A few years ago, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt spent months dragging her mother to regional performances of Dear Evan Hansen. I’m pretty sure Angelina Jolie saw that musical more than a dozen times. That’s when we knew – Vivienne is a musical theater girlie. She’s a theater nerd. This was confirmed by Angelina last summer, when she announced that she would step in as a producer on a Broadway-bound musical adaptation of The Outsiders. Vivienne had seen the musical first and she dragged her mother to it and convinced Angelina to invest and produce. Angelina also announced that Vivienne would step in as her assistant as the musical transferred to Broadway. All of which means that Vivienne and Angelina both walked the carpet last night for the opening night of The Outsiders.
Angelina looked amazing – so healthy, so happy, so proud to be there with those theater people, so proud of Vivienne too. Vivienne happily posed with the cast and they all seem to get along really well. I would not have chosen these colors for Angelina, but she looked gorgeous in her satin (?) gown and cape. I haven’t seen any IDs for Angelina’s look, but I would guess that these are pieces designed by Atelier Jolie, the fashion collective she founded last year. The earrings are especially bonkers! Angelina spoke to People Magazine exclusively about the Broadway opening:
The Outsiders on Broadway is a family affair for Angelina Jolie and daughter Vivienne.
“Viv is a young artist who focuses her efforts on her support of others,” the actress, 48, tells PEOPLE ahead of the April 11 opening of Broadway’s adaption of The Outsiders, which she co-produced. Her daughter worked on the production as a volunteer assistant. Jolie described how Vivienne, 15, got her into the musical, “She saw an early workshop a few times and then invited me to it.”
PEOPLE previously reported that the pair also met with the book’s author S. E. Hinton, who famously wrote The Outsiders as a high-school student in the 1960s. Of Vivienne, Jolie adds, “She has been there to assist in any way she can and has learned so much from [score and co-book writer] Justin Levine and the whole creative team.”
Jolie tells PEOPLE that “it’s been a privilege to be a part of the process” of bringing The Outsiders to the Great White Way, adding, “I have so much respect for Broadway and all who work within.”
“I’m excited for audiences to see it,” she continues. “I’ve been in the theatre watching as the first reactions came in, including the often very emotional reaction from young people. It’s very moving.”
Previously, Angelina described Vivienne as someone who loved to work with creative people behind the scenes. Angelina said that Viv reminds her of her mother, Marcheline Bertrand. Which is really beautiful… Angelina lost Marcheline in 2007, and then welcomed Viv and Knox in 2008. Can’t believe Knox and Viv turn 16 years old in July!!
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- Angelina Jolie at The Outsiders Broadway Opening Featuring: Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Justin Levine, Angelina Jolie Where: New York, New York, United States When: 11 Apr 2024 Credit: Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com
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- Angelina Jolie at The Outsiders Broadway Opening Featuring: Angelina Jolie, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt Where: New York, New York, United States When: 11 Apr 2024 Credit: Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com
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- Angelina Jolie is seen attending the opening night of ‘The Outsiders’ at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Featuring: Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie Where: New York, New York, United States When: 11 Apr 2024 Credit: BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
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- Angelina Jolie is seen attending the opening night of ‘The Outsiders’ at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Featuring: Justin Levine, Angelina Jolie Where: New York, New York, United States When: 11 Apr 2024 Credit: BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
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- Angelina Jolie is seen attending the opening night of ‘The Outsiders’ at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Featuring: Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie Where: New York, New York, United States When: 11 Apr 2024 Credit: BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
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- Opening Night of The Outsiders on Broadway Featuring: Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Justin Levine and Angelina Jolie Where: New York, New York, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com
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- Opening Night of The Outsiders on Broadway Featuring: Angelina Jolie Where: New York, New York, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com
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- Opening night of “The Outsiders” at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre Featuring: Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Justin Levine and Angelina Jolie Where: New York, New York, United States When: 10 Apr 2024 Credit: BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
So many people were ‘worried’ about Angie when what we now know is once Angie dropped that 180lb or whatever, she’s fine.. She’d done the work.. She’s strong, happy and there for her kids who clearly adore her! I love this for both of them
I love Angelina, but this site always points out nepo babies. Angie is one, and looks like she’s passing on this privilege to her kids. I know so many talented teens that struggle to even get access to local theatre groups, while her daughter gets to work on Broadway.
I don’t understand this obsession with nepo babies like they don’t exist in every field and at all income levels. My dad is a retired general contractor and he sure as crap helped my brother who was starting out as a plumbers apprentice get jobs, because it’s really hard to get union jobs in some areas. Like is she supposed to not help her kid? Are we presuming Vivienne doesn’t have to do any real work? Yes it does suck that sometimes people who are good at something don’t have the connections that others have, but if the kid is willing to work hard I’m not sure why we act like they shouldn’t take advantage of connections.
I made a similar comment last week.
Think of all the family businesses that get passed generation to generation. Think of all the kids who go into a field their parent is in simply because the kid is familiar with that field and became interested in it.
If the term “nepo baby” is going to be a pejorative it needs to apply to lazy kids who were only given a job because daddy or mommy had connections. That kid isn’t going to put in the real effort to learn the job or do it well. An example of this would be Donald Trump (who completely squandered the money and business he inherited) or Don Jr and Eric Trump who are stupid, lazy, and mobster wannabes.
Vivienne has a clear passion for theater and wants to do the work so it’s normal for her mom to want to encourage that.
I have used my brother’s connections to get a job at a university. I have used a lot of my friends’ connections to get jobs at various companies throughout the years. You don’t even have to be related to be “nepo.” In my field, the competition is fierce and I want to take every advantage of being able to get opportunities, especially when the market is saturated with people like me.
@Dee(2) thanks for saying that because I feel the same way. It’s throughout many industries. Heck, I know people who got into specific colleges and with their grades. Also, if were them, they would do the same thing. That term “Nepo”, I am sick of it !
yes, there’s nepotism all around but let’s not pretend that the nepotism in the entertainment business isn’t on a different level than just helping your kid get a job/get a foot in the door. Sure there are big businesses like Trump where the nepotism is at the level it is in the entertainment industry but what we see in the regular loves of non-celebrity/non-1% ers really is different and, like the wage and wealth gaps, has gotten increasingly more noticeable especially since the advent of social media which helps those in the public eye make their children celebrities regardless of talent or putting in the work. It’s reasonable to point out how many of the nepotism babies completely brush off their privilege as a mere, sure my mom made an introduction but I am really completely self-made. This is like the Jenner kid being proclaimed a self-made billionaire or Trump claiming to have become a tycoon because of his brilliant business acumen. They and their businesses started out with multi-millions from parents and, in Jenner’s case, being made a celebrity from childhood being featured on the family reality show)
@pottynouth pup That’s the thing I don’t see it as a different level. It’s just more visible because the person that’s doing it is famous. If an actor helps their aspiring actor kid get a job how is that any different than a doctor helping their kid in medical school get good placement? Or a grocery store owner leaving the store to their kids rather than the manager? And how is the example with the jenners any different than some kid who is the vice president of XYZ completely undeserving in their parents mid size advertising agency? Just because we don’t know who these people are it’s still the same concept. I guess my biggest issue is the insinuation that because someone has famous or connected parents they couldn’t possibly be good at what they’re doing. And that’s how a lot of these ” nepo baby” conversations go. Yes you’ve been acting for 15 years now, but you won’t admit that your mother being a casting agent is why you’re still getting work. Or your father owns the company, so it doesn’t matter that you’ve driven 25% product margins for the last 13 quarters. I don’t even understand why people need other people to acknowledge that they had help what does it matter? Income inequality isn’t going to stop because someone prevents Malia Obama from getting a writing job.
You wrote in your own comment why people complain about entertainment nepo babies. Your brother was a “Plumbers apprentice.” Your dad didn’t just hire him without him going through some type of training. Where actors kids get parts without doing any training what so ever. That is what is making people upset. It’s not really that the parent helps the kid. It’s that most of the kids don’t really deserve the jobs.
@Robert Phillips
This, and also – there are millions of plumbers out there, and while they make good money, it’s not an exorbitantly prestigious job that pays millions and millions to those who get it, makes you a household name with unprecedented access to just about every field (White House dinners where you get to rub shoulders with world leaders, anyone? how many plumbers get to do that?). So, can we please not make it sound like it’s all the same? How is it a good idea for some families to keep having that level of access and privilege for generations? “Hollywood royalty” shouldn’t be a good thing any more than real royalty. Not to mention that 90% of people I know did not have ANY specific leg up beyond just basic good parenting and support (if that). Think of all the immigrants who come here and do not have family or friends in any places, for example. So, why are we working so hard to normalize nepotism, rather than meritocracy? Wouldn’t everyone benefit if people were giving jobs to the most qualified and hard-working, rather than the most connected? Shouldn’t that be the goal?
@RobertPhillips every single actor does not have professional training beforehand so why does someone that was a carpenter beforehand (Harrison Ford) deserve to get a role but someone who grew up on film sets don’t? Honestly it just sounds like people are projecting that those kids are stealing their big breaks from them. ,@Jess my point is why are we so hell bent on acting as of it is impossible for someone to be talented at something AND have connections. In business I can understand this argument, I don’t want a shitty surgeon because Mommy’s name is on the building. I don’t have to watch a movie because Denzel Washington son is in it. I don’t have to buy overpriced glorified lip gloss because someone that has been on a reality show since they were 10 with their family slap their name on it. Or are we out here pretending that there’s some business genius that missed their chance because Kylie Jenner tricked people into believing that they could make their lips plumper by buying her makeup?Business prioritizes money over anything. If you aren’t helping them make money you aren’t going to keep getting roles.
Well, yeah, but, c’mon. Most theater geek 15yos do this kind of entry-level work at their high school. Viv gets to get her start on B-way. It’s breathtakingly privileged & I just hope she realizes that. Life ain’t fair, we all get that, but sometimes it just hits ya as not right, doggone it.
Viv looks cute in her outfit.
I think a big part of the outrage is because we are taught that we live in a meritocracy. That with hard work, anything is possible and the best always rise to the top. And that’s just not true.
Trying to understand why this is a bad thing ? Helping your child fulfill their passions ? Or is it not politically correct ?
Of course nepotism exists in every field, and of course, as parents, we want to do everything we can to help our kids. For most of us, as has been repeatedly said on this site, the problem is when those recipients of nepotism act like they made it all on their own, imply that anyone could do what they did if they work hard enough, and refuse to acknowledge that they actually had a huge boost.
@Moi
There’s always gonna be those who carp about “well he/she got her break because of mom/dad/ whoever” and they ain’t going to change their opinion, so 🤷
Personally whether her mama got her those breaks or not, what I am taking away from this is that at least Vivienne isn’t sitting on her ass expecting everything to be handed to her because “do you know who my Mom is?”
Or some of us are noticing whole movies where no one can act or has and ounce of charisma just to find out most of them are the child of someone famous.
I mean no one complains about the ones that are actually talented. Also seeing them in flop after flop while more talented non’ nepo actors not getting a chance. I especially say this where non-white actors who already struggle with representation and getting hired are concerned.
I think there is a growing awareness around the fact that most people work hard but there is an unequal paycheck/recognition at the end. Like I mentioned above, we’ve all been told that hard work will get you places, but this isn’t a meritocracy and never has been. And the growing wage gap makes that even more visible.
For me the difference is, Angelina put her money into it. Not just call up Marc Jacobs and all of a sudden Lourdes is the face of the brand. But I digress….
And her child was working behind the scenes not the lead role.
1 MILLION percent this is Nepo Baby at work. But done in a way it’s transparent and Angelina put her money where her beautiful mouth is.
All of the other people who get raked over the coals here used their money to give their kids opportunities — the Beckhams, Felicity Huffman, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, and so on.
This is the epitome of nepotism — she writes a check and her kid gets a job.
I mean it’s understandable why AJ would do it but it isn’t different.
Vivienne is a 15-year-old working as her mother’s intern. No, that is not the same as Felicity Huffman committing crimes because she thought her daughters were too stupid to get into college on their own merit.
Nix Felicity Huffman and yeah, yeah it is.
Well, @Kara certainly got things going in her post above, suspiciously beginning with the usual “I love Angelina BUT.” She just threw in the “nepo baby” moniker into the mix, then sat back to watch the outrage. Clever.
Kara – the big difference (for me) is that I highly doubt Angelina or her children would try to deny the benefits of having famous parents. She would probably completely acknowledge that having a famous parent helped her in the industry or that her children are helped by her connections. That’s the difference. I could be totally wrong and maybe she’s on record as saying she did it all herself and why won’t everyone stop talking about her dad and her parental connections are actually a hindrance, but somehow that doesn’t fit who she seems to be.
With Jon Voight for a father, a man that did not pay child support, he sure helped her.
Jon Voight did put her in his movies
Oh come on! AJ was FIVE years old and didn’t work again for 10 years. Jon Voight did &^%* for his daughter.
So what is she supposed to do, not support her kid? Geez, my dad is a surgeon, and guess what so are my brothers. And I was able to attend NYU Law with their financial support. We may not be in the entertainment industry, but having parents with means will always open the door for their children to excel in life, and so what! The goal is to continue on with the success in order to keep passing it on to future generations. The whole idea of a kid who wants to accomplish something in life must suffer or struggle to get it is wild. You need to travel and open your eyes.
You and your brothers put years of hard work at school and hospitals/law firms to be qualified for your jobs and I’m sure your parents couldn’t help you circumwent that part. Vivienne is 16, barely started high school and even if she was just there as an observer while the production was staged, people spent time/resources to show her around and introduce her to the process. Which they did because her mom wrote a check. It’s fine, if Vivienne now goes on to get the education and experience needed to be part of a Broadway production and she gets to interview for said jobs because of who she is, I’m fine with that. The annoying part is calling her a producer’s assistant with a straight face when she is not even 16 yet. Why not just acknowledge that yeah, my daughter is a theatre geek and I arranged for her to be guided around the production process, I support her to choose this lovely profession in the future.
@Smart&Messy
She is 15, not 16. and she was never described as a “producer’s assistant” by her mother nor in the article. Her role was/is a volunteer assistant who worked many with her mother.
You can take a volunteer program at a animal shelter at age of 14 .
@Fabiola, that’s funny because she was in one of his movies—the only one—and she was 5 years old. She removed Voigt from her last name.
Again, if some of you guys had an opportunity, you would!
@Val
Nobody says that you must suffer, but if you don’t see how it was easier for you than for someone whose Dad was, say, a teacher or worse, for someone who didn’t even have a Dad and had to go into extreme debt to be able to afford medical or law school, and who didn’t necessarily have the connections to get the right internships and such, then yeah, you’re part of the problem.
At least Vivienne is doing something constructive with her life and following her passion instead of slacking off doing drugs and falling drunk out of clubs like so many nepo kids end up doing.
You are right, but that’s a really low bar.
The problem isn’t the person being a nepo baby. The problem is the person acting like the fact that they’re a nepo baby had NOTHING to do with them getting their opportunities. There’s a difference between, “I worked so hard to get my first Broadway job. I was at the side doors begging people to look at my resume,” and “I was really lucky because my mom is a producer and let me be her assistant. That’s how I got my foot in the door. Another producer saw me helping and asked if I wanted to assist on their show.”
Of course you’re right. And she’s FIFTEEN, hasn’t even gone to college yet. But suddenly everyone is agreeing that of course there is nepotism in every arena-which, duh. She gets a pass from comment though.
Passing the family business along is human nature, it’s been that way for thousands of years, but we resent celebrity nepo babies and see them as an exception to the rule because the idea of BEING a celebrity is a popular fantasy, unlike the idea of being a carpenter or car dealership owner. So many people have that fantasy and I think they subconsciously resent celeb kids for making it so obvious that it IS a fantasy, and the entertainment business is just a business like any other.
I saw this production in previews a couple of weeks ago. I had no idea she was a producer but good for her. (I’m sure it was in the playbill, but I just didn’t notice.) It’s a really good production – really beautifully staged, great choreography and very smart musical direction.
When it comes to Nepo Babyism this is a good way to do it. She put her money into it giving her child exposure to a career she is passionate about.
Instead of just pulling strings to get her a job.
What. She literally gave her a job in the play she is producing in NYC. This isn’t a community theater production. And the girl is FIFTEEN. It’s not even like she’s not right out of NYU with a 4 year degree working in productions.
It’s not a job, she is volunteering. She isn’t taking any money away from anyone. Or stealing someone’s job.
Like I said, I appreciate the transparency about it. Over a post like yesterday, when Molly Ringwald was so proud of her kid not slapping her name on. She will still get jobs for being Molly’s kid. Why pretend.
All the Jolie kids have a leg up in life. It’s what they do with it and if they have the talent to stay there.
Everybody in hollywood is related to somebody. I don’t hear anyone screaming that Denzel’s son John David Washington shouldn’t be cast in leads as as actor. Or Colin Hanks is a nepo baby… Or hey, pull jobs from Bryce Dallas Howard for being Ron’s kid. Talent will rise up.
She’s 15 are we really going to be pooping on a 15 year old here? Who had to deal with that Dad of hers her whole life. Good for her I say.
@MARYCONTRARY
Her role was/is as a volunteer assistant. You do not need to have a degree for that.
like I said above, you can volunteer or get into a volunteer program at 14 at an animal shelter. in PA, you volunteer at a hospital at 14, in NYC. You can volunteer at the Zoo, Presbyterian, Mount Sinai. Broadway theater and more starting at 14 .
These are to roles you need to have a collage degree for they are role made for teens and others to see if this is a career path they want to get into.
@Flamingo that’s an excellent way to put it talent will rise up. No one’s out here talking about Joe Estevez or Don Swayze. A name an connections can get you in the door it won’t guarantee anything. If they aren’t making money for the studios those offers will dry up. Just like modeling contracts or record deals ( Paris Hilton, Brooke Hogan, Katie Cassidy?)
@Raven: you are completely naive if you think any old 15 year old kid could walk on to a Broadway production to volunteer. That is not remotely the same thing as volunteering as a teen at your local animal shelter. And yes, on a NYC stage production you are going to need a degree. Good lord.
@MARYCONTRARY
Sorry, but you seem to be the ignorant one here. Google their are programs that you can sign up for to volunteer at any of the places I mentioned above and more as younge as 14.
Also you don’t need a degree to be a PA, let alone be a volunteer assistant google it. You seem to be trying to make her role bigger than what it is.
Sounds like she’s a glorified volunteer gofer – is it actually taking an opportunity away from someone? Seems like a reach to make a big deal out of it.
I love that Vivienne’s middle name is Marcheline, so fitting!
I love this for Viv! As a volunteer assistant she gets to learn all about what it takes to get a show to the stage. It’s a wealth of knowledge and invaluable experience! I was a theatre kid and loved every minute of it. Some may say it’s nepotism (sure), but Viv is showing up and putting in the work for free to learn more about theatre. Good for her!
I remember years ago, back when I still hadn’t yet figured out what a blight on the world the Daily Mail was, only just started looking at it via Apple News on my iPhone and my now ancient iPad, I used to see photos of this sweet little girl, Viv and she looked so sad or bleak. And the DM commenters noticed that too and were always blaming Angelina for that. I won’t repeat the comments as I’m sure everyone here is familiar with the over decade long smear campaign that seemed to start even while Brad and Angelina were still officially together.
Well some people just don’t like paparazzi in their faces, and I would imagine Vivienne was one of them when she was little.
And secondly, who wouldn’t look strained with a person like Brad Pitt looming over them? We didn’t know it then, but we know it now, that BP was just this narcissist abusive presence sucking the joy and life out of all of them.
Look at Viv smile now. All of Angelina’s children seem to be free to find their own groove and it looks like she somehow finds the energy and makes the time to give them all what they need to pursue their dreams.
I loved the HELL out of this movie when I was a preteen. Just thinking of the Stevie Wonder song at the end is making me tear up. #staygold 😆
Interesting you say that because Angelina has a new tattoo which says ‘Stay Gold’. It looks brand new, like she’s had it done in the last few days. I didn’t realise the connection to the film/book.
Love this for Angelina and Vivienne. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing your child realise their passion and chase their dreams. Sure, she’s had a helping hand from Mum but like others have pointed out, this is nepotism done right. I see no issue with it as long as there is acknowledgement of the privilege your family connections give you. And Angelina, seemingly, is raising these kids to appreciate their lot in life, so kudos to her.
Angelina’s skin is flawless. I wonder if she has had some subtle tweaking done, botox, etc or it’s she just has the right genes. Or is it that the pics have been finished? Either way, in these pics she is stunningly beautiful and aging perfectly.
Her mom had skin like that as well.
Oh yeah. She definitely has had tweaks. Thankfully, her derm Rhonda Rand does subtle work.
Its most likely both. She has amazing genes which gives her a huge head start. That makes any subtle work that gets done look very natural.
The Outsiders!!
too cool for school
Angelina looks absolutely gorgeous. So happy to see her looking healthy and happy, i’m rooting for her so badly.
She is glowing. I love the cape dress outfit.
Angelina is so gorgeous. It should be criminal for one person to possess that much inner and outer beauty. She’s ethereal!
Pax was there, too, to support his mom and sister. it was sweet to see.
Damn she looks good! Healthy, happy, glowing! Great mama too! 🙂
I must say Mary Contrary is certainly living up to
her moniker.
I sincerely do not understand relating to this as nepo baby in anyway. From all the accounts this was driven by her daughter’s passion. Angelina has means! I have an 8 year old who loves theater and I pay the hefty price for her to go to local theater camps and classes. Like Angie is a billionaire, to me this is just the same thing I’m doing but she can do it on another level AND she’s stimulating the economy for actors and crew. This is a great thing. What her daughter does with this experience and support is in her hands. Would someone else without financial means have made this production happen, are either of them taking jobs from other people??? I sincerely don’t think so in this case… they are creating more work and interest for the industry! Correct me if I’m way off here…
Vivienne in not gonna get tall as her parents and Shiloh!
We have so few feel-good stories/posts on this site lately; why did you all made it became a debate of Nepotism? Please go to EVERY Billy Idle posts & scream Nepo Baby from now on.