of all the papz and media trying to get pictures and interviews. That is just not the time or place, and the media would be all over creating a huge, and disrespectful, distraction.

      And this movie premiere is not just any red carpet, it’s a very important one to her husband/fiance, and which is also the appropriate place for all the media attention.

      • Josephina says:

        Eloquently stated.

        Well said and done.

        It is VERY CLEAR that Angelina did NOT want anyone to know about her aunt. She never told anyone in the press about this. She has, in fact, maintained her position of privacy for her relatives, unlike Debbie’s husband.

        Like the protective mother that she is, she steered the paps overseas for the premiere, where THEY SHOULD BE.

  31. little says:

    it’s probably weird that i put so much thought into how angie thinks, but here’s a shot.

    angie focuses on the greater good. in an effort to shed light on the threats of breast cancer, brad and angie created a plan to best educate the masses.

    1. get the surgery
    2. do the nytimes oped
    3. use the next hollywood event to re-emerge to the public strong, recovered and happy

    I wouldn’t be surprised if angie’s aunt, a victim of breast cancer, helped her devise this plan.

    angie and brad are not hollywood famewhores. they use their hollywood status as means to support their initiatives in the greater good.

    im sad she she had to choose and i am sure it wasn’t easy but give her a freaking break.

  32. Sandy says:

    The pic of Brad on her back just does not look right( mind in the gutter) Love this couple. As someone said above maybe she wasn’t really close to her aunt. She never mentioned her and we didn’t know about it until her husband blabbered to the media about the day of the funeral and her being in London. Do any of you really believe people care about her aunt or the Martin they just found it as a perfect way to bash her. If you are Angelina you can never win.

  33. lucy2 says:

    Personally, I would have chosen to attend the funeral over a partner’s work event, especially if I had the money and ability to hop the next flight there. I missed my grandfather’s funeral when I was at school overseas, I couldn’t get home fast enough and didn’t have the money, and I still regret not being there, for the rest of my family and my own grieving process.
    However, we don’t know the reason(s) why she chose not to attend, it may have been something agreed upon by the family, or maybe they didn’t have much of a relationship.

    I can kind of see the argument about her first appearance post announcement being used to help sell a movie, rather than at a charity event or something. I don’t particularly care for either of them and do feel they run a tight ship when it comes to working their PR, but I’d hope no one would actually use what has happened to her to sell a stupid movie. So I’m going to think positively and hope that had nothing to do with it.

  34. Mayday says:

    Maybe her being there would have been more of a distraction. Maybe they didn’t want to have to make it private etc.

  35. TOPgirl says:

    I’m sure her family understood why she couldn’t go to the funeral. It’s better that she went to be with her husband and her children who attended the premiere. I would do the same if I was in her shoes.

  36. bowers says:

    1. Her aunt is gone.
    2. Her partner is here and needs support.

    (long posts are seldom read)

  37. phlyfiremama says:

    She was exactly where she needed to be, especially given the recent tragedies in her life~in the loving arms of her partner, continuing to live her life. Nothing but compassion & understanding coming from this Celebit@h!!!

  38. booger says:

    I’m not a Brange fan but we don’t know what Jolie’s relationship with her aunt was like and can’t judge. Also, none of the Monty Python members attended Graham Chapman’s funeral when he died to avoid turning it into a media circus out of respect for his family.

  39. Jane says:

    Is she even close to her aunt? I’d rather support my husband than a distant relative, especially if were weren’t close.

  40. Janet says:

    Never mind the fact that her attendance at her aunt’s funeral would have turned what should be a private event into a media circus, it’s her decision whether or not to be there and if her family is fine with it, then everyone else should be as well.

    Before my mom passed away she specifically said — and emphasized several times — she did not want a funeral. When she finally died at an advanced age, we didn’t mourn her death, we celebrated her life. That was how she wanted it.

  41. Sal says:

    She and brad have to use whatever they have to support a film that is widely expected to be a flop and a financial disaster. It’s calculating. Why does no one ever bring up how grotesquely skinny she is? It’s not healthy. Yet people are do blinded by how wonderful she is to say anything, I suppose.

    • Jenny says:

      Until I found out about her recent surgeries I was saying the same thing about how unhealthy her weight seemed; however, I think many may find it callous in light of those recent struggles. Many people lose weight when under stress or struggling with surgeries or health problems.

    • Sal says:

      Hi Spinner.

  42. Georgina says:

    I won’t give her any crap about this. Once a person has departed, there are other ways to respect their memory and celebrate their life than funerals.

    • Janet says:

      Amen and ^5. My mom refused to even have a funeral. She said we could find much better things to do with her money than throw it away on some coffin nobody will ever see again once it’s buried. As per her instructions, she was cremated and her ashes were buried next to my dad.

  43. Jayna says:

    I don’t judge, because we don’t know how close they were or all the particulars. I will say I have skipped funerals until it affected my life. When my mother died, I realized on that day how much it meant to us as a family the people who made such an effort to be there. There aren’t words to explain it. It really meant a lot to my father. From then on I made sure to do the same for my relatives and close friends who lost someone. It really does mean something, and we seem to have lost that sense of community about such things compared to my parent’s generation.

  44. paranormalgirl says:

    We all grieve in our own way at our own time. I personally do not like funerals or wakes. I do not go to them if it can be avoided. I am not cold hearted and callous, I do my own thing.

  45. Amy246 says:

    The movie doesn’t come out for 2-3 weeks so I’m baffled why the haters are claiming she had surgery and went to a premier for publicity. People see movies because they want to. Nobody wastes their time and money on something they don’t care about. Critics and word of mouth are more important. I don’t see the logic in thinking that even if all critics and everybody who sees the previews hate the movie, people will still see it because Angelina went to a premier.

  46. JL says:

    All those saying pay respect, well respect should be paid long before death. No use making a big show at a funeral if you never saw the person or did squat in their life.

    If you did treat them right in life, attending a funeral is nice but not a necessity. I go to funerals for the living not the dead.

    • mimi says:

      So basically, you’ll be fine with knowing no one will be attending your funeral.

      I wonder if Angelina shares your views.

      • JL says:

        I’d be totally good with cremation, remember the good times and take the money for flowers, coffins etc and do something nice for yourself.

        I’ll be dead, I won’t know. I think one knows if people care about you before you dies, I’m sure some people know no one will be there other than sheer duty.

  47. rudy says:

    Angie’s aunt would applaud her decision. Why is the funeral more important than the premiere? I am in awe of this woman who announced to the world she cut off her breasts and replaced them. She never ever needed to tell a soul. And now look at her shine. The release from hiding such a secret must be immense.

    Jolie is my new hero. The way she lives her life and makes her choices, in full public view, is astounding. A full-time mother, actress, activist and now a public magnet for breast cancer. Immediately after her op-ed piece I am sure hundreds of women around the world went and got their first mammogram.

  48. Hatuh says:

    I think she is sometimes beautiful, but the most beautiful woman in the world? The sexiest? I just don’t see it. She has a very odd profile, and that humongous forehead. I would never call her unattractive, I just don’t see what all the fuss is about. IMO.

    • iLuvSpringTime says:

      I don’t see her as the most beautiful either, far from it. The forehead is too big, the lips too big and usually cracked, and the buggy eyes are not attractive either. I love her hair though. And for those who assume I am saying this because I love Annistan, no. I like her better than Jolie, but I don’t feel Annistan is the beautiful either.

      • Amy Tennant says:

        Personality and inner beauty go a long way. I think she has both kinds of beauty in spades.

  49. Ginger says:

    WOW! The tabloids are so schizophrenic in regards to Angie…one week she’s on all the covers as a hero to other women and the next she’s back to being demonized. I can only imagine how vulnerable she must be feeling after everything she’s been through and is grateful for all of the support Brad has given her. It seems to me that she is returning the favor to him since this film was so important to him.

  50. Maggie says:

    Why she did or did not go to her aunt’s funeral is her own business. But I have to say I saw pics on another site and these two look rough in their close up shots. Her boobs appear somewhat large for her frame but I would guess they are still pretty firm and swollen.

  51. chloe says:

    It sounds like the family is fine with Angelina not attending, as for the uncle announcing when it was this was after he said she wouldn’t be there and that they were starting up a foundation in her aunt’s name, I don’t understand the hatred towards him for announcing when the funeral was going to be held, most average humans funerals are announced in the paper and on the funeral homes website. Let them mourn their loved one without the bashing.

  52. anneesezz says:

    Nobody knows how Angie’s aunt would have felt about her decision not to attend the funeral. NOBODY! So please stop trying to tell us how she “probably” would feel about it. And, I’ll say this, I remember all the relatives who DIDN’T show at my mom’s funeral six years ago with lame excuses. Nobody likes funerals. Get your butt to the service and pay your respects. Unless they weren’t close, but it sounded as though they were when her death was reported. I’m sure someone will educate me if I’m wrong.

  53. LaurieH says:

    I’m not inclined to criticize her for not attending her aunt’s funeral. Yes, she could afford to fly off to wherever the funeral was, but we don’t know what other scheduling conflicts she may have had (the premier was just one night, we don’t know what contractual obligations she may have had for earlier that day or the next day). Secondly, we don’t even know what her relationship was with her aunt. They may not have been close (look at her relationship with her father). I think she looks beautiful…her boobs look bigger and perkier, but heck…why not? If you are going to have reconstructive breast surgery, why not get the breasts you always wanted and reverse some of the middle-age/child-bearing wear n’ tear?

  54. moon says:

    The press would have had a field day making up stories if Angelina didn’t go for the premiere. And maybe she didn’t want to draw unnecessary, intrusive attention to a private family matter.

  55. Mae says:

    My gut has always told me they are the fakest two people one could meet. They are self-absorbed and their actions are who they are. If they do something bad they sweep it under rug, deny, or make excuses and then blab about all that they do wonderful for the world. Givers and selfless people just do the good work. Enough said.

    • Loira says:

      Opinions are like… Well, you know, everyone has one.

    • Sal says:

      What bad have they done that they swept under a rug? And like many, you’ve clearly not bothered to do your research. Angelina is a UN Special Envoy. She has to liase with the media, do press conferences and use her fame to publicise issues. That is the ENTIRE POINT of what she does. Of course others who don’t have her responsibilities and duties don’t report it, because they have no need to, unlike Angelina who is legally obligated to. In future you should read up on the job description of a UN Goodwill Ambassador and then a UN Special Envoy, before slamming the most self-less and most caring and giving couple on the planet. Its too bad their charitable heart didn’t rub off on you.

      • Mae says:

        I’m not speaking about her UN responsibilities. Obviously public announcements are part of it. I’m talking about their fake accents, their better than air about them, if you look up narsacistic they both fit the bill completely. I’m not saying they don’t have good in them just that they put themselves on this level of greatness that their is no need for and great giving people don’t act like the two of them do. Brad and Angelina surround themselves with yes people and a ton of nannies that care for their children and then tell the masses how amazing they are. See through to me. Again it is just an opinion.

  56. kibbles says:

    My mom has told me that she doesn’t want a funeral. She really doesn’t have any true friends and she said the cost of it isn’t worth it. I kind of agree with her. People are spending way too much money on burials and caskets. Yes, it is part of the mourning process and coming to terms with death, but dead is dead no matter if you are cremated, have a funeral or don’t, or are put in a wooden box or a $10k casket. Death will always be the great equalizer between the rich and the poor. None of us will get out of this alive.

    It doesn’t seem as if Angelina was close to her aunt. I have family members I rarely see and even though I would be saddened by their death, I wouldn’t feel an obligation to attend their funeral. Show people that you care when you’re both alive. Ignoring someone for years then deciding to fly to their funeral to pay respects is worse than someone who communicated with the person while they were alive, even if they werent close, but couldn’t make their funeral because of other obligations.

    That being said, I do think that the timing of all of this coinciding with Brad’s movie isn’t just coincidence. This isn’t a criticism of either of them. They saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Angelina would have eventually told the public about her mastectomy or the paparazzi would have found out. She chose to do it on her terms with an op-Ed in the NYT and at the same time help out her husband who has invested a lot of time and money into WWZ. I’m sure Brad is both proud and grateful for what his wife has done for herself, their family, and his movie.

  57. Emily C. says:

    For some reason, people never seem to consider this when it comes to celebrities, female celebrities at any rate.

    Isn’t it probable that Angie’s EXHAUSTED? I’m not talking about the kind of tired you get after having the flu here. She pretty recently went through major surgery, and is likely going to have more soon. That is bone-deep exhaustion. And now, a funeral she’d have to get on a plane for… gods.

    In my current physical state, I wouldn’t be able to go to a funeral. Now, it’s likely Angie’s not in as much pain as me, but it’s also pretty likely that she’s more bone-deep ground-down exhausted. Walking a red carpet is one thing, but traveling and especially getting on a plane — even a private plane, or first class — is another. Funerals are also emotionally exhausting.

    Long story short: I think it’s likely Jolie simply didn’t have the spoons to go to her aunt’s funeral.

  58. anneesezz says:

    I have mixed feelings about this couple and this issue. She probably didn’t want to go to the funeral because it’s hitting too close to home after having the surgery. Having been there, done that myself. It’s depressing as sh!t. She’d rather be doing something fun, if you think going to a movie premier is fun for her. By now she has physically recovered from the surgery, but mentally she won’t be okay with it, ever. I’m not okay with it four years later. But, knowing the cancer is gone and can’t come back is worth it for your family.

    • Lulu says:

      She has never had cancer.

    • anneesezz says:

      I was referring to my own cancer. I had my mastectomy because of breast cancer. I know her surgery was preventative because of the BRCA gene. I was saying I could relate to how she could be feeling and why she didn’t want to go to the funeral.

  59. Ron says:

    I have been in Hollywood for a number of years now and there are certain things that you end up missing due to scheduling. I had to miss an Aunt’s funeral due to work. I knew she was near the end and had gone to see her three weeks prior to her death. I am so glad I got to do that as opposed to attend her funeral. Also, with huge stars it creates a media circus the family may not have been interested in.

  60. Rena says:

    I so totally agree with those who say that Angelina can never “win” in the minds of some no matter what.

    She supports Brad as he supports her. He has been there for her through thick and thin as she is there for her. This still grates on the misguided delusional who are still living in a haze of a PR created media driven faux golden couple that never was which became extinct like all mirages do in time. Some refuse to admit that they bought this deception whole piece and were foolish, so they keep ranting nonstop as they have since 2005 and it is now 2013. So sad to be so obsessed with the lives of others.

    Others believe that one shows respect by attending funerals. Not my belief at all but more power to those who do so. My family did not have funerals nor go to them and that is my belief. We are there for the living and mourn the dead but no funerals ever, with maybe a memorial celebration get together a few months after a loved one’s death.

    This man Bill Day who broke the news of Angelina’s aunt being so sick is the same man who appears to still be angry that Angelina’s mother broke up with him years before her sickness for a man who she loved until her so early death, John Trudell, who has not sold pics and tales to tabloids. Her aunt’s family is not upset and no one else has that right to me.

    As usual Angelina has not said one negative word about those who carp on her for every single breath she takes, she is a person full of grace.

    As to those opening mouths in ignorance it may take as long as a year for the affected tissue in implants to stay swollen especially after breast removal.

    This whole story making news is disgusting to me.

  61. mimi says:

    That’s terribly narcissistic.

    Going to your husband’s 1000th premiere to have your picture taken, or to pay respect to your mother’s sister and her grieving family in private, far from any camera’s and media coverage.

    Sorry, bringing awareness to third world countries is great, but what kind of a person are you to your family and friends, especially in their time of grieving is much more important.

    That’s really who you are and your real test as a human being.

    • Josephina says:

      It has been reported that all is well with the Jolie family.

      I like the idea that she keeps the media out of her family’s affairs. She communicates to the world ON HER TERMS. I respect Angie’s decision to NOT share her relationship with her aunt, now deceased. Angie chose to mourn in private WITH the support from Brad, and naturally, be there for Brad, as he IS a priority in her life.

      That’s how love works.

      The media, and the posters here, do not give a damn about Debbie. Notice how there were no pictures taken of the funeral. Recently, a foundation has been established on behalf of Debbie’s death. Did anyone here donate to demonstrate their concern for the loss of this life?

      • Lulu says:

        Did you?

      • mimi says:

        Attending another social event for your husband’s work, one of many, should not be a priority over attending your aunt’s funeral, unless you are either a really disrespectful person or have zero connection to that part of the family and couldn’t care less about them and her.

        Angelina should have consoled her aunt’s family, pay her respect to her aunt by attending.

        This is not about ANGELINA and how she is on her terms.

        This is not about how Brad will console Angelina, it is about how Angelina should be there for her aunt’s family.

        At least in her private life, Angelina should be able, as an adult, to be there for someone who is not herself (or her husband) and not everything should be on HER terms.
        She is not a child.

        Her aunt is not my family member and had I been her niece, I would not be smiling in London for another work related social event.

      • Josephina says:

        @ Lulu:

        I expressed my condolences and certainly not criticism on how to grieve for the dead. If she wanted to discuss and share her aunt with the world, then she would have. She is rightfully expressing her right to grieve for her aunt as she pleases, which is in private.

        Debbie’s husband made it clear that he was not offended by her decision. No harm, no foul.

        @ Mimi–

        Debbie and Marcheline were close sisters who loved and supported each other through their stages of cancer. Thank goodness this close-knit family is very united, loving and supportive of each other.

        That’s what strong, resilient families do–they stick together. This family has shown time and time again that they are not easily broken.

  62. Camille (TheOriginal) says:

    Angelina looks beautiful (as usual), and I like the dress, very regal and classic, just lovely.
    Brad looks great here as well. He looks nicely groomed and I like the hair. They make a gorgeous and very sexy couple. Not many of those in Hollywood these days. These two just ooze charisma, no wonder people are still fascinated with them.

    As for the missing her Aunts funeral, well I’m not going to throw any shade at that, I have had to miss a few close family members funerals before myself and although it sucks, sometimes these things happen. If her family understands then it is no one elses business to pass judgement on her.

  63. Christne says:

    This seems like a good excuse for all of those who have been storing up vitriol throughout all of the positive stories about Angelina to unleash. Why is it anybody’s business but hers and her family’s whether she attends? I am confident that, as usual, she will not feel the need to justify herself to her naysayers.

  64. Miss M says:

    I think it’s a family decision. She may have visited her aunt prior to travel, who knows? Who Am I to say anything? People have different coping mechanisms.

  65. Marybel says:

    Angie Jo got herself a nice pair of knockers. She had to go to the premiere because WWZ is going to suck big time, and she was needed to take people’s minds off its horrendousness.

    • Janet says:

      People have already made up their minds about this movie and nobody is going to be influenced one way or the other by reviews, either positive or negative. So far on rottentomatoes.com 99% of people who clicked on the site want to see it. If it generates great reviews it will validate those who believed in it all along, and if it gets terrible reviews people will go to see it to see if it’s really that bad. Horrendous reviews evidently didn’t hurt “After Earth”, which came in third on its opening weekend after being univerally panned as the worst movie ever made.

      BTW you sound quite jealous of Angie’s knockers. Have you tried stuffing kleenex down your front? I’ve heard that helps.

  66. lisa2 says:

    Truly some sad people here.

    It is her family her decision. Imagine that.

  67. Sal says:

    Funerals are for the living. Not the dead. She did the right thing.

  68. Leslie says:

    Why do people think Angie had cancer?

    • lisa2 says:

      Because they have not read the real op ed and are making assumptions and comments based on tabloid information and gossip sites.

      She has never said she had cancer. Never said she was a spokes person for Cancer. Never claimed to be an expert. She told her story of why she made the choice she made. As many have been quick to say; she did what many have done before her. Angelina didn’t give any interviews after that op ed. And it was reported that she was asked by many media outlets. She has not spoken about it. and did so briefly on these RCs.

      But people act as if she has been on tv for weeks talking about it. That is not the case. And listening to Brad’s comments he said this was something they were going through for a long time. So I took that to mean she knew for a while, and she was weighing her options and talking to her doctors before she decided to go through the surgery.

      she said it was a Preventative measure. Which considering every member of her Mother’s side of the family has died of Cancer.

      but the ugliness directed at her about a decision not to go to a funeral. And her aunt is gone and buried now. And after the nasty attacks on her the people doing it will not give the aunt a thought. Only mind you when they want to make a nasty dig against her.

  69. Mitch Buchanan Rocks! says:

    Angelina looks to have a baby bump – and seems to have that pregnancy glow about her.

  70. Flower says:

    I am an Angelina fan and have always been on her side but that doesn’t stop me from seeing every point of view and looking at the facts. Angelina made an heroic and sensible choice for her family regarding her surgery and it had nothing at all to do with Brad’s or her career.

    However the timing of her open letter and her first appearance in public after telling the world of her medical issues can not be dismissed as co-incedence. It would have been just as easy for her to make the announcement after WWZ had opened, she is brilliant at the PR game and would certainly have known it would generate extra interest for Brads movie.

    As far as the aunts funeral goes, its her choice entirely and in light of the world now knowing she had a double mastectomy the media attention would have been intolerable for all concerned, it would have turned the day into a press photo frenzy and become all about Angelina rather than her aunt,she certainly realized this and respected her aunts memory far more by not going to her funeral.

  71. Thora says:

    It might be a little late in the piece to be bringing this up but what the hell is Angelina Jolie doing with Brad Pitt? He’s totally not her type. He’s too straight.

  72. vvvoid says:

    I think Angelina felt it was the least she could do for Brad after he had stood by her side during such a difficult and scary time. I’m not saying it’s ok to skip out on a loved one’s funeral for a movie premiere, I think it’s a little weird, but I believe she was trying to put Brad first. He is so devoted to her and I’m sure she realizes how lucky she is to have a husband like that, especially in Hollywood. If any of the rumors about her “mistreating” him in the past have been a shade true [not saying they are or aren’t], I have a feeling that this ordeal gave her a whole new appreciation for her partner either way.

    I’m just curious…when a double mastectomy is performed, does anyone know if they remove both the external and internal breast tissue or just the internal [glands, etc]? Because I’m wondering how the reconstruction is done. The mastectomy photos I’ve seen seem to indicate that the, for lack of a better word, “sac” of skin covering the breast is also removed and I don’t know how that would leave any room for implants, especially considering the inflexible nature of scar tissue.

  73. vvvoid says:

    I did some reading to answer my own questions about the reconstructive aspect of double mastectomy, and I found an article where a doctor states that it is very unusual for “nipple delay” to be performed on women who have had no previous surgeries to the breast. Apparently the procedure isn’t necessary to save the nipple unless the blood supply has been interrupted/damaged already due to prior surgery, like breast reduction or augmentation.
    Angie has never looked like she had breast implants, not to me, and I doubt she ever had breast reduction either. I wonder why they performed the nipple delay procedure on her, since it usually isn’t necessary in order to save the nipple on breasts untouched by surgery? It’s very painful.

  74. Wingnut says:

    This is weird. You guys know for a fact that she didn’t attend a funeral because she was thinking about how her presence at said funeral would cause a media storm? How on earth can you make such an asinine assumption? Her and brad keep things private when they want to. She could have been there had she wanted to. Don’t make it more than what it is.

  75. Wingnut says:

    This is weird. You guys know for a fact that she didn’t attend a funeral because she was thinking about how her presence at said funeral would cause a media storm? How on earth can you make such an assumption? Her and brad keep things private when they want to. She could have been there had she wanted to. Don’t make it more than what it is.

  76. Wingnut says:

    You guys know for a fact that she didn’t attend a funeral because she was thinking about how her presence at said funeral would cause a media storm? How on earth can you make such an assumption? Her and brad keep things private when they want to. She could have been there had she wanted to. Don’t make it more than what it is.

  77. Hakura says:

    Late to this party, but wth. After talking about this story w/my mom (I keep her in on all gossip ^_~), she raised a point I hadn’t really considered.

    If she’d gone to the funeral, they would’ve accused her of not ‘being there’ for & ‘supporting’ Brad. Plus she likely would’ve been accused of attending (the funeral) as a publicity stunt of some kind, or going ‘just’ for the sake of her image, especially after the latest admission about her preventative mastectomy (Given her aunt passed away from breast cancer). It would’ve completely taken away from the true purpose of the ceremony , to remember her aunt.(as well as attracting paparazzi).”

    I agreed. Then she continued to say “But in missing the funeral to attend Brad’s premiere, she’s accused of being some kind of ‘self absorbed’ monster who ‘needs to get her priorities straight’, as she ‘obviously cares more about fame/her image than her family’.”

    Basically, she was damned if she did, damned if she didn’t. This seems to be the unfortunate story of her life, & something she’s likely (hopefully) learned to ignore.