An espresso with Angelina Jolie
BRET LOVE ENJOYS COZY CONVERSATION WITH THE MULTI-TALENTED ACTRESS ABOUT HER WORK, HER LOVES AND HER LIFE
FEW CELEBRITIES have gone through such radical image transformations over the years as Angelina Jolie. Back in 1999, she had yet to win the Oscar for Girl, Interrupted, share the notoriously bizarre sibbling kiss, or exchange vials of blood with Billy Bob Thornton. These days, Jolie seems remarkably subdued by contrast. And yet clearly, the 33-year-old actress, UN Goodwill Ambassador and mother of six has made a habit of taking the road less traveled and defying expectations.
Can you talk about your recent films, A Mighty Heart which has earned you an Oscar nomination, as well as Clint Eastwood’s The Changeling, which plays in Manila theaters this month?
There aren’t a lot of great films out there to do as an actress. You do a film like this (The Changeling) and you work with a great director and great words and great actors (her co-star is John Malkovich) and you can feel at ease just to be a part of it.
What motivates you to do what you do and make the choices you make?
I was raised by my mother to be very honest and straightforward, and to be 100% who I am. Maybe it’s because I’ve gone through different things, becoming a parent or traveling the world and seeing that there is real pain and things to be really frightened of. And the things I live with on a daily basis are not those things. There’s a part of me that is [rebellious], sure, but everybody’s gotta rebel against something, or else what are we doing here? I’m never rebelling against other people; I just want to look at other possibilities and never be afraid to take chances.
How has your life affected the way you are as a parent?
I love being an actress but there was a time when I lived through my characters, and I’ve now found that I prefer my life. Most actors will say, “I want to do a film in the Sahara.” But why not just take my family across the Sahara, and learn about the people and spend some time there? I know they will be exposed to Hollywood a bit, but I want my kids to learn about the world around them. I think if they know the real world and feel loved, they will naturally have love for others and become good people.
How does it feel to read about your life all the time?
I try not to think about my public life but prefer to focus on my private life. That’s just the best way to live. Even if I hear there’s a nice article, I don’t want that stuff in my subconscious. I love being an actress and I work really hard when I have a job, and I love a good film when I see it. But all that stuff is not something that’s important to me, and it’s not something I think about on a daily basis. Just being an actress was not fulfilling to me, so I feel grateful that I’ve been exposed to the world and get to travel a lot, and meet amazing people. I’ve learned a lot and still have a lot to learn. But feeling a sense of purpose and feeling connected to what life is really about has just completely changed me and made life so beautiful. It’s given me a center, a focus, and so much joy.
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