Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian known for diverse film roles and international advocacy. She gained prominence through action and dramatic performances and has directed feature films while serving as a prominent advocate for refugees and humanitarian relief. Jolie has received multiple major awards and appointments for both cinematic and philanthropic work.

Early life and education

Jolie was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of actors Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand, and grew up amid the film communities of Hollywood and New York City. As a child she spent time on sets for films such as Lookin' to Get Out and attended schools including Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute training programs and secondary institutions in Los Angeles and New York. She began performing in youth theatre productions and made early appearances in the 1980s before pursuing a professional acting career in the 1990s.

Acting career

Jolie's breakthrough came with roles in films such as Girl, Interrupted and the commercial hit Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, establishing her as an international star and action heroine. She earned critical acclaim and awards attention for performances in Girl, Interrupted, A Mighty Heart, Changeling, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, while also starring in franchise and genre films like Wanted and the Maleficent series. As a filmmaker she directed and produced projects including Unbroken, In the Land of Blood and Honey, and First They Killed My Father, adapting literature and historical accounts for screen and premiering films at festivals such as Venice Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival. Jolie has collaborated with directors and actors from companies and institutions including Fox 2000 Pictures, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Brad Pitt, Clint Eastwood, and Guy Ritchie.

Humanitarian work and advocacy

Jolie has served as a Goodwill Ambassador and later a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), undertaking field missions to regions affected by conflict and displacement such as Sierra Leone, Cambodia, Iraq, Kenya, South Sudan, Lebanon, and Jordan. She has advocated through public testimony before bodies like the United States Senate and supported campaigns with organizations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and Save the Children. Jolie co-founded the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation and has engaged in initiatives addressing sexual violence in conflict in partnership with entities such as the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the International Criminal Court. She has worked with humanitarian funders, nongovernmental organizations, and refugee agencies to influence policy discussions at forums like the World Economic Forum and the United Nations General Assembly.

Personal life

Jolie's personal relationships and family life have been widely covered, including her marriages to actors and public figures associated with Billy Bob Thornton and Brad Pitt, and long-term partnerships with peers in the film industry. She is the mother of multiple children, some adopted from countries including Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Vietnam, and others born in the United States. Jolie has publicly discussed medical decisions involving prophylactic surgeries based on consultations with medical centers such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and advocacy for patient information and preventive care. Her residence history has included properties in locations such as Los Angeles, France, and other international locales linked to filmmaking and humanitarian work.

Awards and recognition

Jolie's film work has been honored with awards from institutions including the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards, notably winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has received humanitarian honors such as the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award considerations and accolades from organizations including UNHCR, Human Rights Watch, and various international governments. Jolie has been listed in publications and rankings by outlets like Time and Forbes for influence in film and philanthropy, and has received honorary degrees and citations from universities and cultural institutions globally.

Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:American film actresses Category:American humanitarians