Angelina Jolie covers the March 2018 issue of ELLE, timed for International Women’s Day on March 8th so it’s definitely not a standard celebrity interview. It’s a transcript of a conversation between Angelina and John Kerry; she’s not there to simply answer questions, she asks a few questions of her own, and she jumps off of John Kerry’s responses to get to her own points which she articulates well. Because, as she’s shown, she knows her sh-t. For all the criticism that she receives about this, that, and the other, I’m not sure anyone can validly call out Angelina Jolie for not being prepared to speak informatively on sexual violence and humanitarian issues – refugee policy in particular.
Shiloh and Vivienne appear in a couple of the photos in this spread.
And she illuminates something during the conversation that I’ve never thought that much about before:
“I’m very patriotic, as I know you are. For me, it goes hand in hand with being proud of what America stands for. For instance, I’m the only person in my house who was born in America.”
I too am the only person in my house who was born in Canada. Jacek was born in Poland. My parents were born in Hong Kong. We are all Canadians. But, often, even here in Canada, where we like to think we’re above the division that’s happening in the US right now, there is an accepted version of what it means to be “Canadian” and that version often leaves people out. What Angelina has done here, maybe accidentally but I’d like to think it was strategic, is include two of her daughters who, on the outside, present “American” but who weren’t actually born in America. Shiloh of course was born in Namibia and Vivienne was born in France. How often though are kids who look like Shiloh and Vivienne asked, “Where are you from?” Especially compared to some of their brothers and sister? Because I can tell you, I’m from Canada, but I get that question all the time.
Click here to read more from Angelina Jolie’s conversation with John Kerry.
In other Angelina news, The Blast reported yesterday that she and Brad Pitt are still negotiating their divorce settlement, a story that has unsurprisingly since been picked up by several outlets. The two filed documents “to extend the “temporary judge” in their case so that it remains private while both parties continue to discuss custody and distribution of assets”. Word is it’s been an amicable process, much different from the three months of World War Brange that exploded immediately after the split. It’s now been a year and a half since they officially separated and Angelina still has temporary custody of their children with Brad maintaining visitation and hoping for eventual joint custody. Figuring out finances in a divorce can take forever. Same goes for custody, especially when there are/were existing issues to be addressed. Which we were told by Team Brad weren’t issues at all…remember that?
PS. Look at this photo. She’s using a land line. I am forever and always committed to my land line. Which Duana makes fun of all the time because she’s so modern and with it. After all this time, there is still a difference between talking on a cell phone and talking on a land line. It’s way better on a land line. And I feel like it will always be this way.
