Hollywood Spotlight: Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is a three time Oscar winner and an acclaimed humanitarian. She has also directed and written films. After a starring turn in the preposterous, ’90s guilty pleasure Hackers, her mainstream stardom took off after Lara Croft. She followed it with dramas like A Mighty Heart and Wanted, and the fairy tale film Maleficent.
Personal Life
Angelina Jolie, an Academy Award winner, is both a famous movie star and humanitarian. Her activism is focused on human rights, especially those related to refugees. She also promotes animal conservation and is active in several other charitable causes. Despite personal struggles and two divorces, she has never let her setbacks stop her from continuing to work and lead.
The actress began her career in small films, but earned notice for her performances in Hackers (1995) and Foxfire (1996). Her role as Gia Carangi, a troubled model, in the HBO movie Gia (1998) further increased her reputation. She went on to star in the blockbuster films Lara Croft Tomb Raider (2001), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), Wanted (2008) and Salt (2010).
During the same time, Jolie became involved in international charity projects. Her efforts as a UN goodwill ambassador and special envoy for the high commissioner for refugees have taken her on numerous field missions, where she has documented human suffering in war-torn regions.
In 2012, Jolie teamed up with former British Foreign Secretary Lord William Hague of Richmond to start the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative. The campaign aims to raise awareness and encourage global action to end sexual violence during armed conflict. In the same year, she partnered with vegan fashion designer Stella McCartney to launch the Draw Me to Safety campaign.
Acting Career
Since her acting career began, Angelina Jolie has acted in several movies and TV shows. She started off with small roles, but she gained a lot of attention in her next movies, like Playing by Heart (1998), Pushing Tin (1999), and Girl, Interrupted (1999). After that she was in a number of action thrillers, such as Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), Wanted (2008), and Salt (2010).
She was also in a handful of dramas, including A Mighty Heart (2006) and Changeling (2008). Her performance in the latter earned her a nomination for an Academy Award. The movie also helped her become known as an advocate for children’s rights.
In addition to acting, Jolie has directed some of her movies, including In the Land of Blood and Honey (2011) and Unbroken (2014). She also starred in and wrote the 2015 drama By the Sea, which centers around a troubled couple in 1970s France.
Although some of her movies didn’t do so well at the box office, such as Original Sin (2000) and Life or Something Like It (2002), they still garnered appreciation from critics. She was also the voice of Tigress in the animated film series Kung Fu Panda (2008) and its sequels. She has also acted in a few action movies, such as the thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021). She is also scheduled to star in an upcoming fantasy film called The Eternals.
Philanthropic Efforts
In addition to starring in movies, actress Jolie is a dedicated humanitarian, and she often uses her star power and platform to promote kindness and justice around the world. She has used her fortune to aid the causes that are closest to her heart, which include global development and conservation, the protection of endangered animals, and a focus on refugees.
She is a UN special envoy for refugees and has traveled to areas that are affected by war, natural disasters and poverty. She has visited countries like Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Cambodia. She has also helped fund projects that support refugee and internally displaced people, and she is known to cover her own travel expenses while on these missions.
Jolie also founded her own foundation, which has provided grants to organizations such as The International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders and SOS Children’s Villages. She has made a point to visit many of these projects, and she is often accompanied by her children.
She is also a strong supporter of women’s rights, and she has worked to raise awareness about sexual violence during armed conflict. She has also lobbied for humanitarian issues on a political level, attending a number of conferences and speaking to politicians. Jolie has a passion for art, and she regularly visits galleries with her family and encourages her children to express themselves creatively. She has even merged her love of art with her philanthropic work, bringing attention to global humanitarian issues through visual art.
Current Projects
Angelina Jolie will be reprising her role as Master Tigress in the upcoming Kung Fu Panda 4 sequel. Jolie has been praised for her committed and energetic performances in the series, so she’s hoping to use this opportunity to kickstart a movie comeback. She is also starring opposite Henry Cavill in Tarzan set to release in 2025.
The famous movie star also recently landed the lead role in a drama film titled Maria, about opera legend Maria Callas. Directed by Lisey’s Story director Pablo Larrain and written by Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight, the film will focus on the singer’s final days in 1970s Paris.
Jolie will also be working behind the camera for a few films, including a Broadway musical adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders. The actress will serve as both producer and star in the film, which is due out next April. She’s been praised for her commitment to the project, and she recently told PEOPLE that her daughter Vivienne will help with the production.
As a mother and activist, Jolie wants her children to have the same opportunities as other young people. She’s hoping that her work in television and movies will inspire them to follow their dreams and pursue their own passions. The actress also has a fashion line called Atelier Jolie that uses deadstock fabrics to promote sustainability.