Love it or hate it, we’re going to be hearing a lot from Angelina Jolie in the next few weeks. She was in Telluride over the weekend to promote First They Killed My Father, and soon she’ll be Toronto for TIFF. Angelina started the round of interviews in Telluride which, as I said previously, is interesting because Telluride has increasingly become a major jumping-off point for larger Oscar campaigns. Angelina talked about the film and a lot more with The Hollywood Reporter – you can read the full piece here. Some highlights:
Whether she or her kids speak Khmer (the language of Cambodia): “I speak very little. Funnily enough, Shiloh speaks the most, my middle girl, born in Namibia. My kids are from different countries, but there’s an understanding, you don’t have to like a country just because you were born in it. You need to respect all countries. And be very open to each other’s, of course. Mad is very proud to be Cambodian; he loves languages. He’s actually focused on German, Russian, Korean and French – he’s a linguist. He speaks a little Khmer, but I’m not forcing it. It’s very important that he does as much as he wanted to do and that he loves it naturally.”
On refugees and Trump’s ‘Muslim Ban’: “It’s very important that people understand that for refugees to come into this country is very difficult, it takes a very long time. It is less than one percent [of applicants who get in]; so to get approved, to get even that close, is so much more complex than oftentimes politicians like to make it sound. And people who are refugees are fleeing war and persecution; they’re not coming because they just want to be in another country; they want to be home, in fact; they don’t want to have to leave their home. What upsets me about the whole situation is that people don’t know the difference between a migrant and a refugee; they don’t have respect for what people are coming from — the people who against it — and they have completely forgotten this is what built our country, the diversity. When it is put forward that masses of people are dangerous, and the actual numbers and the situation are proven to be completely the opposite of the way they’re presented publicly, it’s horrible. I know these people. I’ve met families in the pipeline, on the way here; I’ve met the refugees in the camp who’ve been waiting – the average stay in a refugee camp is 16 years. We have 65 million people displaced — and I’m not somebody who believes the answer is to cross a border. But until we get ourselves together and we can work internationally to end conflict, to use diplomacy to change the world we live in – and climate is now affecting that – the reality of people needing safety in other countries is something we need to understand. This is the world we live in.
Whether she’s going to actively address Trump’s plans & bans: “I’m not going to say how, specifically, but I will continue to speak out about human rights and freedoms. Absolutely. We can speak out about what we are angry about, but the most important thing is to try and help people understand the reality and not be blinded by something that is not the truth.”When asked about the current government in Cambodia, there was a long silence, then she says: “I’m somebody who works within Cambodia, with Cambodians. I work alongside the artists and society to work from within, so that is the focus, and from that I hope everybody who believes in democracy, in certain freedoms, will get louder, will grow their voices.
Whether she’ll direct anything else in the next year: “Right now, I don’t have anything to direct that I feel passionate about like this, so I’ll do some acting. I’ve taken over a year off now, because of my family situation, to take care of my kids…. When they can have – when I feel it’s time for me to go back to work, I’ll be able to go back to work. I’ve been needed at home. I hope [to work again] in the months to come.
Her next project: “Maleficent, we’re working on, most likely. And I look forward to having some fun with that. Cleopatra, there is a script. There’s a lot of different things floating around. But I haven’t committed.
Whether ‘FTKMF’ could be nominated for a Foreign Language Oscar: “I believe it will qualify, yes. It’s just, will they choose us? Will we be the country’s selection? We don’t know.
I have mixed feelings about her unwillingness to call out Donald Trump specifically. On one side, Angelina is taking the long view, that when all is said and done, Donald Trump will not be president for very long and she’s going to be an advocate for refugees for her entire life. This is what she’s always done, try to work with different people with different political philosophies, and try to convince them that refugee rights are human rights and there aren’t two sides (or “many sides”) to human rights issues. On the other hand, I would legitimately appreciate it if Jolie would just say flat-out, “Donald Trump is a deranged lunatic and he doesn’t even understand these issues.” Also: she’s very much campaigning for the Foreign Language Oscar.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
The movie is well received so far . Hope she gets nominated for Foreign Language Oscar.
Can a TV movie on Netflix be nominated for an Oscar?
All you need for an Oscar nomination is a limited theatrical release in several key cities. A few screens in New York and Los Angeles for a week or so. Netflix did that with Beasts of No Nation so this will likely do the same to qualify. So far the Academy has been very resistant to Netflix’s day and date streaming and theatrical release though, so it’s still a challenge.
For a Foreign Language Oscar the requirement is it be selected by a country, in this case Cambodia, as their one representative that year and that it be mostly in a foreign dialect, it doesn’t have to have been screened in the US at all.
FTKMF is getting a theatrical release. The dates have been set.
I am so happy for her tbh . Even her event in tiff ( in conversationwith angelina jolie) tickets are sold out . Love or hate her no one can denied the charismatic personalt that woman got
I saw where all the showings for FTKMF to be shown at TIFF have also sold out. There may be a chance other showings will be added to accommodate the people who weren’t able to get tickets.
Has there even been word that Cambodia is going to submit this film? Each country only gets one entry, and it has to meet certain eligibility requirements – including a very strict one about release dates in the country of origin. This film will have had to have been released in Cambodia by the end of September. Simply having its premiere (as it had in February of this year) isn’t sufficient.
The film is being released in Cambodia the middle of this month.
It’s funny how we complain about what BS the Oscars are yet still feed into the speculation about who might win one.
@Mia, Foreign Film eligibility requirements different from the main categories.
That picture of her and daughter Vivienne is breathtakingly beautiful.
Do directors normally make film releases and press all about them? I don’t remember the last time a director was giving so many interviews.
She totally sidestepped that question on the Cambodian government, but that kind of evasion doesn’t surprise me.
Yes it’s possible . Why not
Well when the stars of the film are ”Unknown”And the director happens to be an A-list actress with alot going on in her life,Naturally journalist will ask her questions..And to add this interview was with her and loung and the questions were also related to the movie.
Directors usually take a back seat when it comes to promotion but she is at the festival, the biggest name of the cast, a native English speaker, and an adult with experience promoting movies so it makes sense she would shoulder a lot of the promotional burden.
Depends on the director and their fame level. Christopher Nolan was all over promotion for Dunkirk, Spielberg is central to promo for a lot of his. It’s very common when the cast is not well known (or in this case complete unknowns).
No director is at her fame level. Maybe Spielberg but you can aruge that she is slightly more famous and still a bit more relevant in the public eye. Nolan is very succesful but he isnt very well known to the general public. Tarantino is a very famous director but he also isnt as famous as Angelina.
I noticed that with Unbroken, she was the central focus of much of the publicity.
I think that’s unusual in general, but more common when the director is also a famous actor. Clooney has a new movie he directed coming out soon, I just saw the trailer for it at the theater this weekend, and I imagine we’ll see him front and center for a lot of the promotion too.
It makes sense that she is the central focus of publicity. It seems though as if her personal life, her and her kids ‘ feelings about Cambodia, and Jolie’s philosophies are more the conversational topics then the film, it’s protagonist, and more professional questions arent being covered adequately.
It was the same with Unbroken. The actual stars got minimal coverage or Zampirini’s family’s experiences with this Extraordinary man. The charitable work he did after the war would have been a great back story as well as his blooming faith which allowed him peace and forgiveness. A lot more was discovered thru reading the book which is usually the case and I dont blame Jolie for not being able to incorporate It all. i do wonder why t wasnt capitalized On for publicity paricularly through the actor potraying Zampirini . I dont even know if they ever met! I do Know Shiloh wore a running shoe necklace to honor Zampirini. ; (
Other Directors were not Angelina Jolie, arguably one of the most beautiful and famous women in the world.
Celebrities have to understand these issues from the point of view of ‘normal’ people. They are spoilt, sheltered and yet pontificate about taking in more.
It doesn’t come across as pontificating to say that people fleeing war, terror and the impact of global climate change (and the resulting impacts to their homes and communities) are better off living in a new country versus spending 16 years living in a tent. It seems to me that any “normal” person with the barest minimum of sense would be able to get that that is a problem. We, as members of various global societies, need to face and deal with the situation more effectively. On top of that, she said that the way the matter is often presented in the media and by politicians is not accurate. She was clearly speaking about a subject with which she is familiar and has access to plenty of information that contributes to her views and statements. To call it pontificating seems a bit of a stretch.
I’m surprised and disappointed she did not speak out on the Trump administration refugee ban. She doesn’t have to trash the government altogether (although she could on this issue) but she could be more specific on how this policy shut the door in the faces of innocent men women and children with no other choices.
I’m torn on the Oscar nom – haven’t see the film and don’t know other Cambodian options. It’s just that she can continue to make her voice heard without a nom, whereas a different filmmaker might need this recognition in order to “grow their voices” in the movie making business and more importantly to help other Cambodians.
@Torontoe
What are you talking about? Angelina Jolie wrote a NYT Op-ed about Trump’s stupid Muslim Ban back in early Feb.
Angelina has spoken out about the Muslim ban. A quick Google search nets you loads of stories about ‘Angelina Lashing Out at Trump’s Muslim Ban.’
The op-ed went around the world and was featured in many headlines as Jolie ‘lashing out’ at Trump. What it was, was a mature diplomatic and reasoned censor of stupid and bad behavior.
How’d you miss it?
It’s not Angie’s place to “speak out” against any President just because YOU want her to.
Does she really think that paying old Khmer Rouge commanders and regime officials for land, permits, manpower etc. helps bring democracy to Cambodia? Money is the life blood of any regime.
Ankhel, you make it sound like she’s drilling for oil or buying up exclusive luxury beach front property instead of removing landmines that kill and injure more people there than place on earth, and building medical clinics and conservatories.
..and while I don’t think the small amount of money some 90yo gets for his neglected parcel of land filled w/mines, moves the country forward quickly towards democracy, I do think the education, health and sustainability that her projects encourage and create there, does.
I understand the bar is set higher for hardworking famous movie stars making a difference in the world (that other women side eye due to their own strange personal tabloidesque beef with her), but at some point she deserves a break from you guys.
@Ankhel
Your jealousy is showing.
That was one of the criticisms and it is still hard to defend.
It seems to me it a bit like with Russia. It is an oppresive regime that literally jails political opponents and invades sovereign countires but the cultural elite keeps making art from the governemnt’s pocket. It is a sign of symbolic support, silence in exchange for cooperation and money despote the fact the in the context thqt support in a drop in tge bucket. So yeah, her actions when making that movie are still questionable. I am also a bit confused by her take on the ban. I understand her point, a lot of people do not understand that refugees are running from war or political prosecution. But the ban is not affecting reguee policy to large extent bit rather migrants including those who live their whole life in US. So she is not really addessing the issue of current political retoric of banning imigration
That Cleopatra reboot is still a thing? How?
Hell no. Such a product would be expensive, and when the studios and investors didn’t pony up before, they won’t now.
I pray not. I like Angelina but under no circumstances should she play Cleopatra. To do so, would be tone deaf to what’s been happening about casting ethnically appropriate actors of color, especially in historical roles.
Agreed. Evidence indicates Cleopatra was of mixed Egyptian and Macedonian Greek descent. Don’t think she could get away with the kind of “black face” she used to play Marianne Pearl. Also, frankly, she’s aged out of this role.
Cleopatra was Greek, tho. I know AJ is in no shape or form Southern European however, so maybe that’s what you meant. (I’m black, BTW, so fully agree with you about appropriate ethnic heritage casting and whitewashing).
My degree, and now my job, is focused in classical Mediterranean history and research and I love the little known history and backstabbing. I really think they could do a good Cleopatra film but it would have to be thinking outside the box a bit: how an inbred Ancient Greek family came to rule Ancient Egypt and the friction with the native Ancient Egyptians, power struggles within the family, ruthlessness, etc. They could have someone like Adele Exarchopoulos as a messy, drunken Cleopatra. But that’s not going to happen.
tamika-jay, it’s true we don’t know for sure whether she was pureblooded Macedonian Greek or mixed. But her family had lived in Egypt for 300 years by the time she was born (her mother is unknown), which many think supports the latter. Regardless, any unilateral decision to portray her as white will be controversial.
Cleopatra is generally held to have been the daughter of pharaoh Ptolemy XII and his queen, Cleopatra V. Ptolemy and Cleopatra V were both of greek origin, and as customary, closely related. No one seems to have reacted to young Cleopatra’s looks as part of that family, and she was depicted as typically greek, with wavy hair and an aquiline nose. She married two sons of Ptolemy and Cleopatra V, who were called her brothers.
There is no record of C’s birth, only speculation (it is not known if C V was even still alive at the younger C’s birth, since she disappeared from the historical record). A recent quote from C scholar Mary Hamer: “So it’s not at all unlikely that long before Cleopatra was born, her Greek heritage had become mixed with other strains. And since the identity of her own grandmother is unknown, it is foolish to think that we’re sure of her racial identity.” This is the position both the Fitzwilliam and British Museums have taken in recent published research and exhibitions. It’s also interesting that she was the first member of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt to speak the local language.
There have been coins unearthed from when she ruled that bear the image of Cleopatra. Her traits were Mediterranean, not African. Google “cleopatra coin”. Hook nose, protruding chin, thin lips. Her profile, as showed on coins of the epoch, were not that of a beautiful woman and absolutely not that of a woman with sub-Saharan traits.
In addition, from having lived in Egypt, their references have to do with the direction of the Nile. “Upper Egypt” is actually the southern part, aka Nubia because the Nile flows north to the Med. That part of Egypt is really the only part where the population looks black African. Go further north towards Cairo and the Med coast and they could pass for Italians. Of course, that’s now and not 2 or 3000 years ago. But the Tomb paintings in the Valley of the Kings and the death masks of the Pharoahs they have found do not have the traits of sub-Saharan (aka black) Africans. They look Mediterranean/Middle Eastern.
@Tracking
It’s possible that Cleopatra V wasn’t Cleopatra’s mother, the same way we aren’t positive about who Cleopatra V’s mother was, etc, etc. The reason being that the birth or death of a woman was rarely found noteworthy, literally speaking. Female egyptian royals could apparently live long lives, and not be mentioned in historical records at all – we just know they must have lived, because of the large families, unnamed depictions etc. It doesn’t mean that the queens almost only had sons, or that the princesses often had exciting origin stories,unlike their brothers. The inevitable uncertainty does open for artistic license, though! But, come on. She wasn’t black. Neither the pharaohs or the Romans were colourblind.
@tracking she spoke the local dialect to consolidate her power, liase with indigenous Egyptian members of her coterie and also because as any scholar, or even warlord, will profess: knowledge is power. She had enemies both inside and outside of her inner circle. Rumors of her parentage were one way her enemies tried to undermine her. I’ve read the studies (and they are not universally accepted in their findings) and all they say is that it is of equal likelihood that she may or may not have had small non Greek admixture. Therefore, if a film were to be made, I wouldn’t object to a white actress of Greek or Eastern Mediterranean heritage getting the role. I also wouldn’t object to an actress of mixed race, as long as the actress had some Eastern Med links or heritage because Cleopatra, as a figurehead, is a very important historical figure to both Egyptians and Greeks.
On a broader note, having worked in both Egypt and Greece, as well as elsewhere in the region, there is one thing that native Egyptians and Greeks (and others) dislike about our Western historical traditions: the desire to take the history of these nations and revise it. It is considered cultural whitewashing (no pun) or theft and it frustrates native historians greatly, in the same way that I get angry when my own African American figureheads and history is altered and smudged by modern revisionist historians (no, Madame Historian, it was not consensual; no, Mr Historian, she was black not biracial, etc.).
Discussion and debate is fair and crucial, but we should not attempt to rewrite history to appease our current whims or fancies. Museums, especially, should refrain from this : after all, it only takes one word to make the Parthenon Marbles be attributed to their vandal rather than their maker in the popular consciousness for example and for that, at least, the British Museum should hang their heads in shame and stop stealing or altering the heritage (whether physical, figurative or theoretical) of other countries.
(apologies for the essay)
Hi Felicia. Lol
Not touching too much on the Angelina as Cleo thing, except to say if she optioned it she’d get to do whatever she wants, including producing a version starring someone else. it’s very clear she has ideas and a strong vision of the project, I’m sure she’d be first or at least second to say, someone else can portray her. It wouldn’t be beyond the realm of things she might do, she’s not that ambitious or needy IMO, when it comes to taking on this or that part.
Regarding Egypt, and specifically Cleo Seven’s looks you’re spot on, depictions of her aren’t considered attractive. For that reason alone Angelina is miscast. Not that she couldn’t wear prosthetics etc., but when you’re known for great beauty and playing one who isn’t, that messes with the narrative. For similar reasons I had problems with a lighter skinned Latina considered ‘pretty’ by society, playing a legendary African American jazz singer/musician who faced societal hardship because of her dark skin and African features. I felt the actress that played Nina Simone, needed to embody and know that reality from an American and African American cultural standpoint.
Also, you make good points about the New Kingdom period that Cleo ruled, however it must be stated that the Old Kingdom Early Dynasty (see The Sphinx, which is thought to be ruler Khafre) did have the traits of sub-Saharan aka Black Africans. It’s true some present day Egyptians could pass for Italians, but they can also look like Honda Kotb(who I thought was African American when I first saw her) or President Anwar Sadat who looked like Lou Gosset Jr( who not coincidentally also played him in a movie).
Bottomline, latter day New Kingdom paintings don’t tell the true story of origins, Egyptians are as mixed now as they were then. They could dig Lobe Bryant or Steph Curry up in 2000 years and try to say they weren’t black men based on the shape of their nose and lips (way thinner than King Tut’s) but we know that’s not accurate.
@Ilsalund
IF Cleo comes together, and that a very big “If”, the Producers will cast a woman who can put butts in seats. That is something Angie can do and do well. Not many actresses can bring in an audience on their name alone.
I don’t think she should play Cleopatra. Her skin tone would not make sense. She is still thought to be a deep olive with dark hair. It would make more sense for her to look Egyptian. A dark eyed actress and younger. A Mighty Heart was excruciating to watch because of the browning on her skin and the whole thing. I don’t think it would be received well either.
Honestly, that kind of acting is not her strong suit.
Hi Casey,
The thing is, Scott Rudin owns the rights. And he made it abundantly clear in those leaked emails that he wasn’t going to do the film with Jolie. I don’t know why anyone is even talking as if she’s in the running for the part, she’s clearly not. Also obviously, she’s not going to be directing it either, not unless she buys the rights to the project from Rudin.
“Cleopatra, there’s a script”. Technically that is correct as it was also in those emails. Rudin didn’t like the script and for that matter, neither did Jolie from what he said. She’s being disingenious and hoping people will assume from that statement that she’s still involved in the project. It seemed pretty clear from Rudin’s own words that she’s no longer even a consideration regarding Cleopatra.
Hi again Felicia,
That’s not at all true. Rudin never says he’s not doing it with Jolie to the contrary. Also, Jolie was never slated to direct it
As recently as this time last summer 2016 Deadline was announcing a rewrite by James Scarpa for Cleopatra at Sony Pictures with Angelina still attached to play the title character and Scott Rudin and Amy Pascal producing.
There have been painstaking fine tooth comb breakdowns of those sony hacked emails and in none of them is Rudin saying he wants Jolie off the project, to the contrary, he wants it to commence with the existing script (which Angelina wants to tweak) and he’s making all kinda of suggestions. He’s being a bish throughout as Jolie unknowingly has created a conflict as she’s floated the project to Fincher who’s intrigued, while Rudin wants Fincher to direct his Steve Jobs project and someone else to do Cleo.
He has his misogyny on display at Angie’s ideas regarding the character (actresses are best seen and not heard to queen diva ogre of the galaxy Rudin)- she wants it to be less of a romance and feels it will undermine character and book if the focus is romance, she would like to also shave her head and he wants Jolie to amp up the sensuality.
At no time does he suggest anyone else or that he wants her off the project.
So i dont know where you’re getting that info.
The obvious glaring falsehood is that Angelina would bizarrely claim an attachment to a project where as you suggest/claim, the producer has said in his own words (which you do not source or link) that she’s out. Why would she bring it up and state anything about the project if that were true.
Bottomline, I checked Rudin’s emails and the latest info– and Jolie is still attached and Rudin has never said she or he, wasn’t.
I don’t think so.
I imagine it’s still “In development” as they like to say. Entire casts can be announced for movies that suddenly disappear, only to reappear years later with completely different casts attached and a new script. However I will be stunned if it gets made, unless it can be done on a tiny budget.
She is a lovely diplomat. Her POV is consistent. Trump s beneath her contempt. A blip on the screen. She maintains integrity and doesn’t stoop to name calling. Her words address the fact that he is perpetuating untruths by perpetuating fear and racist bigotry. I don’t believe her about the films though. I believe, because of many issues, she is not sought after for now. She doesn’t have a project and other than voiceovers and directing her own projects, she doesn’t have offers which I feel is unfair. She is not difficult to work with.
I think she is sought after as she is acting in Maleficent 2, The writer of the book Shoot like a girl confirmed Angelina is on board, Kung Fu Panda 3-6 movies still left.
Not talking about you but some people really want this woman to fail so I am really rooting for her to act in big budget movies and get millions in pay.
Me too, Maya, but at the same time you could let them have their moment. They had to wait 12 years for her to screw up. I’m sure they expect to get their bitterness’s (my word) worth.
Maya, I actually think blockbusters is probably the best fit for her. Mal 2 an excellent choice as she WAS the film. The Panda movies are easy money as well and a good way to spend less time on a set. IDK much about what else in the mix that she may be well-suited for but I am sure there is something out there now or will be out there that plays to her strengths.
I don’t think Cleo is a good idea for many reasons, age being one. Also, the Rudin emails have kind of tainted that role for her, imo. I can’t imagine she wants to be asked about how she feels about being called a “camp event” or having a “raging ego”. she certainly didn’t seem to appreciate being asked about FTKMF’s casting issues. That would be true even if the production was no longer based on a Rudin property with which he was uninvolved. I’m sure other Cleo scripts can be written but, imo, it isn’t a good idea.
Anyway, I don’t think Jolie will be out of the actress game anytime soon.
Shoot like a Girl sounds like my kind of movie. I really hope Angelina makes that! Love her picture with Viv!
i understand she is working a long game (whether it be for good reason is another conversation), but the writing was on the wall re what trump was going to do to immigration/our borders during the election. she was silent on it. speaking out now is, IMO, simply paying lip service where she failed to speak up before.
@Lady D
Angie’s had a rough year, not nearly as rough as it has been for Brad. His movies are flopping left and right. He can’t seem to stay sober, he doesn’t have custody of his kids, and ALL this is squarely on him.
The “golden boy” image is tarnished forever.
She has spoken against Trump before,so is it really necassary for her to actually mention him by name?(eye roll)
One of the most important issues is that is almost impossible to legally migrate into any country. It is possible to reach Europe and seek asylum. Thus a large percentage of people within the asylum system should actually be migrants. There needs to be a reform of the migration system to enable people to migrate without putting themselves in danger.
She is UNHCR Special Envoy and she work with diplomats specially the State Department so she has to be very careful and diplomat what she is saying and not insult the Trump administration. Most countries president/PM or UN SG are not happy with Trump policies still none of them are call him out or saying his name.
There is another interview with Variety and she is talking about Trump without saying his name. Why even say his name? That’s what he wants more attention and his name in a magazine.
Exactly
As much as we would want certain people to speak out loudly and castigate certain people, it unfortunately does not work like that.
It simply shows those people as emotional , sometimes mercurial.
In order to have a responsible position where your opinions would actually matter and your recommendations would certainly be carried on, certain control of speech is expected.
I liked what she said and I think it was a criticism of Trump, albeit an indirect one. Especially the part about people being blinded by “not the truth.” I think it would have been ok if she had said “lies” or “fake news,” though. I’m also glad she mentioned “climate,” although she could have said “climate change.” Clearly she’s trying to be careful with her words.
While she’s being pretty timid in this regard, maybe as she gets more comfortable making the press rounds she’ll call out Trump more directly.
I like what she says about learning languages and not forcing her children to identify with any one country. We are, are humans, more than the country we are born in. More than the culture we inherit. More than the languages our biological ancestors spoke. While it is fantatic and perhaps important to be aware of ones heritage, it is more important to be aware of the world around us, and to be embrace parts of different cultures (including cultures) which feel right to us as individuals.
So many people want her to be this or say that. She can’t say or do or be everything to all people. First & foremost i think her family life collapsing all around her this past year has been her main focus & making sure her kids are ok, than world issues & she’s only just coming back into it. She said herself she’s not in a good place mentally or physically for a while. Cut her a break!
Seriously. People are picking apart every single word that comes out of her mouth.
Seems to me that she doesn’t have many projects in line for her. Wether it is acting or directing.
wrong!.Shes got maleficent2 coming up..
Yes, sounds like Maleficent 2 is happening. Surprised she didn’t mention “Shoot Like a Girl,” though I can’t imagine her playing a soldier in her present physical condition.
1-2 projects are not “many”. Flipper’s right.
@Ankhel,if you read the whole interview,she basically says shes recieved offers but hasnt commited to anything due to her family situation.Sorry to burst your bubble but People in Hollywood still offer her roles and she picks and chooses what she wants..
@Adorable
Besides Maleficent.
Are theseveral people 3rd graders. Can they comprehend sentences? She said yes to Mal 2. Cleopatra will be done regardless of what some here think. Bride maybe not because she isn’t sold on it yet.
Lots of things floating around but these 2 for sure. No directify gig she feels passionate about. She has to work she has a family to feed and masion to keep up.
Calling Trump’s name won’t change anything. She never called Obamas name on what she disagreed with him about.
I understand what you are saying. She doesn’t have any projects filming and Cleo is unlikely to be picked up after the Sony debacle. Maleficent 2 is a question mark. I can tell you I HIGHLY DOUBT that Fincher would ever do the project. I really like Angie, but I don’t believe she has done so little acting the last 10 years by choice. Pulling the parenting card seems lame to me. Parents get divorced every day. Parents go to work every day. Contentious divorce is COMMON. I think she doesn’t have offers, period. She needs to create her own projects.
Fincher is a Pitt BFF, of course he won’t do it.
@Savasana Lotus
+1
She’s doing Maleficent. She sounded pretty confident it’s getting made. It didn’t sound like she was unsure about a sequel when she was asked. Divorces do not stop people from working but when you’re a millionaire you can choose to stay home with your children when you and the kids are going through a rough situation.
lol She has to create her own projects? Cleopatra won’t get made by Sony.. there are other studios dear plus there is always Amazon or Netflix. Which would be better. Last time I checked someone else was being asked to direct it. I see her really using all her power to this because of what Rudin did.
If Jolie is going to work again, it will be 100% confirmed. If she knew it was happening, she would just say so, she doesn’t tend to beat around the bush. In a way being vague-ish makes it easy to not lie outright. Actors saying they get scripts is typical to make it seem like they’re in demand and truth is, we don’t really know. It could be truth but it could be a smokescreen too as nobody would want to admit they’re not in demand anymore.
People tend to forget she had a period back in 2009-2010 when stans were adamant she had a million projects in the pipeline due to being papped once with that ‘Gucci’ script which was an obvious pap walk and led to nowhere showing that even Jolie is not beneath making it seem how she’s in demand without anything being really confirmed. Then there were the persistent Scarpetta rumours which got stuck in development hell. Same for the Cleo rumours that started in 2011 but people act like it’s recent? The back and forth between Jolie’s and Rudin’s ideas were embarrassing more so than his temper tantrum. This film does not need to be made! I don’t even know.
Oh and that blasted ‘Atlas Shrugged’ movie which Pitt and Jolie chased from 2006 to finally giving up on it in 2011 after making it known all along they were obsessed with the script. Gross. But according to fans, she had 6 films in pre-production in 2009-10. Now check her IMDB. Yeah, grain of salt people 🙂
All these projects were said to be certain and all died a slow death because that’s how Hollywood works. Also quantity of scripts is one thing but quality is another. That director of the Tourist mentioning all the scripts she gets sent…and then she picks The Tourist. OKKKAYY….. I don’t trust her picker so I don’t care if she has 1 or 100 scripts, if they’re mediocre, she can keep them tbh. That includes Maleficent 2. I will take Salt 2 though!
Vintage Jolie should come back with decent roles and not aimed just for a big paycheck please.
That’s an interesting take Savasana.
Why do you believe she’s lying? We’ve all heard the names of projects that she’s turned down. We know the directors who wanted her in projects that she’s refused, Silver Linings Playbook, Gravity, etc. We know Jennifer Lawrence once said she gets Angelina’s rejected offers.
We know during this time and even before, Angelina said acting wasn’t a priority for her, that she never really enjoyed it- that she acted for her mother. That she liked directing and producing more.
You say you think that it wasn’t by “choice,” that Angelina has done so little acting in “the last 10 years.” That means someone else’s is deciding for her you feel?
Let’s unpack that: 10 years ago she was 31-32 years old. Within that period of time she’s been nominated and awarded by her industry, Oscars, SAG, BAFTA, Critics Choice, Golden Globes and her humanitarian award which is also given by her peers. Does it make sense they’d throw noms and awards and accolades at her, yet want to stop her from acting and not send her movie scripts?
That makes no sense.
Frankly, if Angelina wanted to act and had not been getting offers, I’m fairly certain she would have no issues sharing that and set about doing exactly as you suggest, creating her own projects.
Do you think she’s the type of woman who waits by the phone and when it doesn’t ring, does nothing but veg out on a couch? This is the same woman who by the way took her own mortality by the horns and told the big C, to eff off. Yet you think she’s being told by industry bigwhigs, that she’s over and so she’s meekly and reluctantly acquiescing? lol
wow, really?
Her personality leads us to think she’d do exactly the opposite of that had been happening in ‘the last 10yrs,’ create her own acting opportunities…
…unless, it’s exactly as she stated- that she doesn’t really want to act any more than she already does, and would rather direct, write and produce. Which she has. She’s doing what she told you she’d rather do. Why can’t you believe her? Why do all actresses have to be stereotypical desperate liars who would kill for a part?
Why does it irk some that Angelina is atypical from the stereotype?
It’s really sad how some women have a need to take away other women’s empowerment, autonomy, life choices and decision-making about the course their life will take.
Oliver Stone once said Angelina led armies.
Some women hate how she’s characterized by people who know her.
They’d rather enjoy the fantasy of some male Hollywood ogre pushing a delete button on her career as she crossed over into her 30s, and have this strong empowering figure desolate and crying in a corner about her unemployment and then lying to the public about what’s really going on. Lol, ok. Whatever makes you feel better about yourself.
Casey for the win.
i think she is smart not calling him out directly. All it will translate to is a ‘Hollywood liberal’ attacking the good old American values.
If you read between the lines, her message is very clear.
+1 And the UN has to work with this administration. Diplomacy is part of her job.
I agree. Plus, I think writing a NYT Op-Ed that directly criticized his unconstitutional policy to discriminate is indeed ‘calling him out.’
I love how she doesn’t sully her mouth with his name and treats him as a non-entity. In a way he doesn’t deserve such a person as she even mentioning his name. Why should she give him more power by talking about him. I like that she criticizes his actions and policies and never mentions him by name.
Agreed.
Why stress the difference between a migrant and a refugee? The both come here for a better life. They can both become contributors to society. I don’t get the point of trying to differentiate between the two unless she wants to make a point of who “deserves” to be here more which I think is not a worthwhile argument to start.
Because it matters in how countries handle and process that movement. Migrants are looking to leave their country for any number of reasons. Refugees are “fleeing” out of a well founded fear of their life. So most nations process them differently. Yes you could make the argument that a migrant is leaving a tough life in an impoverished nation for a better life ina first world country, but they have to look at the picture as a whole. It’s complicated and messy. I think she was trying to say that people in America (trump) are intertwining the two and making all kinds of wrong generalizations
This 👆🏻 specially the last sentence.
That’s what I have an issue with. Migrants do come here for multiple reasons, some of which are very real concerns for safety. theres lots of countries with serious issues that don’t have refugee status. Ignoring that, if she’s trying to make a plea to the trump crowd a popular reason given for migrants coming here is to “rape, steal, sell drugs,…etc.” by saying refugees are fundamentally different than migrants in their reasons for coming here it seems to me she’s throwing migrants under the bus.
lulu, she has a charity to help migrant children who travel alone. It’s just that, even if some countries practically need refugee status because of the violence or baad economic shape or corruption of the country (no names here), we cannot deny that it is not the same as a well out open civil or international war. In the first, we could have some resemblance of a normal life, even with violence and loss of life. Believe me, I’ve been there, while in a war (which my grand parent endured in a local level), there were government and rebels raids, they were armed and women had to protect themselves, it created trauma that lasted a lifetime for some of them.
It is just not the same, it is unfair. I cannot compare the situation of El Salvador in the 80s to other countries of the region now not even with the violence. Our own governments could do more, we as civilians could do more, but many of our younger people are involved in bad activities, too.
Generally speaking, because the countries that receive them must tailor their help towards the different needs of the two different groups. Migrants and refugees will not need the same assistance and if all are lumped in one non specific category there will be many in both groups who will suffer because their emotional, physical or financial support needs will not be met.
You seem to be completely unaware that those are not made up terms without consequences? This is not a potaoe potato issue. Both terms have a completely different legal, political, financial status and ramifications. Not to mention a political history.
Governments have a responsibilty to protect refugees, exemplified by the recent story of the Vietnamese government kidnappting a political refugee out of the country he fled to.
Another story that exemplifies the problems of not properly dissacoating both: my city has a large number of African drug dealers. Why? Because they reached Europe and sought asylum. After two to three years within the system being processed their request was not granted as they did not qualify for asylum. However, since they threw away their papers they cannot be deported either. This large number of men now ended up being neither migrants nor refugees. Which means they do not get financial assistance by the government nor are they legally permitted to work. Thus drug dealing is one of the few options they turn to.
“Governments have a responsibilty to protect refugees, exemplified by the recent story of the Vietnamese government kidnappting a political refugee out of the country he fled to.” No, he is not political refugee, he was one of them who stole millions from the petrol Vietnam and managed to travel to Germany to claim refugee status. And that lines the problem of criminals in their own countries escaped and claimed refugee status in Westen countries.
No matter what he did, they cannot drag him into a car and drive off. There are proper legal channels to deal with an issue like this.
Alt-right media and those generally opposed to refugee resettlement usually refer to refugees as migrants, as though there was a choice in the matter. They take away the fact that refugees very much HAD to leave their homes and lives behind out of necessity and obscure the fact that seeking asylum is a human right.
Alto-right media isn’t a fan of the term “human rights”. They respect American, God-given rights, but anything else is suspiciously liberal globalist do-goodism.
Donald Trump creepily said crude things about her on Howard Stern and her dad is a huge supporter. I’m sure she knows anything she says about him will get picked apart by his cuckoo supporters. I saw Trump supporters go after Billy Joel for wearing a Star of David patch at his concert because a concert is not a place for politics and they are paying good money to see him perform like some sort of dancing monkey. I’m sure she hates Trumps guts (as most of us do).
“I have mixed feelings about her unwillingness to call out Donald Trump specifically. On one side, Angelina is taking the long view, that when all is said and done, Donald Trump will not be president for very long and she’s going to be an advocate for refugees for her entire life.”
Trump is already on the path to re-election thanks to stubborn Republican voters. Honestly as long as the economy doesn’t crash he could be easily re-elected. That’s what I’m planning for. Did you think that maybe she doesn’t hate Trump’s policies except the Muslim ban; everyone isn’t liberal on everything.
“He’s a linguist”. Woman, no!
Do you know that her son isn’t a linguist. Do you know IQ or studies or what he likes. NO! Woman NO! He could very well be skilled in foreign languages, so if you don’t know him personally stfu!!
But that is a university degree.
Thaliasghost,
The word “linguist,” doesn’t by itself denote a degree. It can simply mean a person who studies language(s). Look it up.
While technically correct, “linguist” is a lot of word for a boy that enjoys languages. Just as Executive Producer is a lot of title for a boy that helped on set of a movie.
stfu?!!!!
your way intense.
“The term linguist applies to someone who studies language or is a researcher within the field, or to someone who uses the tools of the discipline to describe and analyse specific languages.”
Even if you assume she’s using it in the most informal way, it still doesn’t mean someone who just speaks a few languages. Lot’s of people speak a few languages. I speak 5, but I’m no linguist. It’s not about speaking the languages, it’s about analysing them. Many linguists only work in one language.
He might be though. Many young people now have far more resources to learn than my generation and I’m only 27! Everything is free and accessible for most youngsters who can access gthe interent and this kid has money and connections via a famous mom so it wouldn’t surprise me if he spoke more than 2 languages already. If average people can do it, he definitely can!
That said, it would be hilarious if she was the typical mom who overestimates her children’s capabilities because they’re her babies. Shiloh speaking Khmer for instance, she barely could get 1 simple sentence out during that 1 press conference and was clearly insecure as she was checking with somebody if she was doing it right. It’s cute tbh but I wouldn’t call it even a basic understanding of the language. If they’re interested in other cultures and languages etc, that’s great but it doesn’t make them skilled.
Jolie was said to be speaking French but after years of living in France part-time, she couldn’t not get 1 basic sentence out saying her name and where she lives. She also wrote French for Pitt in BTS and didn’t show off her own French skills. Jolie (and her late mom) always played on their ‘exotic’ background but they’re just white Americans who speak 1 language at the end of the day.
It reminds me of Blue Ivy Carter being able to do the Sia dance from Chandelier years ago and now that we’ve seen her dance she’s just an average child who enjoys dancing and has an above average sense of rhythm and attitude which no doubt has been cultivated by being around dancers as Beyoncé herself is no natural dancer so it’s not genetics. So nothing special. Parents gas up their children all the time lol…
Angelina Jolie is an A-list movie star as far as name recognition and will still get offered some roles in movies. She is not even close to having to go into TV.
‘Having to’? Surely we’re beyond the idea that TV is something you go back to when you can’t cut it in films?
She might get offers, but it’s been almost a decade since she’s had a meaty dramatic role, and it was in a really mediocre film. A good cable TV show would be a big jump upwards quality-wise from anything she’s acted in recently (or at all honestly, she’s been in very few good films throughout her career).
I had posted in response to someone saying no one would want her in films and she would have to go to TV. I responded. The original post I was responding to was deleted by the mods, but my post stayed but in no context.
Also, Angie is a free spirit. I can’t see her at this stage of the game wanting to be tied down for eight months in America making a TV show, which entails long hours for one-hour shows. She has children at home. She’s already chomping at the bit, it appears, after being tied down in one place for a year. Going off on location for three or four months making a movie with great pay still seems to me what she would want, with more time off with her family for the year.
Jayna, I agree with everything you’re saying, but the kids are older and harder to haul around to remote locations for periods of months. Many actors choose to do tv, especially prestige tv, in order to stay in one place for the sake of family stability. She’s a big star and will be able to do movies if she wants, of course, even if she might have to transition to different kinds of roles now that she’s aged out of the adventure/sexpot roles. I also agree she’ll want great pay, since Pitt’s finances allowed her to focus only on her much less lucrative passion projects for a while. But I wouldn’t completely rule out prestige tv either. That is where the best roles for women her age have been of late: House of Cards, Marcella, Mrs. Foster etc.
Jayna says: September 5, 2017 at 5:36 pm
Angelina Jolie is an A-list movie star
Not anymore.
Angelina Jolie: I am a citizen of the World
Husam Sam Asi
Angelina Jolie talks about her new movie, First They Killed My Father, and expressed her frustration with the lack of diplomatic progress on the Syrian conflict
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4irC4g_NBA
Great interview with Angelina , the foreign reporters are much better ….
“I work alongside the artists and society to work from within, so that is the focus, and from that I hope everybody who believes in democracy, in certain freedoms, will get louder, will grow their voices.”
Well, that’s a word salad to tip toe around the issue and be sure not to ruffle the feathers of the power that accomodated her.
Considering Hun-Sen is basically shutting down The Cambodia Daily, ordered the shutting down of the National Democratic Institute, targets every media outlet he can amidst protest from Human Rights Watch and other NGos, it’s safe to say the voices believing in democracy won’t get any louder. But thanks for your hope.
So FTKMF is being generously described as worthy and shot well, but boring. Plus she’s especially whiny lately.