Angelina Jolie has turned some of her recent business ventures into a family affair.
The proud mom has gushed about her unbreakable bond with her six children, whom she shares with ex Brad Pitt, in multiple interviews. She described them as her “close friends” while speaking to WSJ. Magazine in December 2023 and she has been partnering with them recently on her many passion projects.
She worked on the Broadway play “The Outsiders,” which opened earlier this month, as a producer beside 15-year-old daughter Vivienne, who was a volunteer assistant, according to People.
Prior to the show’s debut on April 11, Jolie opened up to the publication about teaming up with her daughter, revealing that Vivienne actually introduced her to the production.
“She saw an early workshop a few times and then invited me to it,” she shared.
Jolie praised her daughter’s creative talents. “Viv is a young artist who focuses her efforts on her support of others,” she said.
“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,” she added.
The mother and daughter duo posed for photos together at the opening night of “The Outsiders” on April 11 at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre in New York City.
The “Salt” actor wore a gold gown and brown cape that she paired with chunky gold earrings. Her daughter sported a blue jumpsuit and sneakers.
They previously attended a preview showing of the play on April 3 and snapped photos with the cast and crew.
This isn't the first time Jolie has collaborated with her children — Zahara and Pax helped her launch Atelier Jolie, a fashion venture, last year, she shared in her September 2023 profile for Vogue.
In recent years, Jolie has been working more behind the camera and on other projects as she focuses on supporting her children.
Jolie, 48, adopted her first child, Maddox, from Cambodia in 2002, and then she adopted Zahara from an Ethiopian orphanage in 2005. She gave birth to her first biological child, Shiloh, in 2006. Then Jolie adopted Pax (who is actually her second-oldest child), and she gave birth to twins Knox and Vivienne in 2008.
“I don’t really have…a social life,” Jolie told WSJ. Magazine in the December 2023 interview.
"I realized my closest friends are refugees,” she explained to the outlet. “Maybe four out of six of the women that I am close to are from war and conflict." Aside from the refugees she aids, she said she mostly spends time with her children.
“They are the closest people to me and my life, and they’re my close friends,” she said. “We’re seven very different people, which is our strength.”
Pitt and Jolie were together for 12 years and split in 2016. Jolie and Pitt’s divorce was finalized in 2019, and Pitt was awarded joint and legal custody of their five minor children in 2021. A legal battle over a winery the two once shared is ongoing.
In her September 2023 cover story for Vogue, Jolie reflected on her role as a mother. “My entire life changed,” she said. “Having children saved me — and taught me to be in this world differently."
“I would’ve gone under in a much darker way had I not wanted to live for them,” she added.
She confirmed at the time that Zahara and Pax had been “heavily involved” in Atelier Jolie. In fact, it was Zahara who found the retail space for the shop, located in The Big Apple. Meanwhile, brother Pax was busy helping his mom shop for a New York City apartment.
Jolie has certainly encouraged her children to discover themselves as they grow. “I don’t tell the kids how to dress. Even when they were little, I just put things in front of them,” she told Vogue.
In the feature, she described a pivotal family moment of self-expression to illustrate her point. For a 2021 red carpet premiere of her Marvel movie, “Eternals,” five of the Jolie-Pitt children dug through their mother’s closet and selected their own outfits. Shiloh chose a Gabriela Hearst dress, Zahara picked Elie Saab and Knox selected vintage gear.
Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt, 15
Vivienne was also born in Nice, France, in 2008 alongside Knox.
Prior to this year, details of the 15-year-old’s life remained largely private. But she has been making recent public appearances with her mom due to their collaboration on the play "The Outsiders."
Jolie’s involvement with the show was reported by People in August 2023.
At the time, the publication also reported that Vivienne was working as her mom’s volunteer assistant on the production. The actor and filmmaker praised her daughter’s work ethic in a statement obtained by People.
“Viv reminds me of my mother in that she isn’t focused on being the center of attention but in being a support to other creatives,” she said. “She’s very thoughtful and serious about theatre and working hard to best understand how to contribute.”
“The Outsiders” play is based on the 1967 book of the same name by S.E. Hinton that was turned into Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 movie starring Matt Dillon, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise. Dillon was also in attendance for the preview on April 3. He was included in the cast and crew photo with Jolie and Vivienne.
