Life Path of Angelina Jolie

Early Life and Family Background

Imagine life through the eyes of Angelina Jolie. Abandoned at the age of one by her father, her mother was forced to give up her dream of acting to become a full-time mom for Angelina and her brother, James Haven. Although Angelina and her father, Jon Voight, still kept in touch, their relationship was very distant and unloving. She claimed not to be able to respect a man who could leave his perfect family life for a career in acting. Being that both her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, and her father were in love with filmmaking and the theatre, she was thrust into this business. Angelina began her career as an actress at the age of five, although her first official screen appearance wasn’t until she was seven years old. Can you even imagine starting your future at the early age of five years? After this role, she went on to perform in Hackers (where she met her ex-husband Johnny Lee Miller), Foxfire, and Cyborg 2.

Rise to Fame

However, she caught the public's eye with George Wallace (in which she won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress). Following this, she was awarded another Golden Globe, this time for Best Actress in the made-for-television film Gia. Next, she began working on the film Pushing Tin. Angelina told People magazine, "I had so much fun working on this movie, everyone was high-spirited and ready to produce a bestseller" (Jolie, 1999). Next came some of the most popular movies in the career of Jolie, Playing by Heart, The Bone Collector, Girl, Interrupted (for which she was awarded Best Supporting Actress), Gone in 60 Seconds, and finally The Tourist. Yes, Jolie has a very lengthy list of star roles, but her first real dream for the future was to become a funeral director. She told US Weekly: "There's something about death that is comforting. The thought you could die tomorrow frees you to appreciate your life now" (Jolie, 2000, p. 45). She believed this was her destiny until she was 16 and decided to move out on her own to become a model. She worked as a professional model in London, New York, and Los Angeles. This continued until her true calling, acting, came back to her. She attended the Lee Strasberg Institute for two years, the MET Theatre Ensemble, and film classes at New York University. All of these courses and her past experiences in films have made her into the actress she is now.

Personal Life and Controversies

On a more personal note, Angelina Jolie has a very mysterious glow about her. Much of society has become uneasy with the terms of Angelina's beliefs. Although she may seem fragile and meek, there is so much more to uncover in the life of Jolie. One fact is that she is covered in a variety of tattoos. Many of them are death symbols and violent slanders. Another factor in Jolie's life is her sense of style. She has never been afraid to sport her own blood on a t-shirt. For her wedding to Johnny Lee Miller, she wore black leather pants and a white t-shirt with his name printed across the front in her own blood. Another bloody incident occurred in the fountain of a hotel the night she won her Golden Globe for Gia; she wrote Miller's name on her wedding dress with her own blood and tattooed her body with knives. Jolie once stated, "I don't think the money people in Hollywood have ever thought I was normal, but I am dedicated to my work and that's what counts" (Jolie, n.d.). Jolie has admitted to bringing her favorite knives to bed with her while she is sleeping.

Along with tattoos, Jolie also has a number of scars from playing with her knives. She said, "I am attracted to scars more than something perfect" (Jolie, n.d.). How could someone with these interests not get a gothic vibe? Another shocking scene that Angelina put on was at the Oscars where she stated, "My brother is the most incredible man I have ever met." This left viewers uneasy and unsure of what was going on between the siblings. There have also been people saying the two actually made out on stage at the Oscars. It's hard not to think of Jolie as a sick-minded and twisted young woman after all these facts. Many feel that this was just the way she was brought up and she shouldn’t be judged for it. Michael Cristofer stated: "She's adventurous and bold and honest about a lot of things. People like pinning labels on her. It's a better story if she's slightly destructive rather than the wholesome girl next door" (Cristofer, n.d.).

Professional Achievements and Legacy

Angelina isn't all sick stories and scars; she has had many wonderful things take place in her life. Many didn’t know that she was offered to be the third Charlie's Angel. She denied the offer because she didn’t feel fit for the part. She was also in many music videos, and her talent extended beyond acting, showing her versatility and passion for the arts. Angelina Jolie has not had a very easy life, but yet she has made the best of what she does have. She decided to share her talent with the world, along with all her questionable beliefs. Angelina and her desire to act should not be taken lightly; she has a passion to live each day to the fullest and to make her life a memorable journey.

References:
- Jolie, A. (1999). Personal Interview. People Magazine.
- Jolie, A. (2000, June). US Weekly, 45.
- Jolie, A. (n.d.). Personal Statement. Retrieved from celebrities/angelinajolie.com
- Cristofer, M. (n.d.). Personal Statement. Retrieved from angelicangelina.com