Overflowing with Self-Assurance: The Story of a Tenacious Woman

Angelina Jolie is not just a gifted actress but an inspiration to many. She has portrayed various roles, from a vulnerable character to a compassionate activist, and captured our hearts with her performances. Her upcoming film, Wanted, showcases her love for action and adventure. Besides her career, Jolie opens up about her unconventional family life with Brad Pitt, which is influenced by her own childhood experiences. In an interview with Rich Cohen, Jolie talks about her mother’s recent demise, her complicated bond with her father, and her sensuality during her second pregnancy.

As we are all aware, the journey of pregnancy is a distinctive and individual experience for each woman. Some women enjoy the physical changes they undergo, while others do not. Angelina Jolie appears to be one of those women who embraced every moment of her pregnancy. During her pregnancy with twins in 2008, she was frequently captured on camera. Some speculate that her partner, the handsome and charismatic Brad Pitt, could have played a role in her admiration for pregnancy. Regardless, Jolie delightedly showed off her expanding belly, which had grown notably by the time the media caught wind of it.

She expressed her fondness for it with a cheerful laugh and a wide smile, stating that it makes her feel feminine and gives her a sense of purpose throughout her entire body. She used hand gestures similar to those of a basketball player pressing down on a ripe fruit, conveying how becoming more curved and flexible is truly remarkable when there’s a little life growing inside.

At the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas, I had the pleasure of meeting with a well-known actress who spoke to me about her experiences during pregnancy. According to her, every woman’s experience is different and depends largely on their partners. She considers herself lucky as her partner finds her pregnancy attractive, which makes her feel confident and sexy. Before our meeting, the actress dropped off her adopted children at a nearby school and left the other kids in the care of their nannies and tutors on a rented ranch. These children come from different countries and include Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh, and Pax. During our conversation, the actress mentioned the movie “Tree of Life,” which has an existential theme and features Pitt playing the role of a strong father in a nuclear 1950s family.

When I talked to Jolie, she mentioned that the group doesn’t allow individuals to stay overnight when seeking help. Nonetheless, the team collaborates with women from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds like a skilled Vietnamese teacher, a Belgian woman of Congolese descent, and an imaginative American leading art-related activities. While their protocols may require adjustments later on, the current performance of the team is laudable.

The Jolie-Pitt family is shaking things up with their unconventional family set-up, which includes children from different backgrounds and parents who aren’t officially married but are still drop-dead gorgeous. Despite criticism about their marital status, Angelina Jolie has pointed out that both she and Brad have been married before. She goes on to say that building a loving family and being amazing parents isn’t easy, and maybe their individual approach works best for them. Even without a legal marriage, they share an unbreakable bond that’s stronger than any piece of paper or wedding ceremony.

As Jolie entered the Four Seasons, she glanced around the room and made her way across the floor with her head down. It was evident that she was used to being in the spotlight and possibly even felt unsafe. She moved briskly through the lobby, concealing her identity by obscuring her face or trying to appear ordinary, like many famous people do. Despite this, those around her reacted distinctly, creating a flurry of activity. Jolie carried herself with an air of dignity, almost like an emissary from a secret organization or a messenger from a lost kingdom, as seen in every photograph taken of her. Although frequently portrayed as a princess or aristocrat, in person, she appeared more genuine and human. The same product was still present, but it was removed from the dream world created by set designers and advertisers.

During our interview, we sat near a wall of windows in the hotel restaurant, and people circled around Jolie like debris orbiting a planet in a phenomenon known as gravity. She wore a silky maternity dress under a blazer reminiscent of a stand-up comic or Frankenstein. After some time, she removed her jacket, revealing her arms adorned with hieroglyphic tattoos that told stories of her wild teenage years and marriages to Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton. When I inquired about her pregnancy and how far along she was, my curiosity was piqued.

With a melancholic smile, she decided to keep the due date undisclosed to prevent any unnecessary worries. During their movie projects, Pitt and Jolie prefer taking their family along and bringing a piece of home with them to create a familiar ambiance. They consider cities and towns as nothing more than backdrops and locations, yet they regard anywhere that feels like HOME with utmost sanctity, reminiscent of distant memories. Jolie is an extraordinary celebrity who embodies her characters in real life, making her an inverse Method actor. Instead of becoming the character, the character becomes her, evident in her performance as the angst-ridden teen in Girl, Interrupted, the rebellious model in Gia, the empathetic humanitarian in Beyond Borders, and her portrayal as Brad Pitt’s “wife” in Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Angelina Jolie revealed the reason behind her decision to star in the action-packed movie, Wanted, alongside James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. She shared that during that time, she was enduring a challenging phase in her life after her mother’s passing. Jolie was in an unusual state of mind, transitioning from filming Changeling, which focused on kidnapping, to another movie centered around loss and abduction. This period was a tumultuous one for Jolie as she juggled various film projects, adoptions, and philanthropic pursuits while dealing with the constant scrutiny of her personal life by the media. Nevertheless, despite the attention, Jolie had established herself as a respected actress, receiving numerous awards and becoming one of the highest-paid stars in the industry. Speaking with Jolie in 2008 felt like interacting with a legendary Hollywood icon at the pinnacle of their success.

While we enjoyed a meal together, Jolie exuded a sense of joy and satisfaction that comes with being pregnant. We relished each dish as if time had stopped and cherished the moment. Her laughter was accompanied by a hand over her mouth, and when she moved it away, there was a touch of nostalgia in her eyes as she looked out the window. Our dialogue ranged from her family to her job, including her association with Pitt. Despite her promise to marry outside of her industry after her previous divorce, Brad caught her attention, even though he was not what she was looking for. He proved to be the ideal father figure that she desired. She saw him more as a father who loved architecture and travel than an actor. Jolie hoped that he would concentrate more on architecture, despite not being an architect himself. Brad had previously collaborated with partners in designing hotels and studios, and he also worked with other architects in renovating a shotgun house into green architecture, teaching Jolie valuable lessons on the importance of the environment in the homes we live in.

Angelina Jolie recently shared her thoughts on the changing nature of paparazzi culture, noting that many people are now drawn to scandalous news like moths to a flame. She likened consuming these stories to eating junk food – it may provide temporary satisfaction, but it can be harmful in the long run. Unlike in the past, where celebrities kept their private lives separate from their professional work, today’s society seems more interested in trivial matters such as fashion choices and romantic relationships. When asked about parenting, Jolie redirected the conversation towards her children and wittily joked about using clichéd statements like “I don’t care who started it, but I’m here to finish it.”

Whilst chatting with my friend, she divulged that she had come across an interesting parenting technique in a magazine. The method involved rewarding children with sticker stars for good behavior, which could be exchanged for treats. According to her, this approach not only helps regulate their conduct but also educates them about the fundamentals of capitalism. Despite this, she stressed that her mother’s approach to parenting was even more beneficial. She explained how her mom taught her to celebrate her distinctive personality, which she believes is essential. However, should the need arise, she can discipline her children too.

As the conversation progressed, I inquired about my friend’s thoughts on adoption and whether there was a difference in the bond between a biological child versus an adopted one. To my surprise, she responded with a resounding “no.” Although, she did admit to finding the experience of having a C-section fascinating and miraculous. Since she had always desired to adopt from a young age, she perceives it as a blessing rather than a sacrifice. She feels grateful to have children hailing from three different continents.

Furthermore, when I asked her about her first adoption experience, Jolie shared that it fulfilled her lifelong desire to provide a loving home for a child. She expressed her elation at witnessing her child grow and develop every day.

During a recent interview, Angelina Jolie opened up about her personal experience as a mom. She reflected on the moment when she first held Maddox, her oldest child, in her arms and feeling overwhelmed and unsure about how to care for a baby. She even had to call her mother to ask how many bottles a baby needs in a day. When her daughter Shiloh was born, Jolie had a completely different experience at a small hospital in Namibia where they were the only patients. She described it as beautiful, with caring doctors and nurses in a cozy environment. Jolie shared that they named Shiloh after a name her parents had almost given to their first child before a miscarriage.

Jolie also revealed her approach to religion, saying that she wants her children to learn about different religions and cultures. She frequently mentioned her mother throughout the interview, highlighting the impact she had on her life. Jolie spoke highly of her mom’s dedication to the family and how she taught her about dying. She learned the importance of prioritizing the needs of those being raised through her mother’s example.

During a conversation about her mother, Jolie became emotional and found it difficult to remain composed. She shared how she explained the passing of her mother to her son using different beliefs about the afterlife. Additionally, Jolie took responsibility for ensuring that her mother’s body was retrieved from the morgue and expressed relief that her mother was now free from pain. When looking back on her childhood, Jolie remembered watching a movie with her father, where his character died, which led her to question what is real and what is fictional. Despite her father’s award-winning film “Coming Home,” Jolie disclosed that she had never watched the movie.

Jolie’s past experiences, particularly her father abandoning her mother for another woman, have influenced her perspective on the rumors surrounding her involvement in Pitt and Aniston’s split. Her relationship with her estranged father, Voight, has also played a significant role in shaping her views since he is a prominent actor. Growing up with divorced parents has made Jolie yearn for a large family, and she believes that artists raise their children differently by emphasizing creativity and art. Despite initially appearing in mediocre films, Jolie’s acting prowess was evident, and each role added to her profile, such as meeting her first husband while filming Hackers or playing a lesbian in Gia. Her role in Mr. & Mrs. Smith solidified her relationship with Pitt but may have contributed to his divorce from Aniston, highlighting how movie stars pretend to be regular people.

Meeting Jolie in Washington, D.C. at the historic Hay-Adams hotel was a wonderful experience. While Brad took their sons to Los Angeles, Jolie traveled with her daughters and presented an award to Mariane Pearl, whom she portrayed in “A Mighty Heart.” She also gave a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations. We caught up over a meal at the hotel restaurant, where Jolie ordered salad and lobster-and-crawfish bisque. I was impressed that she remembered an article from our past discussion in Texas, which sparked our conversation about her involvement with refugees. Jolie’s passion for global issues began when she traveled to Cambodia for “Tomb Raider” and experienced the kindness of locals despite their struggles with landmines.

I asked Jolie if her philanthropic pursuits consumed her life and if Brad Pitt was just tagging along. But she explained that they shared common goals when it came to orphanages, children’s rights, and making the world a better place. She firmly believed that this shared passion was what made their relationship work. We also talked about the media and paparazzi, and Jolie said that she didn’t indulge in tabloid stories about other celebrities because she had friends who could be the subject of such false tales. She believed that over 95% of what is said about celebrities is untrue.

As our conversation drew to a close, I was inspired by Jolie’s genuine commitment to helping others and making a difference in the world.