CW: Domestic Abuse mentioned in therapy slide and shown briefly (and non-graphically) in
clip from “By The Sea.”
Going to therapy together.
Sharing clothes.
Driving rules and curfew.
How is Shiloh Jolie-Pitt's relationship with her mom, Angelina Jolie?
On May 27, 2006, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt was born in Swakopmund, Namibia.
Since Shiloh was in breech, Angelina Jolie had to undergo a cesarean section, which was,
according to her, "very quick".
When asked why she chose Africa as the place for Shiloh's birth, she told Anderson Cooper,
"I love Africa, and I just wanted to be in a part of the world that would be wonderful
for my other children.
I didn't want to spend months held up in a house here.
I wanted to have a beautiful time with my family."
Unfortunately, Jolie experienced a devastating loss just eight months after Shiloh entered
her life.
She told People that while she was in the hospital giving birth, her mother, Marcheline
Bertrand, was also in the hospital - but for a different reason.
Bertrand had ovarian cancer and died in January 2007.
With her mother dying just months after Shiloh's birth, reminiscing about that period likely
causes mixed emotions, as her mother couldn't live to see Shiloh grow.
Luckily, Shiloh got to meet her grandmother shortly before she died.
Jolie told People,
"I brought Shiloh to the hospital room.
[The baby] kept pulling her oxygen, and my mother kept saying, 'It's okay, I don't need
it.'
That's such a perfect grandmother, you know?
You don't need your oxygen."
Angelina Jolie describes her younger self as "a little unhinged," and she opposed her
mother's authority on several occasions, as reported by The Guardian.
Despite this, her mother embraced this part of her, oftentimes seeing the beauty in how
expressive she was at such a young age.
Her sometimes loud personality caused her to think that she could never settle down
and become a responsible adult, saying,
"If you would have asked me as a teenager if I could have been anybody's mom, or of
any use to the U.N. or write a book, I would have said absolutely not."
According to Jolie, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt appeared to have adopted the loud personality she once
had as a child.
From her strong beliefs about her wardrobe to her choosing different names to be called,
Shiloh is seen as Jolie's "mini-me."
In a 2007 People interview, she talked extensively about each of her children and what she loves
about them.
When she got to Shiloh, she revealed that the 1-year-old was already showing signs of
being a little troublemaker.
"I think I'm recognizing some of myself in that one.
She's going to be a little bit of trouble!"
While some may assume that her similarities with her mother only went as far as how she
acted on a day-to-day basis, Shiloh began to express herself through bold fashion choices
too.
Although Shiloh eventually adopted a feminine style in her teenage years, she was known
to be a bit of a tomboy when she was younger, usually opting for a more masculine-presenting
appearance.
During his appearance on "Oprah," her father Brad Pitt even stated what Shiloh wanted to
be called.
"It's a 'Peter Pan' thing.
So we've got to call her John."
Shiloh's love for what they called "Montenegro style" caused Jolie to receive backlash for
how she allowed her daughter to dress.
During an interview with Reuters in 2010, she showed a deep appreciation for her daughter's
self-expression.
"I think [Shiloh] is fascinating, the choices she is making.
And I would never be the kind of parent to force somebody to be something they are not.
I think that is just bad parenting."
Angelina Jolie met Brad Pitt in 2003 when they starred in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."
Following the end of two marriages, she was indifferent to starting a new relationship
- especially with someone who was going through a divorce.
After Pitt called it quits with fellow actor Jennifer Aniston, the two developed an ongoing
romance that eventually led to their marriage in 2014.
Though the two appeared to love each other dearly, Jolie shocked the world when she filed
for divorce in 2016.
With rumors circulating - like Brad Pitt's alleged history of abuse - it's safe to assume
that Shiloh and the rest of her siblings had a hard time coping with their parents splitting.
According to People, a source told the publication that they were attending therapy with their
mother after she filed for divorce.
A custody battle ensued, resulting in the judge granting the two shared custody in 2021.
While there isn't a lot that can be answered due to legal reasons, Jolie stated in a 2020
interview with Vogue India that she ultimately wants her children to heal from the traumatic
experience altogether, saying,
"I continue to focus on their healing.
Some have taken advantage of my silence, and the children see lies about themselves in
the media, but I remind them that they know their own truth and their own minds."
In 2012, author Katherine Applegate published a book titled "The One and Only Ivan," which
was inspired by a true story.
Ivan was a western lowland gorilla who spent 27 years in isolation at a shopping center.
Animal organizations struggled to find him a suitable place to call home.
In 1994, Zoo Atlanta was able to take him in for the better part of his life.
Though Ivan quickly became one of their main attractions, the intelligent gorilla faced
health complications and died in 2012.
In 2020, Disney released a movie based on the story.
Angelina Jolie - alongside other notable actors like Bryan Cranston and Danny DeVito - took
part in the film's adaptation.
In an interview on "Entertainment Tonight," Jolie revealed that her involvement in the
project was due to Shiloh's interest in the story.
"Well, Shiloh, years ago, told me that she had read a book that she loved, and she wanted
me to read it."
She added,
"I read it on my own and then we looked at some of it together and we talked about why
she loved it."
From there, Jolie expressed an interest in turning the story into a film.
When she gained knowledge that Disney was in the early stages of doing so, she got involved
so that the film was authentic to its source material.
With Shiloh Jolie-Pitt entering her later years as a teenager, her want for independence
must be at an all-time high.
Though Angelina Jolie is sure she raised her daughter well enough to tackle the challenges
of being an adult, it seems that she has additional provisions in place so that her 16-year-old
daughter doesn't step too far into adulthood.
An example of this could be seen through the alleged reports of the rules Shiloh must follow
as a driver-in-training.
According to Hollywood Life, Jolie is happy with Shiloh taking this necessary step in
life.
However, she appears to be very stern about what she expects out of Shiloh behind the
wheel.
A source told Hollywood Life,
"There are extra rules that Shiloh has to follow for the first year, like no friends
in the car without a chaperone, and she can't be out alone past 11."
Jolie seemingly understands the mindset an adolescent like her has during this critical
stage of their life, causing her to become overly protective.
In an effort to ensure her safety, Shiloh may have to work with her mother for a bit
longer before she's comfortable with her endeavors as a young adult.
Clothes for Shiloh Jolie-Pitt have played a somewhat significant role in her expression
of self.
Whether she's sporting ripped jeans with a pair of Converse or a vibrant dress, her wardrobe
appears to be diverse.
Jolie has seemingly contributed to Shiloh's ever-growing collection of apparel by sharing
some of her pieces with her.
In 2021, Jolie, Zahara, Knox, Vivienne, Shiloh, and Maddox all made appearances on the red
carpet for the premiere of Marvel's "Eternals."
During their London appearance, fans couldn't help but notice that Shiloh wore the same
Dior gown her mother wore at a "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" news conference in 2019.
Zahara did the same during their appearance in Los Angeles, sporting the same dress she
wore at the Oscars in 2014.
In preparation for their public appearances together, Jolie turned an upcycling idea into
a full-fledged clothing haul and permitted her kids to take clothes from her collection
to wear.
In an interview with E! News, Jolie revealed that she got a kick out of watching her kids
wear her clothes, suggesting that it was a rite of passage, saying,
"I'm like, 'Oh my god, wear it and wear it better than me.
Take it, it's your turn.'"
Despite the "Maleficent" actor's rebellious attitude as a teenager, she has since become
involved in charitable causes.
From visiting refugee camps in 2001, she developed an interest in humanitarian work.
Whether it be through charities or well-thought-out speeches, Jolie uses her platform to bring
awareness to the imbalances in human rights throughout the world.
In a 2006 interview with The Associated Press,
"I celebrate refugees because they are the strongest people I've ever met.
And I think they're remarkable, what they go through, and the refugee families and the
children, and how much they overcome."
Given her interest in humanitarian work, it's safe to assume that she encourages her family
to take part as well.
In 2015, Shiloh and her mother visited Turkey and Lebanon - the epicenter of the refugee
crisis — to celebrate World Refugee Day.
There, Jolie gave a speech acknowledging those deprived of human rights and prompting those
in attendance to make an effort in enforcing change.
Through watching her mother's charitable efforts, Shiloh eventually expressed an interest in
participating as well.
While the experience uncovered many harsh truths outside of the world she knows, Jolie
told People,
"[Shiloh] was happy that she went and is looking forward to the next visit."
In an interview with The Hot Hits, Angelina Jolie revealed that her portrayal of the notable
anti-hero Maleficent created an issue in casting for the 2014 retelling of "Sleeping Beauty".
Costumed with black horns and wings, she found herself on set sporting the look of the evil
princess.
Once she got the character right, it was time for the production team to seek out a child
actor to play young Aurora.
To her surprise, her spine-chilling ensemble - along with her performance - terrified the
kids they brought on set.
Luckily, she had a solution to fix the problem, which was to cast her daughter, Vivienne,
as Aurora, saying,
"The only kid I knew that I could never scare is my daughter."
Pax and Zahara also decided to play parts in the film.
Jolie - who seemingly got comfortable with her kids being on set with her - suggested
that Shiloh should play an older Aurora.
According to the actor, Shiloh scoffed at the idea and quickly declined.
She told The Hot Hits,
"She thought it was the most ridiculous thing in the world.
No.
She would never even wear a dress.
Never, ever."
Shiloh asked to play a made-up character named "Marcus" instead, which, to her mother's knowledge,
doesn't exist in the world of "Maleficent."
While most parents with illustrious careers may fantasize about passing the torch to their
offspring, it seems that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are satisfied with all six of their
kids chasing their own dreams.
Shiloh has seemingly picked up a new form of expression that caught us and her parents
by surprise.
In 2022, videos of Shiloh two-stepping to Lizzo's "About Damn Time" and Doja Cat's "Vegas"
went viral on social media.
Although her parents were sure Shiloh would excel at anything she put her mind to, her
skills as a dancer left them and the general public in awe.
According to her father, he's not too sure where her dancing skills came from, but he's
deeply proud of her endeavors as a dancer.
"I love them to find their own way, find things they're interested in, find their own voice,
and flourish."
For her mother, a source close to the family told Us Weekly that she shares the same sentiment,
suggesting that she has no problem with Shiloh pursuing a professional dancing career.