From eating bugs with their mom to learning how to fly a plane,
you won't believe what Brangelina's kids have been able to do.
"So this country for me has been a, um, was my awakening."
Born on August 5, 2001, Maddox Jolie-Pitt is Angelina Jolie's first adoptive child. While her
humanitarian efforts saw her travel to Cambodia in 2002, Jolie was interested in adopting a Cambodian
orphan. After confiding in author and human-rights activist Loung Ung, she started the adoption
process and visited an orphanage in Battambang for a baby to adopt within the same year.
To her surprise, Jolie went through each room feeling disconnected from
the babies. That was until an employee with the orphanage informed Jolie of
one last baby she could look at. That baby just so happened to be Maddox.
According to his mother, Maddox was always mature for his age. Alongside his interest in cars,
planes, and martial arts, the now-21-year-old showed early signs of wanting to follow in his
parents' footsteps. Although we haven't really seen him in front of the camera, Jolie allowed
Maddox to be an executive producer for her film "First They Killed My Father" when he was only 16.
Through discussing the importance of the project with Vanity Fair,
Jolie revealed that Maddox encouraged her to turn Ung's story based on the Khmer Rouge
genocide into a film adaptation. In an interview with People magazine, Maddox was seemingly giddy
about the outcome of the project as he expressed his love for working alongside his mother, saying,
"[She's] fun, funny, and easy to work with. She's a wonder."
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's experience as adoptive parents stretched further when they
adopted Zahara Jolie-Pitt in 2005. Born in Ethiopia, Zahara's birth was a result of a
brutal sexual assault. Due to health complications from her biological mother, Zahara was put up for
adoption shortly after her birth. Ever since, she has built a strong connection with her adoptive
mother, with sources stating, quote, "they have a real camaraderie," according to People.
In 2022, Zahara Jolie-Pitt attended Spelman College — a private black university in Atlanta,
Georgia. In addition to specializing in liberal arts and science, the college itself is dedicated
to educating the young minds of African American women seeking higher education. Considering its
51% acceptance rate, along with its nearly $45,000 annual tuition, the private school has built a
strong reputation. From its conception in 1881, Spelman College was a launching pad for several
politicians, writers, and actresses alike. With its star-studded alumni ranging from the "House
of Payne" actress Keshia Knight Pulliam to Bernice King — the daughter of the late Martin Luther King
Jr. — it appears that Zahara saw Spelman College as a necessary step toward her future endeavors.
Angelina Jolie was a proud mom dropping her child off at college,
taking to Instagram to celebrate this monumental occasion. She wrote,
"Congratulations to all new students starting this year.
A very special place and an honor to have a family member as a new Spelman girl."
Her father, Brad Pitt, shared the same sentiment
in an interview with Vanity Fair, telling the publication,
"I'm so proud of her. She's so smart. She's going to flourish even more at college. It's
an exciting and beautiful time to find her own way and pursue her interests. I'm so proud."
"Yeah, that's beautiful. Just… It’s really beautiful."
As a former Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency for 11 years,
Jolie has an extensive resume full of several philanthropic events she's been a part of
since 2001. Though her charitable efforts span far before Shiloh Jolie-Pitt's birth in 2005,
Jolie does her best to get her daughter involved in activities that help those
less fortunate. During Jolie's lengthy humanitarian trip to Asia, the "Wanted"
actress brought Shiloh along to partake in the causes her mother was passionate about.
In 2015, Shiloh spent World Refugee Day in Turkey alongside her mom. Though it must've been a unique
experience to travel outside the country, Shiloh spent her time gaining knowledge on the refugee
crisis that is so prevalent in the country. There, Jolie met with Turkey's President and
released a powerful statement regarding the support for refugees. According to People,
the California native suggested that traveling to these countries opened Shiloh's eyes to the
world outside of her own. Nonetheless, the then-9-year-old appeared very mature
in processing everything around her. Jolie told People magazine,
"It is of course hard to explain all of the harsh realities of war and displacement. She
said she felt sad, but was happy that she went and is looking forward to the next visit."
Born in Ho Chi Minh City on November 29, 2003, Angelina Jolie adopted Pax Jolie-Pitt when
he was only 3 years old. As a shy kid, Pax began to come out of his shell following his
introduction to the family. In an interview with Mirror magazine, Jolie revealed that
he started to build a strong relationship with his older brother, Maddox Jolie-Smith, saying,
"Pax and Maddox have really connected because they're closer in age and are
brothers so they have moments when they bond together against everybody else in
the family. They are a really tough team and then they have moments when they bug
each other. It's quite normal and it's nice. It's never quiet in our house."
Given Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's careers, Pax appeared to have grown
an interest in working in film. When Maddox first had the opportunity to work alongside
their mother for her movie, "First They Killed My Father," Pax tagged along,
putting his photography skills to good use. In 2022, the three teamed up again for the film,
"Without Blood." Working alongside notable stars like Salma Hayek and Demian Bichir,
the two spent their time on set in the assistant director department. In an interview with People
magazine, the multitalented actress stated that she, Maddox, and Pax made a great team, saying,
"We work well together. When a film crew is at its best,
it feels like a big family, so it felt natural."
At only three years of age, Maddox's obsession with airplanes caused Angelina Jolie to take up
piloting as a hobby. She reasoned that she wanted to impress her son by learning how to control the
very thing Maddox admired. In 2004, the "Tomb Raider" actress earned her pilot's license,
and a year later, she bought a single-engine airplane worth $334,700. With Maddox having
an interest in flying — and even Brad Pitt joining in on some lessons — it was only a
matter of time before another one of her kids picked up the hobby as well.
Born on July 12, 2008, 14-year-old Knox Jolie-Pitt seemingly indulges in many
hobbies ranging from voice acting to martial arts. In an interview with
People magazine in 2018, Jolie revealed that Knox is next in line to learn how
to fly. After watching his brother Maddox take part in the activity the year prior,
Knox decided to follow suit. According to Jolie, she does not doubt that Knox will quickly pick
up the hobby and begin to pilot a plane on his own very soon. She told the publication,
"Knox is now learning to fly. It makes me crazy happy to see him discover it.
He still needs help with the pedals, but won't for long."
In 2014, Angelina Jolie starred in "Maleficent" — Disney's retelling of Sleeping Beauty. While they
were filming the movie, producers decided to bring child actresses in to play Little Aurora. Jolie,
an expert at her craft, made this rather difficult for the producers because she
scared the children they brought on the set. In an interview with The Hot Hits, she stated,
"People would bring their kids to set and then I'd see them and then they'd ... I scared them."
Due to her intimidating performance as an evil fairy, Jolie decided to cast her daughter,
Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, to play Little Aurora. Although Vivienne wasn't scared of her mother
in her make-up and costume, she still struggled on set. The young actress — who was five years old
at the time — simply didn't want to do what they asked her to do. During a Disney press roundtable,
Jolie revealed that she, Brad Pitt, and the rest of her children helped Vivienne
get through a scene where she had to catch a butterfly. Jolie explained,
"I actually was holding the pole with the ball on the end and bouncing up and down and dancing,
trying to make her laugh, and daddy was on the edge of the cliff she had to jump off,
making faces and all her brothers and sisters were egging her on. She eventually did it but
she was taking her sweet time and not wanting to do it twice, certainly."
Since first visiting the country in 2000 while filming "Tomb Raider," Angelina Jolie appears
to have maintained a strong connection with Cambodia. Because it is where she
met her soon-to-be son Maddox and her longtime friend Loung Ung, the country holds a special
place in her heart. So much so that it inspired her movie, "First They Killed My Father," which
was a film adaptation of Ung's memoir. While visiting for the movie's press conference,
she told reporters that she and her children regularly visit the country, stating,
"We've been coming back and forth for 17 years, it feels like a second home to me.
The children have close ties to the children here, many of them are their best friends."
While the project would go on to be recognized by the Golden Globes, Jolie traveled to Cambodia
to not only promote the movie but embrace the culture she loves so much. Alongside her kids
and BBC's Yalda Hakim, Jolie got them to try an unexpected delicacy in Cambodia — scorpions
and tarantulas. After teaching them how to remove the fangs from a tarantula,
Knox and Vivienne helped their mother cook the insects for everyone else to eat. For their age,
Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne appeared to enjoy them more than expected.
"Dry chips. Like chips? Yeah."
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt made sure their kids understood the role privilege
played in their lives. Although they were able to avoid harsh circumstances,
Jolie has taken them on trips around the world to make them aware of the issues others go through.
Watching their mother's humanitarian work inspired them to take the initiative and
help charities they care about as well. While most kids exercise their entrepreneurial muscles
selling lemonade or girl scout cookies, Shiloh and her siblings work alongside their mother
to sell organic dog treats to raise money for an animal rescue organization called "Hope for Paws."
In 2018, actress Sarah Ramos ran into the crew selling these treats and bought one. Seemingly
surprised, she took to her Instagram to post about the encounter months later, writing,
"A couple months ago I went to the dog park and saw Angelina Jolie selling organic dog treats.
P.S. the treat sales benefited @hopeforpawsrescue. Donate today to make Angie happy!"
Alongside their charitable efforts, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt understood their roles as
celebrity figures. Because of this, they've kept their children's lives relatively private. From
having their births in undisclosed areas out of the country to keeping them off social media,
the two ensured that Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh, Pax, Knox, and Vivienne all had
chances to live their lives away from the public eye. As they grow older, however,
this slowly becomes harder to manage. Whether it be a media appearance or a family night out,
dodging the paparazzi as children of two megastars is an unending battle.
While it may seem problematic, Jolie suggested that her kids
are comfortable with their high-profile lives. Aside from their financial security,
public appearances aren't an issue for the six anymore since they've grown accustomed to
the amount of public attention they garner. During their fashionable appearance at the
United Kingdom premiere of "Eternals," Jolie revealed that she had no problem
having them attend an event surrounded by paparazzi. She told Entertainment Tonight,
"I think the important thing is they haven't made a choice, they've been public for their
whole lives. And so, [we] try to find a way where they can not be overwhelmed by it,
but just be in it in a comfortable way. It's a tiny piece of our life. We are just a family,
but this little piece of our life where this is a moment."