Absolument Jolie

How baby Maddox Jolie-Pitt won Angelina Jolie's heart with his big smile in an orphanage in Cambodia and escaped a life on the streets, reveals his adopted father who helped the desperate actress get custody

Details: Published on Friday, 13 August 2021 11:20; Written by Daily mail

Angelina Jolie's former right-hand man in Cambodia - who helped the desperate Hollywood star push through Maddox's adoption by becoming his adopted father - reveals why she chose her son out of the hundreds of orphaned babies in the country. Maddox turned 20 on August 5, and the actress' friend and former business associate, Sarath Mounh, tells DailyMail.com he couldn't be more proud of the way he's turned out.Angie faced a red-tape headache with the adoption back in 2002 and asked Sarath to help her out by acting as Maddox's dad on his adoption court documents.Maddox was also added to Sarath's family records, which shows that Maddox was his third child.Having a Cambodian father cut through many of the legal problems Angie faced as a foreigner especially as there was a government crackdown on international adoptions due to baby trafficking.Sarath says he then signed a document for Angie to adopt Maddox from him.Now he reveals why the 46-year-old wanted to adopt from Cambodia after falling in love with the place when she filmed Tomb Raider there in 2000.Sarath tells DailyMail.com why Angie specifically chose Maddox when there were hundreds of babies up for adoption in the developing country.'There are a lot of children in the world that need good care, need a better life. By that time, she wanted to be a mother, but thought it was better to be a mother to some baby who desperately needs good care,' says Sarath.'That's why she decided on Maddox rather than a biological baby. That's what I heard from her, we talked about everything.'He was clever, sharp, smart, a lovely kid, who smiled at people more than any of the other babies. I always remember his smiley face.'As far as I understand from her, when she visited the place [orphanage] and saw Maddox, he smiled at her and got up, instead of crying like all the other babies.'He was smiling right at her, it touched her heart, that's why she chose Maddox.' Sarath has no regrets with personally helping out Angie by becoming Maddox's father. They had become pals after Sarath's non-profit worked alongside the Maddox Jolie Pitt Foundation on conservation issues.'Baby trafficking was very bad at that time in Cambodia, a lot of legal issues needed to be covered and she didn't want it to go wrong,' says Sarath.'My role as a friend and colleague, I was there to help with the legal issues and register Maddox as my adopted son, then I signed a legal document for her to adopt Maddox from me. I don't know why they wanted me to help, or how they got into that position.'
Now Sarath hopes that Maddox and Angie can stay true to her word that Cambodia will always be a part of Maddox's identity.The whole family visited Cambodia for the premiere of her directorial debut First They Killed My Father in 2017, with Angie saying: 'We've been coming back and forth for 17 years, it feels like a second home to me. The children have close ties to the children here, many of them are their best friends. Maddox is happy to be back in his country.' Sarath adds: 'Cambodian people, we were proud and happy for him growing up in such a high class life. Many others in the population don't get that chance. We'd love him to go back and understand his culture.'She was planning to return as much as possible, it was going to be the second home for Maddox.'He grew up in a modern life, if he could make a contribution back to his own people, that would be very nice. If he could learn about his heritage and culture, how he came to be in the orphanage - a horrifying part to his early life.'He could have turned out to be a street kid, a lot of them fall through the net and go out into drug addiction, glue sniffing. The orphanage system in Cambodia is not well managed, a lot of the kids are not protected, donor money only goes so far, and the government doesn't do anything.'He is a lucky boy compared to many, many in Cambodia. It would be nice for him to come back and help the community.' Recently, Maddox's adoption has received widespread publicity after The Sun revealed that fellow Cambodian adoptee Elizabeth Jacobs was making a documentary to find out the truth about adoptions at that time in the late 90s/early 2000s, entitled The Stolen Children.'People ask me if I know if Maddox's parents are still alive and I have no clue,' adds Sarath, a father-of-three, who now lives in Toronto.His family was forced to flee the south East Asian country when the current prime minister Hun Sen banned the opposition party Cambodia National Rescue Party in 2017 and threatened to put its high-ranking members, such as Sarath, in jail.'Society is not much different since Maddox was adopted,' he says.'But the political and diplomatic issues have got worse. I can never go back, unless the government changes. If they are still in a dictatorship, I can't go back at all. That's not just me, a lot of opposition members are exiled right now.'

source : Daily mail

Masked Angelina Jolie steps out with son Pax, 17, on a mother-son dinner date at Nobu in Los Angeles

Details: Published on Friday, 13 August 2021 11:09; Written by Daily mail

Angelina Jolie stepped out with 17-year-old child Pax for a mother-son dinner date.The 46-year-old actress, who adopted Pax from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in 2007, grabbed some dinner with her son at Nobu in Los Angeles.The Maleficent star and her son were both still masked up as the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus continues to spread throughout Los Angeles.The actress was spotted wearing a white top and white wide-legged pants under a a full-length tan trench coat.he was wearing a black face mask covering her mouth and nose, with diamond earrings and a gold chain dangling from her neck.She completed her look with a pair of brown Dolce & Gabbana shoes and a brown purse.Pax stepped out wearing a plain white t-shirt with a small silver chain and pendant dangling from his neck.He was wearing a black coat that matched his black face mask that covered his mouth and nose.He completed his look with a pair of grey pants and a pair of black Converse All-Star sneakers. The outing comes just weeks after Jolie scored a major victory in her lengthy custody battle with ex-husband Brad Pitt.The 2nd District Court of Appeal in California disqualified Judge John W. Ouderkirk, who failed to properly disclose prior dealings he had with Pitt's attorneys. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016 and is seeking sole custody of their adopted children, Pax, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, Knox, 13 and Vivienne, 13.She also opened up about her struggles within her personal life while promoting her film Those Who Wish Me Dead, which was released on HBO Max in May. 'I felt a little beaten up in my own life, as we all do at times, and I felt like I wasn’t holding myself together and I felt a little broken,' she said.While she did not specifically detail what the struggle was, Angelina, 45, has been engaged in a lengthy custody battle with ex-husband Brad Pitt since 2016, following their split after more than a decade together and over two years of marriage.

source : Daily mail

Angelina Jolie continues her European tour as she makes a stylish arrival in Venice in a glittery grey maxi dress

Details: Published on Saturday, 31 July 2021 15:28; Written by Daily mail

She's making the most of the European heatwave, having enjoyed some time in Paris with her children only last week.And Angelina Jolie, 46, commanded attention in a loose-fitting grey dress on Friday as she headed to a restaurant via a water taxi in Venice.Currently staying at the Cipriani Hotel, where one night at the five-star hotel can set guests back by up to €7,595, the age-defying beauty certainly turned heads in the plunging number.The Hollywood actress accentuated her dazzling outfit with a black Yves Saint Laurent handbag and, having just left an art exhibition, clutched a programme from the showing. Elevating her height with a pair of tan leather wedges, the three-time Academy Award winner accessorised her look with a timeless pair of silver ear studs and wore a black face mask to protect those around her.The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award recipient was helped into the water taxi by a male aid and she made sure to pucker up her lips to check that her makeup had remained flawless once she sat down. Before the Tomb Raider actress arrived in the city of love, she had been enjoying a break in France with her daughters Zahara, 16, and Shiloh, 15, as well as her son Knox, 13, before jetting off to Italy.The daughter of actor Jon Voight also shares daughter Vivienne, 13, and son Maddox, 19, with her former husband Brad Pitt. She was spotted as she touched down in Venice looking typically chic in a stone trench in a stone trench coat and a heavy-duty handbag in a matching shade.Angelina was accompanied by her daughter Shiloh, who donned a pair of loose stone trousers, well-worn black sneakers with white laces along with a black hoodie.The 15-year-old wore a delicate red-and-pink belt, had her hair tied up into a ponytail and wore a reusable face mask.Her mum told Vanity Fair in 2010 interview that Shiloh has been experimenting with her gender since she was just three.'She wants to be a boy,' Angelina said.'So we had to cut her hair. She likes to wear boy clothes. She thinks she's one of her brothers.'Angelina filed for divorce from Brad in 2016 citing 'irreconcilable differences' and it was finalised in 2019. The former pair have been in a lengthy custody battle with the actress wanting sole custody and Brad fighting for joint.Last month, Angelina was reportedly left 'bitterly disappointed' after a court awarded joint custody to her ex Brad, a decision was allegedly set to contest in early July.Legal experts in Los Angeles told DailyMail.com in March that the pair have each spent over $1 million in legal costs already - and said the custody battle could go on for six more years. Despite the drama, Angelina has reportedly set her sights on finding love again, with the actress rumoured to have been 'spotted on another secret date' with The Weeknd at a private concert in Los Angeles earlier this month.Images of the stars attending Mustafa's private concert appeared on the Instagram account Deuxmoi, which showed The Weeknd with a group of friends and Angelina sitting with daughters Shiloh and Zahara.A Twitter fan account for the Blinding Lights singer, 31, also posted the images of Angelina with her kids and The Weeknd.Earlier this month, the actress and The Weekend set the internet into a frenzy after they were seen dining at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica and they have continued to heat up speculation with their latest outing.While an insider told The Sun the pair are just 'just friends' now, the singer 'made no secret of the fact he has a huge crush on her' for years.

source : Daily Mail

Angelina Jolie puts on a stylish display in a white shirt and beige trousers as she steps out with children Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, and Shiloh, 15, in Paris

Details: Published on Friday, 23 July 2021 06:57; Written by Daily mail

Angelina Jolie was the picture of a doting mother when she stepped out with three of her six children on Thursday.The actress, 46, was seen heading out with son Pax, 17, and daughters Zahara, 16, and Shiloh, 15, in Paris, France, where they shopped at KITHs and the Guerlain store.Putting on a stunning display, Angelina looked sensational in a white shirt that she tucked into a pair of flared beige trousers. Angelina boosted her height in a pair of beige heels, and she also had a matching beige suit jacket that she took off in the sun.Her brunette locks were brushed into a sleek, straight style that fell over her shoulder and she wore a light palette of make-up.The Maleficent star complemented her ensemble by keeping her personal items in a small beige handbag. Angelina made sure to keep safe amid the coronavirus crisis by wearing a face mask, and her children followed her example. While she was out and about, Angelina was seen walking while holding onto Zahara's hand as Pax and Shiloh walked beside them.Zahara looked stylish in a blue maxi dress that she paired with white trainers and a reusable tote bag.Shiloh, meanwhile, wore a black shirt with grey cargo trousers, and Pax wore a colourful plaid shirt over a white top and khaki chinos.Later in the day, Angelina changed into a chic white shirt dress that was cinched at the waist with a thin belt. Angelina shares the trio, as well as daughter Vivienne, 13, and sons Maddox, 19, and Knox, 13, with her former husband Brad Pitt. Angelina filed for divorce in 2016 citing 'irreconcilable differences' and it was finalised in 2019. The former pair have been in a lengthy custody battle with the actress wanting sole custody and Brad fighting for joint.Last month, Angelina was reportedly left 'bitterly disappointed' after a court awarded joint custody to her ex Brad, a decision was allegedly set to contest in early July. Legal experts in Los Angeles told DailyMail.com in March that the pair have each spent over $1million in legal costs already - and said the custody battle could go on for six more years.Despite the drama, Angelina has reportedly set her sights on finding love again, with the actress rumoured to have been 'spotted on another secret date' with The Weeknd at a private concert in Los Angeles over the weekend. Images of the stars attending Mustafa's private concert appeared on the Instagram account Deuxmoi, which showed The Weeknd with a group of friends and Angelina sitting with daughters Shiloh, 15, and 16-year-old Zahara.A Twitter fan account for the Blinding Lights singer, 31, also posted the images of Angelina with her kids and The Weeknd.Earlier this month, the Oscar-winning actress and The Weekend set the internet into a frenzy after they were seen dining at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica and they have continued to heat up speculation with their latest outing. While an insider told The Sun the pair are just 'just friends' now, the singer 'made no secret of the fact he has a huge crush on her' for years.While the pair are not known to be friends, there are some intriguing links between them, including the singer referencing Angelina's famous pout in one of his hit songs. Prior to being romantically linked with The Weeknd, Angelina was rumoured to have reconnected with her ex-husband Jonny Lee Miller.

source : Daily Mail

Angelina Jolie enjoys a night out with daughter Zahara at Ziggy Marley concert in Hollywood... after jetting back from Europe

Details: Published on Tuesday, 03 August 2021 05:19; Written by Daily mail

They were recently traveling through Europe together.But Angelina Jolie didn't let jet lag stop her as she enjoyed a night of watching Ziggy Marley with her daughter Zahara on Sunday evening. The actress, 46, was spotted with her daughter, 16, leaving the Hollywood Bowl, hand in hand. As Angelina approached a storm drain, the actress carefully crossed the perforated flooring in her stylish suede ankle boots. The shoes were just one stylish element to Angelina's overall chic look.The Tomb Raider actress wore a long black coat, leather purse, and face mask over her stunning complexion.Her daughter wore a glossy maroon top, black trousers, and sneakers.Before the Tomb Raider actress arrived in the city of love, she had been enjoying a break in France with her daughters Zahara and Shiloh, 15, as well as her son Knox, 13, before jetting off to Italy.The daughter of actor Jon Voight also shares daughter Vivienne, 13, and son Maddox, 19, with her former husband Brad Pitt. The Hollywood star filed for divorce from Brad in 2016 citing 'irreconcilable differences' and it was finalised in 2019. The former pair have been in a lengthy custody battle with the actress wanting sole custody and Brad fighting for joint.Last month, Angelina was reportedly left 'bitterly disappointed' after a court awarded joint custody to her ex Brad, a decision was allegedly set to contest in early July.Legal experts in Los Angeles told DailyMail.com in March that the pair have each spent over $1 million in legal costs already - and said the custody battle could go on for six more years.Despite the drama, Angelina has reportedly set her sights on finding love again, with the actress rumoured to have been 'spotted on another secret date' with The Weeknd at a private concert in Los Angeles earlier this month.Images of the stars attending Mustafa's private concert appeared on the Instagram account Deuxmoi, which showed The Weeknd with a group of friends and Angelina sitting with daughters Shiloh and Zahara.A Twitter fan account for the Blinding Lights singer, 31, also posted the images of Angelina with her kids and The Weeknd.Earlier this month, the actress and The Weekend set the internet into a frenzy after they were seen dining at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica and they have continued to heat up speculation with their latest outing.While an insider told The Sun the pair are just 'just friends' now, the singer 'made no secret of the fact he has a huge crush on her' for years.

source : Daily Mail

Angelina Jolie stuns in a chic black wraparound dress as she steps out for dinner with children Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, and Knox, 13, in Paris

Details: Published on Friday, 23 July 2021 06:58; Written by Daily mail

Angelina Jolie continued to enjoy her family trip to France on Thursday when she stepped out with four of her six children in Paris.The actress, 46, was seen making her way to dinner alongside her son Pax, 17, daughters Zahara, 16, and Shiloh, 15, plus her 13-year-old son Knox, with the group heading to a restaurant near the Eiffel Tower.Switching into a new outfit for her third outing of the day, doting mother Angelina stunned in a black wraparound dress teamed with pointed heels.Wearing her long brunette hair loose, the Oscar-winning star also wore a dark green face mask in keeping with pandemic protocol, with her four children also covering their noses and mouths with masks.For the family outing, Pax looked trendy in a striped top teamed with jeans, while Zahara made a statement in a bold patterned dress.Shiloh donned a black hoodie and off-white trousers, with her younger brother Knox also opting for a dark hooded jumper, teaming his with cargo trousers.Earlier in the day, Angelina, Pax, Shiloh and Zahara were all seen shopping at KITHs and the Guerlain store.Angelina later changed into a chic white shirt dress that was cinched at the waist with a thin belt.Angelina also shares daughter Vivienne, 13, and son Maddox, 19, with her former husband Brad Pitt.Angelina filed for divorce in 2016 citing 'irreconcilable differences' and it was finalised in 2019. The former pair have been in a lengthy custody battle with the actress wanting sole custody and Brad fighting for joint.Last month, Angelina was reportedly left 'bitterly disappointed' after a court awarded joint custody to her ex Brad, a decision was allegedly set to contest in early July.Legal experts in Los Angeles told DailyMail.com in March that the pair have each spent over $1million in legal costs already - and said the custody battle could go on for six more years.Despite the drama, Angelina has reportedly set her sights on finding love again, with the actress rumoured to have been 'spotted on another secret date' with The Weeknd at a private concert in Los Angeles earlier this month.Images of the stars attending Mustafa's private concert appeared on the Instagram account Deuxmoi, which showed The Weeknd with a group of friends and Angelina sitting with daughters Shiloh and Zahara.A Twitter fan account for the Blinding Lights singer, 31, also posted the images of Angelina with her kids and The Weeknd.Earlier this month, the actress and The Weekend set the internet into a frenzy after they were seen dining at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica and they have continued to heat up speculation with their latest outing.While an insider told The Sun the pair are just 'just friends' now, the singer 'made no secret of the fact he has a huge crush on her' for years.While the pair are not known to be friends, there are some intriguing links between them, including the singer referencing Angelina's famous pout in one of his hit songs.Prior to being romantically linked with The Weeknd, Angelina was rumoured to have reconnected with her ex-husband Jonny Lee Miller.

source : Daily Mail

Angelina Jolie's former friend says he's NOT '100% sure' her adopted son Maddox was an orphan - as filmmaker probes scandal of babies in Cambodia stolen from their families

Details: Published on Friday, 23 July 2021 06:55; Written by Daily mail

A former aid worker who helped Angelina Jolie adopt her son Maddox has claimed that he cannot be '100% sure' that he was an orphan.Sarath Mounh, who ran an NGO in Cambodia, became a close friend of the Hollywood star during her visits to the country from where Maddox was adopted.He also played a role in the adoption process by signing legal documents stating that he was Maddox's real father, which he is not, to help get it approved quicker by the Cambodian courts, though there is no suggestions Jolie was aware.In an exclusive interview Mr Mounh told MailOnline: 'I'm not 100% sure that Maddox was an orphan even though he came from an orphanage. At least one of the parents was possibly alive at the time of his adoption. But I never asked these difficult questions, nobody did. 'This was happening a lot in Cambodia. There were many babies who were left in orphanages or sold to them by their parents because they couldn't afford to look after them.' At the time, Kek Galibru, head of the human rights agency Licadho, who investigated the adoption, said: 'I'm sure that this child was not a real orphan and was not abandoned.' However, Jolie, 46, said she'd gone to great lengths to verify that Maddox had no living parents and has always maintained that he was an orphan.She said: 'I would never rob a mother of her child. I can only imagine how dreadful that would feel.' But the fresh questions raised by Mr Mounh come as a new documentary will probe whether babies in Cambodia were stolen from their families and put up for adoption. Filmmaker Elizabeth Jacobs, 21, will revisit the claim that 'poor Cambodian families are preyed on by baby recruiters' in her documentary, The Stolen Children.Elizabeth's parents used the services of adoption agent Lauryn Galindo, the same woman who Jolie famously used to adopt Maddox in 2002.At the time, Galindo and her sister Lynn Devin ran an adoption agency called Seattle International Adoptions, and shortly after Maddox's adoption they faced criminal charges. Devin was given a $150,000 fine for falsifying documents to obtain US visas for 'orphans' while Galindo was imprisoned for 18 months in 2004 for the same crime and money laundering. When the scandal was exposed, the U.S. government and several other countries shut down adoptions from Cambodia, with Jolie saying she knew nothing of the illegal trade. There is no evidence Maddox was not an orphan. But Mr Mounh said to MailOnline: 'When it comes to money, everything is possible. This is what I kept on hearing at the time from those around Angelina: 'Make it happen.'He added: 'Angelina didn't personally get involved. It was those around her that were handling the process and asked me to help.'Mr Mounh revealed that he was asked to get involved in the adoption because of his friendship with Jolie and on account of his influence in the Battambang Province, in North West Cambodia where his NGO was based. His organisation ran several projects such as education programmes for children, funding for poor farmers and health drives. These were all aimed at villagers in north east Cambodia.Referring to the documentary, Mr Mounh said: 'I hope it uncovers the entire adoption system in Cambodia at the time. But I don't want Maddox to be emotionally hurt by this.'His adoption was accepted by the law but to this day, I can't say for sure if he was an orphan, I don't think anyone can. But I don't want him to be damaged by what may come out.'He added: 'I want Maddox to have a good life and bright future. I still have a lot of love for him and Angelina, even though I haven't seen them in a long time.'
Mr Mounh revealed that he was asked to sign documents stating to be Maddox's father. There is no suggestion that Jolie was aware that Mr Mounh wrongly signed documents.He added: ''It's true that it was misleading when I signed the adoption papers. I was concerned that this was not honest, but I felt an obligation to sign the papers. Because of my friendship with Angelina, I wanted to help her as best I could. She was also a donor to my organisation.'Jolie provided $300,000 of funding for his NGO, with plans to donate a further $1.2 million and often came to see its work in the Battambang Province. Her own charitable foundation for Cambodia is also based in the same area.Mr Mounh, 55, met Angelina in 2000 after being introduced by the UNHCR, the United Nations refugees agency, for whom he did a lot of work helping to resettle refugees following Cambodia's brutal civil war.Jolie is a UNHCR Special Envoy and showed special interest in Mr Mounh's NGO, Cambodia Vision in Development (CVD), which has now folded.He added: 'She spent a lot of time in Cambodia from 2000 onwards, visiting our projects and we often stayed overnight together. Angelina had a lot of love for my country.'She became a very good friend and spoke openly to me about her desire to help my organisation and her hopes for Maddox.'Jolie and her ex-husband Brad Pitt share joint custody of their six children, twins Vivienne and Knox, 12, Shiloh, 15, Maddox, 19, Zahara, 16, and Pax, 17.In addition to adopting Maddox, Jolie adopted Zahara in Ethiopia and Pax in Vietnam.Mr Mounh's youngest son Makara is the same age as Maddox and he recalled how he and Jolie discussed bringing them up as 'brothers' during her visits to Cambodia.He added: 'I wanted them to grow up together and me and Angelina would talk about this. Sadly, that's not happened.'Mr Mounh and Jolie fell out following allegations made against him that he misused funds donated by her.But he hit back: 'I can account for every dollar that was given to my organisation. I know that Angelina has nothing against me, and I still consider her a friend. It was those around her who made problems between us.'He last saw the Hollywood star and Maddox in 2003 when they visited Cambodia.Mr Mounh added: 'I follow their lives very closely through the media and would love to get back in touch with them but don't know how. I still have a lot of respect and love for both of them.'Mr Mounh fled Cambodia in 2017 fearing for his life on account of his political activities against the ruling government. He now lives in Canada with his wife and three children.MailOnline has contacted Ms Jolie's representatives for comment.

source : Daily Mail