What draws you the most to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie?
January 6, 2009 by Sherry
While debating discussion thread ideas, one idea that was tossed out more than once was the question of what draws you, as a reader, here to PittWatch. That sounded a bit too much like I was looking for validation, so here’s a spin on it.
What draws you in most to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie? Is it their movies and their acting abilities? The way they look with their modern-day twist on old school Hollywood glamor? The humanitarian work that they always find time for? The amazing way they’ve created a beautifully multi-cultural family? Was it your love of Brad that you became interested in Angelina? Or was it the other way around where you came to appreciate Brad because of Angie?
I made a poll just for fun, and I included the option to decide that you can’t choose just one reason for being drawn to this power couple.
However, since it’s a discussion thread, maybe we can talk about why you find yourself so interested in them.
This is my version. I was a fan of Brad Pitt in general for his acting and his movies. I didn’t really know much about him on an off-screen level back then. I wasn’t even particularly attracted to him when he was younger – while I could see that he was certainly a good-looking guy, he was too blond and too pretty for my own personal tastes. While I enjoyed his movies overall, I think that his role in Interview With the Vampire was one of the times I sort of sat up a little straighter and said, “wow. He’s amazing!”
Angelina Jolie, on the other hand, was an actress I had always loved. My favorite actress had been Winona Ryder for years, but then I saw Girl Interrupted where Angie essentially overshadowed everyone else in the cast, including Winona’s lead character. From there she went from being an actress I really enjoyed to my number one favorite and she’s never budged since. I read about her regularly and when Angelina started working with the UNHCR I was thrilled to see all the good she was bringing to people who were so often overlooked.
Naturally I love the whole Jolie-Pitt family too. As a mother myself, I love to read about what they do as a family together or see them out having fun as normally as celebrities possibly can. I admire the way they try to make sure that cultures are not lost, that they become an important focus of the entire family – it ends up being educational for all of them.
And there’s no doubt on red carpet nights that I love to look at Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, dressed to the nines and looking like they could very easily step back in time to the glamor of old Hollywood.
So while it is indeed true that I have trouble choosing one reason, it mostly comes down to having been a huge Angelina fan, learning more about Brad as they got together, and then admiring everything that they do – movies, humanitarian work, and family life.
I think that another reason that people might be so interested in them, not just as a couple, but their full family is that most of us can’t relate to the celebrity world. While I love the clothes and whatnot, when I’m sitting here in $30 jeans, I can’t relate to a $20,000 gown someone might wear on the red carpet, or a jeweler loaning out a million dollar necklace to an actress on Oscar night. But I’m a mother and I can relate to kids saying funny things like Zahara does or a kid who likes to run like Shiloh (and then falls and skins a knee like Shiloh). I can relate to being up in the middle of the night, to carrying a tired child, to buying toys. I think a lot of us can; even those without kids were kids once themselves.
The family side of the Jolie-Pitts is something normal, something that isn’t so far out of our reach, even if not all of us could afford to care for six children like they do.
What about you? What are your thoughts on the draw to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie?
Image used with permission: Newscom
I’ve always loved and respected AJ. Reason being, her straightforward and honesty about herself and life. I’m her age and I know plenty of women and men whom have experienced the same level of insecurities, acting out, rebellion, self-doubt, etc. that causes us to do unhealthy things and of course, experiment. I always felt as though with her, she didn’t buy into Hollywood’s perfect image. She made and has shown the world, people change and grow and learn from their experiences. I’ve always felt that her intention was to help others whom were going thru their thing that they – we – are not alone in that and it can get better. In other words, her fearlessness with the truth made her “normal” and inspired us with hope that we too can better our lives and situation.
I’ve always enjoyed BP. He’s fun to watch.
Both are extremely talented.
Re: their personal life and family – I don’t think it’s our business and it sickens me how they are stalked. I love it when BP/AJ decide to do an interview and share their family but it should be their choice! I wish the government would create laws to protect (at least) celebs’ children.
for me it’s about two kindred spirits finding eachother and doing what it took to create a life together. As Angelina said last year in some interview, “We were lucky that we turned out to be for eachother everything that we seemed to be.” (or something like that.)
I guess because I always believed in love – even before cosmically colliding with MY perfect mate – it just felt like such a natural pairing of interests, energies, depth, curiosity, passion for life and knowledge and SELF-knowledge, that every time I read something about them it made me feel good as an affirmation of living the dream of a being with another human whose presence drives you to be the best, happiest and most COMPLETE YOU possible.
Thank you, Sherry and Kim for answering MaddyMcC. Too bad there are too many others like her.
Maddie, I honestly think we love Brad and Angie because they are not us. Also we, as their fans, love it when this couple does normal things, like getting overwhelmed by kids or having to get used to poop,pee,vomit, etc. Maddie, I will never have a million dollars,if I did I would not give it away,having said that,unless you have donated an equal amount ,I don’t think you can speak to that question. Finally, yes we do live online in a little la-la land, so what?
I love Angie first, I saw her in Hackers and fell in love she stood out, she was so cute,so beautiful and I remembered her always. When I was an interview where they mention that she adopt a baby and gave away a third of her salary to the less fortunate I took a closer look and realize that we had a lot in commom eg wanting to hel other wanting to heal the world. I
sorry unfinished post my kid press something kids anyway I was trying to say wanting to heal the world, that really impress me ,we are also gemini. Then when she got with Brad I took a look at him and how he love her and I knew she would be very happy.
Whoa! Obviously MaddyMC does not like the Jolie-Pitts! Sherry and others have already said it better then I could, so all I’m going to do is address MaddyMC’s comment about countries that supposedly don’t allow unmarried couples to adopt (read: Vietnam) allowing Angie to adopt.
First of all, Vietnam makes it difficult for unmarried couples to adopt. That is not the same as outright forbidding it! Nowhere other than in tabs have I seen that it’s actually outright forbidden for unmarried couples to adopt From a legal standpoint, she is considered single.
Oh, and while I believe very much in marriage and would definently want to get married if I found “the one”, I don’t see what’s so horrible about couples living together without being married. My brother and his girlfriend have lived together for several years but aren’t married, but I don’t see their relatianship any less valid than that of a married couple. In fact, our family affectionatly refers to them (but not to their faces!) as “married, but not”.
I fell in love with Angelina after watching Tomb Raider! I was hooked! (Too bad I heard that “Will and Grace” lady is taking over. Saw a picture and uugghh did not like it) I thought Angie was just gorgeous and sexy. After reading articles, interviews and watching some youtube stuff, I felt that she was such a down-to-earth and honest woman, unafraid of whatever or whoever else might say about her. Seeing her blossomed into a more mature, loving mother and partner was really amazing. What a transformation! And of course MMS did me in for good since I did want them to be a real couple in real life and it came true. wooohooo!!! You just felt the chemistry off the screen. Just a lot of love around. It’s interesting how it just shines through them. And of course the children! They are just so adorable. All the humanitarian work is just icing on the cake. Time and money as one of you said is what they give. They are role models as a woman, mother, father and a citizen of this world. AJ is very smart in picking the right battles to be won. I just love her. Brad, I started liking him after she got together with Angie. He became more mature and more interesting. Love them! Love them with all their faults! After all aren’t we all human?
When they met on the set it was reported that they spent a lot of time talking about the world’s problems. The displacement of children worldwide is Angelina’s concern and the inexpensive housing construction for third world inhabitants was something Brad was working on with his international architect friends called e2 Designs (watch e2 designs on PBS on the internet if you missed the series http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/12/design-series-e.html ).
Brad & Jennifer had a great friendship, but not the partnership he was desiring. If anyone was paying attention, Brad and Jen had taken an 8 month break from their marriage while he was filming Troy. Jen went over to meet w Brad in Malta for a couple of days just to see what could be done about their estrangement. Brad wanted children and Jen wanted to build a bit more on her tv work to transfer over to the big screen. She has the ambition to be a ‘movie star’. So she had autonomously signed on for 2 more years of friends and 7 movie projects. Brad didn’t quite know how to handle the situation. He was both sad and angry that she had directly gone against their plans.
Brad & Angelina found something in eachother that they were looking for- working as a team to help the needy and possibly build an international family of their own- which has grown into a love for eachother.
It’s a beautiful thing that we all admire- to watch these two grow into an incredible couple in front of our eyes.
Barb in Tahoe, nicely said. And you are right, we are watching them grow.
I fell in love with Angelina after watching Girls Interrupted, after watching the movie, I thought Angelina was a better actress than Wynoda Ryder. Fell in love with Brad after watching The Devil’s Own, thought his protrayed of the killer was superb, and he should have won an award. Thought he should also win an award in Snatch, Seven and Troy, Love Oceans Series, Meet Joe Blank, Cry watching Lengends of the Falls. But of course my favourite Mr and Mrs Smith. Just love this couple, their lovely children, the way they make time for each other, for all their children, their working and their contributions, their humanitarian work, visiting war-torn country like Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, and meeting with refugees.