Published 11:00 IST, December 18th 2019
Angelina Jolie's turbulent history with her father Jon Voight
Angelina Jolie and her father Jon Voight has had a turbulent relationship. Here are few of the instances the define the nature of their relationship. Read on.
Angelia Jolie and her father actor Jon Voight have not had the smoothest or the strongest father-daughter relationship. The nature of their relationship is often termed as turbulent and is filled with ups and downs. Their relationship has been rocky to a point where Jolie has legally dropped the last name of her father. Check out the history of their relationship.
Childhood
The trouble began when Jon Voight, despite being married to Jolie's mother Marcheline Bertrand, had an affair. It has been reported that Jolie was just a baby and her brother was not much older when Voight divorced Bertrand. Marcheline Bertrand was just 28-years-old when she had to take care of two children and give up on her career as an actor, as her estranged husband had allegedly abandoned the family. Angelina Jolie had seen the distress and anguish that her mother had to go through and that filled her mind with hatred towards her father. However, Jolie was very young when she attended her first red carpet with her brother- James Haven and her father who was nominated for a movie.
Teenage
According to several reports, Angelia Jolie had a hard time growing up without a father. It was also reported that Voight had refused to pay child support and hence the family was in financial stress. Haven had told the media that his father had mentally abused his mother for a long time. Voight claimed that his efforts to mend the relationship went unanswered. Psychologists had allegedly that Jolie’s involvement with drugs, her bouts of depression, suicidal thoughts, self-mutilation and her becoming sexually active at a young age can all be said to be due to her abandonment issues. Their relationship throughout Jolie’s teenage years has been strained.
On Professional front
Jolie played the role of Voight’s daughter in movie Lookin' To Get Out. Although the role was a small one, Voight appreciated it. As Angelina Jolie grew up, Voight starred in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), where he played Angelina Jolie's father. It has been alleged that the father-daughter duo has a brief reunion afterwards for about a year.
Voight as a grandfather
In 2002, Voight reportedly announced to the world at the pre-Oscars party how excited he was about being a grandfather. Angelina Jolie and her then-husband Billy Bob Thornton were going adopt their son Maddox from Cambodia and were keeping the news under wraps. It has been reported, however, that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s first biological child Shiloh Nouvel was almost named Shiloh Baptist Voight after Jolie’s father. Despite Jolie's sweet gesture, the bond between Jolie and Voight did not improve.
After Angelina Jolie's marriage and divorce with Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt insisted that Angelina Jolie makes peace with her father after the death of her mother Marcheline Bertrand. He allegedly even asked her to do so for the sake of her children if not herself. Voight was also seen alongside Jolie in 2011 at the premiere of her directorial debut In The Land Of Blood And Honey. However, Jon Voight wasn’t invited to Brad and Angelina’s wedding. After the couple divorced, Voight stated to the press saying that something serious might've happened for Jolie to take such a huge step. Voight stayed in touch with Pitt even after the divorce, and this managed to piss Jolie off. It has been reported that Jolie is in talking terms with her father, but she isn't sharing a lot with him. It is alleged that she doesn’t trust Voight completely.
Updated 12:01 IST, December 18th 2019