Angelina Jolie: We ‘Never Really’ Adjust to Time Zone Change
 Jason Merritt/Getty |
Professional jet-setters by day, a glamorous duo by night! Strutting their stuff last night at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were thrilled with their movie’s nominations – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Changeling — but admitted that the two were a bit preoccupied when they originally received the news. “We both were busy with the kids and doing different things with the day and we weren’t actually together when we heard,” Angelina revealed to Access Hollywood.
While the couple walked the red carpet, stopping along the way for short interviews, the 32-year-old actress laughed that she often forgets what time zone she is in. Chatting with Entertainment Tonight, Angelina says that the family of eight — which includes Maddox Chivan, 7, Pax Thien, 5, Zahara Marley, 4, Shiloh Nouvel, 2 ½, and fraternal twins Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline, 6 ½ months — will be packing their bags and heading to Tokyo today. The brood, however, is always up for the adventure!
“Our kids are always packing, they like to pack! It’s like a game in our house. We travel so much, we never really have to adjust [to the time zones]. We just change school time to, you know, four in the afternoon … just wing it!”
With six kids along for the ride, Brad — who shares that the family has learned to “develop that system and it works” — reveals that it may be time to add another baby to the mix. Reluctant to answer at first, Brad goes on to laugh, ‘We average about two a year, so I guess we’re overdue, aren’t we?” As for Angelina, the busy mama is definitely open to expanding her family even further. “If they come our way, we’d be happy to have them all,” says the actress, who admits the duo “love children.”
However, the past year may be hard to top for the Jolie-Pitts, as the couple agree that the addition of “two healthy little babies made this the best year.” Although any more responsibilities may have the proud papa contemplating the science of cloning! After being asked if he was indeed cloned, Brad jokes that he is definitely “thinking about it!”
Source: Access Hollywood, ET Online
- Posted on Jan 26, 09 at 1:00PM
- Permalink
- 71 Comments
January 26th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
They crack me up! I really love them. They looked great last night, very happy; Brad especially was looking very smitten with his lady! I can’t believe the twins are almost 7 months and haven’t been seen!
January 26th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
I’d love to see some updated pics of the Jolie-Pitt kids.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I loved Angelina’s dress last night, very pretty.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
I too would love to see updated pics of the children, especially the twins, whose faces will have really developed and changed by now! I can’t wait to see which one looks like who!
January 26th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
I’m so sorry for those poor children not getting a proper education. “Just winging it” doesn’t sound like a good education to me. Those children need stability and a home. The way she spoke, it sounds like schooling is done around their traveling, when really, it should be the other way around.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Those kids go to prestigious schools i highly doubt they are not getting a proper education and right now they are being home schooled which they can fit around their schedule. i really don’t see why they get ragged on so much and tom cruise and will smith get a free pass with traveling with their kids all the time and home schooling them. Heck their kids speak french i highly doubt their lacking in education. i command them for being able to keep their kids out of the spotlight for these past few months and alhtough its not how i would raise my kids i see nothing wrong with their choice.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
It’s obvious the kids are home schooled. Why else would Angelina say they “change school to 4:00″?? She means the tutors give the kids their classes whenever necessary, depending on what time zone they are in. I don’t understand why so many people insist on “worrying” about these children. They are obviously well cared for and well educated; they all speak French and Maddox and Pax also speak their native tongues, which they learned from tutors.
Anyway, both Brad and Angelina looked beautiful last night and, from all the clapping and cheering, you would have thought they were the only two stars there!!
January 26th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
I don’t know… Something just seems kind of “off” and odd. I guess I’m always taken aback by how fast they “add” kids… And I agree with Amber that children need stability.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Brad and Angelina seem like loving and caring parents and that’s the most important thing.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
they’ve always said when the kids get older they will stop traveling, when the kids want to put down roots. when they are in the US the kids are not home-schooled; we’ve seen pictures of them going t and from school. however, it’s awards season right now and brad and angie have to work so of course the kids are going to travel with them. usually only one of them is working at once so the kids can stay stateside more, but like we read, both parents are up for awards and part of their contracts say they need to travel to the diff. releases and the like. the kids seem like they are in a loving environment and while they may travel a lot, having two parents who love and care for you much certainly counts for a stable environment in my book.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Gosh I love these two! mslewis, well said! I couldn’t agree with you more. I am sure these little kids have an amazing life. I wish other parents would worry about their own little ones as much as they seem to worry over the jolie-pitt kids
.
I hope they win the Oscars.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I am dying to see some pics of the twins!
As far as the “winging it” comment, it doesn’t bother me too much. All of the kids are very young still and Angelina has said when they get older, there will be more stability as far as living arrangements go.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I love them, I do, and I think their family is adorable. They look so much in love, it’s great.
I hope to see them adopt again soon. They said they had to wait till the twins were 6 months old to start the adoption process, so I’m sure they’ll be pursuing that. I wonder from where?
I hope to see them win at the Oscars too. I’m sure TCOBB will win at least half of the awards its nominated for sure, exciting
January 26th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I agree that there is something off there….these kids esp kids who have been adopted need stability! Do they even have friends?
I think it’s a bit sad…
January 26th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
What I think is strange is that they have been alot in USA recently and we haven’t seen the kids out at all. I recall seeing a blurry pic of Zahara and that’s it. Do they keep the kids indoors all the time?
January 26th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Sorry but they are not funny. And they are not giving those darling children a stablity in their young lives. Maddox is 8 this year and he’s been to countless different schools where he hasn’t been able to establish friendships with children his own age. I can’t help but feel that the Jolie-Pitt children will resent not having a normal childhood with playdates with friends rather than each other.
Brad and Angelina have not worked their childrens’ lives into their own, they have forced a life of travel on their children and in the long run, it wont be good for them. Whenever I see pictures of these kids, in the pyjamas at airports, I just want to reach out to them. They might have a life of luxary but nothing is more luxurious than a stability in a young life.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
In all context, we don’t know them personally, and our only perceptions of them are what we see in public/or they reveal in public. So from the outside it might seem a little strange, but it seems like them/their kids are a very happy family. And Brad Pitt has said in interviews that his “kids are like everybody else, they go to their friends houses and play and have fun”
January 26th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I hope they release pics of the twins soon!! I bet they look WAY different then they did 6 months ago. It is just too bad these children don’t have a structured life, children of all ages strive off of structure! Sure it is nice to travel the world…who wouldn’t want too?!?! BUt I bet these poor kids want to sit in a place called HOME and not hotel or weekly/monthly place. To each is their own I suppose!
January 26th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I don’t get why people go on about the kids not having friends. Both Angelina and Brad have both said that the kids form friendships with the kids who live where they stay, and they are usually in one place for months at a time (France and Germany this year and France last year, for instance. The only time they aren’t in a place long enough to make friends is when Brad and Angelina have awards shows or movie promotions to do, and then they are only in town for like a week and go back.) I lived in the same town for my whole childhood, and didn’t have the same friends every year. As we got older, we all made different friends when we started new classes. How is that any different? Just because it’s different from how you think a child should be raised, or it’s different than the way you and those around you are raising your children, it doesn’t make your way better any more than the way they raise their kids makes that way better. It’s just different. At least wait until you have concrete proof that it’s harmful before you decide that the kids are emotionally deprived!
January 26th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
I can’t wait to see what the twins look like! I know we didn’t see much of Shiloh when she was really young either. I hope we get to see them soon.
If they thought traveling was somehow damaging to their children, do you think they’d be doing it? Obviously the kids enjoy it.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Personally I dont agree with the fact that they dont have a stable base, but what worries me more are their flippant remarks about not adjusting to different time zones. That is incredibly bad for children and it must be particularly difficult for the babies to establish any kind of routine, which is particularly important when kids are young. Also I cant help thinking that Angelina looks quite ill in a lot of photos taken recently – thin and very pale. Maybe just settling in one place for a while would benefit her as well – I think they all just need to have a rest!
January 26th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
I moved from country to country when I was a kid due to my dad’s job.We lived in 8 different countries. It’s the best that ever happened to me.It’s amazing and you do make friends, learn several languages etc.It never bothered me.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Wow so many ‘caring, worried’ people commenting here. You must be really close to know that the kids have no friends, no stability and generally live a very sad life. (I hope you can detect the sarcasm here).
The kids have stability, it’s being with their parents and their siblings practically all the time. They have schooling wherever they go and the family adapts to wherever they happen to be. There are plenty of pictures of the kids going to school whenever they’re settled in one place, e.g. when Angelina was filming Wanted in the Czech Republic (I think, not exactly sure). It’s probably an international school too, so the curriculum doesn’t vary wherever they are and so they don’t miss out. The fact that they have tutors in addition to going to school means their schooling is not disrupted and they can carry on wherever they are. Their schedule isn’t the same as normal kids, but it’s not worse by any means. Also it’s not just celebrity kids who get moved round from school to school every so often, plenty of kids have parents whose jobs necessitate moving regularly.
What would you prefer then? For them to just send the kids to boarding school so they can have a continuous education in one place and make loads of friends. The latter isn’t even guaranteed, boarding school can be a nightmare for some kids. Also if they even considered it people would be outraged even more so than they already appear to be. You same people professing your deep concern would be tearing Brad and Angelina to shreds for not caring etc.
Why should the kids resent not growing up like other kids? They will have been brought up to appreciate the life they have been able to lead and will be more rounded, tolerant individuals who have had the privilege to be exposed to so much culture and real life. What they will learn from their travels are things that can’t be taught and experiences that can take people a lifetime to gain or that others never have the chance to go through themselves. Don’t feel sad for them, because they live an amazing life and I’m sure they don’t feel sorry for themselves. They certainly aren’t worrying about what you think.
Who says they don’t have playdates? We already know the family is good friends with the Stefani-Rossdales and Marianne Pearl’s little boy has struck up a friendship with Maddox. There’s absolutely no evidence to say that they just play with each other? Also they go to playgrounds and hang out with their parents on set, on the New Orleans project site and I’m sure there’s random kids who they can interact with.
Absolutely ridiculous how some of you are overreacting. One person wants to reach out to the kids in the airport, come on get over yourself. The kids look fine and happy with their parents whenever we see them traveling together. They only appear unhappy when the paparazzi disturb them or they’re cranky like other children get after a flight or other form of long-distance traveling.
Sheesh the only people to feel sorry for are Brad and Angelina who can never catch a break, especially not from those perfect parents who have so much time to judge and disapprove of their every move.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
And MA72, it doesn’t bother too many others either!! I personally know three children who have grown up traveling all over the world and they are now amazing adults . . . smart, funny, able to make friends easily, speak French, German, Arabic and Spanish and talk all the time about how wonderful their childhood was. They are my niece and nephews and I am always delighted when I see them. I’ve never met such confident people and I’m so jealous of them!! If only I had had that opportunity.
So, my advice to everybody is to not worry about the Jolie-Pitt children. They will be just fine. Perhaps you all should worry about the children living in suburbs, isolated and insular, who turn to drugs because they are so bored with their “stable” lives.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
I know for a fact that Gwen Stefani took Kingston on tour with her. She talked about it. That would be worse than being with your parents on an acting gig. At least with the acting gig, they’re in one place for 6 to 8 weeks. Being on a rock tour means going to a new place every couple of days. And yet, I never hear anyone dogging on Gwen.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
In the last 2 weeks they have traveled to LA, Berlin ,Paris, LA and Japan due to CCOBB premieres and award season . They left the kids in Paris when they went to Berlin There is no point in adjusting to LA time zone when they would be leaving for Japan today. THey were in Europe Friday LA SAt and Sunday Japan Monday
January 26th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Oh please, some people need to relax !
Those children have stability as long as they are with their parents and their families ! I grew up moving from country to country and I had a blast and I loved everything I lived and experienced since I was born !
I’m a grown up girl now, willing to found my own family, and those past years are a great value to how I want to raise my own children.
Reading some comments, it’s like those children are abused of some sort, when the Jolie Pitts clearly say they have fun packing. If the children *didn’t* have fun packing, YES, there would be a problem. But there is none. And travelling in PJs is the *best* way to travel comfy. They’re on jets anyway, it’s like a second home, what’s wrong with it ?!
Just stop being judgemental. Some of us (I read some people who were raised the same way I did) could also be offended by some of the others because it’s just criticizing the way *we* were actually raised and are absolutely fine ! I speak four languages and English is my fourth one. I wonder where I’d get that education remaining in the same place.
They’re children, they are loved and they adapt easily. The more you travel, the more you adapt yourself. There have been hundreds of years of nomads and gypsies. When they’ll get to teir teen years, *there* they will ask for stability and stay in one place only (first loves… you know ?).
I know this family (Canadian/German/Taiwanese) that lived in a boat for over 7 years and visited 40+ countries. The boys were homeschooled. They are grown up and you should see how well educated those boys are ! I’m always amazed.
January 26th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Oh, please. I really doubt there’s anything to worry about with these children. I think being flexible with their schooling as far as time zones change is a good idea. And obviously they have some sort of stability. Kids don’t need to do the exact same thing every day for forever. I think their lifestyle works for them, and I’d love to be able to travel frequently with my children. They’ve always said that when the kids want to settle down, they will. So many people are ready to jump all over them for anything they say, so, oh well.
January 26th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
I don’t see anything wrong with the way they live their lives. Gosh some people are so judgemental.
I wonder how they are able to sneak out of their house with all that papparazzi outside, they obviously don’t sit inside 24/7. I can’t wait to see pictures of the twins, i wonder how big they’ve gotten now.
January 26th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
J, you took the words right out of my mouth (and managed to phrase them much more eloquently!). And mslewis, your comment about the “stable” kids who turn to drugs – made me spit out my water with laughter! Haha, too funny!
Anyway, honestly, I lived a so-called stable life where I didn’t get to travel to different countries, meet different cultures, and speak different languages. Instead, I got to listen to my parents fighting and worry if we would have enough money for food each week. So, you know, I would have MUCH preferred Brad and Angelina’s method of parenting and happiness than the way I grew up. They are two people who are in love with each other and in love with life. They are raising 6 children wonderfully and shouldn’t be dogged for that. Some of these comments are just extremely ridiculous!
January 26th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Without being told I’m overreacting or picking on them because of who they are, can I ask a serious question? If you struck up a conversation with a couple with six kids under the age of eight who travel many times a year to live in many different homes and had not kept a child enrolled at one school for more than a couple of months would you honestly walk away saying to yourself – Sounds like a great situation! I think they can and should do what is normal and natural for them, but I can’t buy that everyone responding to this post in a positive manner would hold the same opinion if it weren’t this extremely talented, beautiful couple. It’s just a hunch.
January 26th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Umm i know alot of families like that, i grew up like that i just don’t believe that there is only one way to raise a child and that for every family the situation is diff. and mad,pax,and zee all went to the Elycee school for more than a couple of months (there tutor is also a retired teacher from the school so they keep up with the curriculum that way. i don’t know were people are getting this info that they are in a diff country every month.
January 26th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Of course if it wasn’t Brad and Angie people would probably not be so sure, but not for the reasons you think, Lauren. Listening to Brad and Angelina – and ONLY Brad and Angelina, NOT tabloids that are only out to make as much $$ per issue as humanly possible – they are raising their kids in a unique situation, and it’s WORKING. I can also see in the photos that we get to see – which aren’t that many, really, especially in the past few months – the kids look happy and healthy. From the interviews Brad and Angelina give, they sound like typical children. So, unless the kids are perfectly behaved outside the home when they are at parks or stores or with their parents at a work site and then are absolute monsters at home, I feel pretty safe in saying they’re growing up just fine.
January 26th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
The question i want to ask everyone who is worried is that if this wasn’t brad and angelina we were talking about would there be so much worrying about the stability of the kids. i mean will and jada have pretty much said their kids are growing up on movie sets you know how many diff countries will and jada have been to in the past two yrs atleast promoting their movies and there kids are way older and more prone to having a problem with moving all over the place and never a peep in those threads about stability and how something seems off. all people do is praise him and jada for being great parents. They do the same thing as brad and angie and yet no commotion when it comes to them.
January 26th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Think about how much they learn when they travel to all those different places. Even though I don’t exactly agree with how these two got together, they obviously care very much about their children, and I bet if they felt it was wrong for them to travel or the kids weren’t adjusting to it they’d stop and settle down. At least they’re hands on and take the kids with them everywhere they go. I’m sorry to sound rude but I don’t exactly see many mothers who have the resources doing that here in the states. I understand that some women have to go to work and put their babies in daycare at 8 weeks old, but many women don’t have to and they do it anyway. What kind of stability is that? Letting strangers raise your kids so you can drive a fancy car or live in a huge house? Nobody needs that much stuff. It’s just stuff. I hear moms say all the time “I have to work, we don’t have money”, yet they drive cars that cost $60,000 and live in huge houses that they don’t need. My daughter is in daycare because I’m in school full time and a single mother and I hate having to leave her 5 days out of the week. I just think if people in this country cared less about how much money they have or what people think of them our children wouldn’t be so out of control these days. If I had their money, you bet I’d take my kids everywhere and let them explore the world and learn from experience AND schooling. I think they do a great job:)
January 26th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Army brats have to travel a lot and most of the grow up to be very well adjusted. It’s the same thing with the Jolie-Pitt kids. I’m definitely not concerned about their education because Maddox was attending Lycee Francais (New York, Austin, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Prague are all places where they have stayed were they have the school) and they have schools around the world and they teach the same curriculum.
People really need to stop critizing the way they raise their children because 1, we don’t live with them and 2, you wouldn’t want someone critizing the way you raise your kids.
January 26th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
You’re right guys. they would be much better off – and much better educated – in their third world orphanages. Can’t believe social services isn’t in on this?!
(obviously not speaking to those of you who make sense or think globally)
January 26th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
I agree Lauren, people are the first to say “oh you dont know them- how can you accuse them of not providing stability” and then in the next sentence they say “the kids are alright, they have stability”…..Completely ignoring their first point that YOU DO NOT KNOW THEM EITHER! I think this couple is given a free pass no matter what they do, people complain about “oh you let so and so off the hook” well the same applies to you – alot of you let the Jolie Pitts off the hook for anything. Just because you see pictures of the kids with their parents means nothing – how can you claim they are such wonderful parents? How do you know that these kids are not raised by nannies for a great portion of the day? Because the parents say so? I see alot of celeb kids out with their parents, yet most of the parents admit to having nannies – nannies that you might never see. Come on Brad and Angelina fans, there is no proof that these two are the most perfect parents ever. I have seen pics of the Jolie Pitt kids with junk food and all the comments were “awww how cute” and when Britney is seen with her kids and junk food you all (not all but many) come out and call her a bad mother bla bla bla….. Any other celeb who would adopt kids left and right, would not be held to such high standards by many of you….. Money does not make one a better parent, nor does it provide stability. I don’t buy the tabloid crap because, hey its tabloid, but I also dont buy what they say either – they are actors, and image is everything, and all calculated.
I am not saying they are not good parents because I DO NOT KNOW THEM, and they might very well be the best parents ever, but I also resent the “great fans” who curse us “less than praised JoliePitt admires” everytime we take issue to the jolie Pitts, because YOU DO NOT KNOW THEM EITHER, so our assumptions are might NOT be wrong….
January 26th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Every person can have some things they resented about how they were raised, and every person can also have things they were very grateful to have as well. I think this is a fairly normal family and all will turn out well.
January 26th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
I don’t understand why people are so worried about these kids. Who’s to say they aren’t happy and thriving in the life they have? I actually believe that Brad and Angelina are very attentive parents, and I think if one of their kids were suffering, they wouldn’t just ignore that. While there is always the possibility that their situation isn’t working great for them, I personally think it’s wrong for people to just assume that because their way of life is different than what is considered “normal”.
January 26th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
I don’t know Brad or Angelina, so I cannot say what kind of parents they are…but I will say, I grew up in a fairly normal household and I dreamt of traveling and getting to see the world. I always felt “antsy” growing up…always hating to be in one place. Everybody is different, but I think I would have enjoyed having several homes and getting to live and visit different countries. With 6 kids, I would say there is a good chance that at least one or two of the kids, will grow up and wish that they had lived a quiet settled life, but how is that any different than me growing up wishing that I could be constantly traveling the world? I didn’t get the life I would have chosen, but I still grew up just fine and I bet that the Jolie-Pitt kids will too. JMO
January 26th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
I love Angelina and I was a fan for a long time, way before Brad. She seems much more centered since being with him and having children but I agree with some of the other posters. Something seems off about them, I can’t give you specifics because I don’t know them personally but it’s just a feeling. I think they love and care about their kids but something about that lifestyle just feels odd. The traveling, the adoption all it seems a bit much. I give them the benefit of the doubt. One day we will all know because I’m sure when the kids are older they will talk about their childhood so for now I will just be happy and hope for the best for them as a family.
January 26th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Someone:
Yeah, I don’t know them personally. I can safely say that they do make parenting mistakes, because everyone does. But I also have eyes in my head and I can see happy well-adjusted children in photos. Kids running and laughing with their parents and each other. Furthermore, I believe Brad and Angelina when they talk about their children. They have no reason to lie and I think they really love their kids and have their best interest at heart. As for nannies, Brad and Angelina have already said they employ nannies to help out. Again, they have no reason lie and if they told the truth about that (something they knew would bring criticism), then why would they lie about their kids loving to travel.
January 26th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
The only thing that really gets to me sometimes is when Brad and Angelina complain and complain about everyone’s interest in them and the paps. Yet they have sold every pic of their children and make their lives very public. I have great love for the families who don’t sell their kids pics, I think it’s a bit sick.
January 26th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
I grew up in small town America and hated every minute of it. I always wished I lived somewhere more exciting. I had dreams of living in New York City. Despite this, I managed to become a productive, well-adjusted adult. So, even if the kids don’t care much for traveling, I think they’ll grow up and turn out just fine. As long as they have a loving family and a good education, they’ve got everything they need, even if it isn’t the life they would like. No one ever said you should get everything you want in life.
January 26th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Tina:
What would you have them do? When Shiloh was born, they had people trying to break into their home to get photos that would pay millions of dollars. They took that price off their baby’s head by allowing People magazine to do a photo shoot. Brad and Angelina controlled how long the photo shoot was, which pictures were taken, which pictures were in the magazine, and how many people were involved in the shoot. I’d say that if I had a choice between a controlled photo shoot or idiot paps putting my children’s lives in danger, I’d choose the controlled environment. An added bonus was that instead of some moron getting millions of dollars for breaking several laws to get a picture, the money went to humanitarian agencies that actually do some good in the world. I don’t blame them at all for the decision they made. They choose the best of two bad options. I’m certainly glad that my child doesn’t have a price on his head and I feel for these celebrities that have to deal with this paprazzi lunacy.
January 26th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Tina:
Also, I don’t think Brad and Angelina make their lives all that public. It’s been months since we’ve seen any of the kids and we’ve only seen the twins once. Compare that to Violet, Suri, Kingston, Honor, etc. whom we’ve seen thousands of times in the last several months. I think Brad and Angelina do a pretty good job of trying to keep their kids out of the media spotlight.
January 26th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
I was at Target today and I saw one of the celeb magazines and it had Brad/Angelina on it. When I opended up the magazine, I found that since the twins have born, Brad and Angelina have gone from France, to Berlin, London, NYC, New Orleans and Los Angeles all in a matter of few weeks to months. I could not imagine traveling that often with a family of 8.
What I see, as an outsider, is two adults who have not adjusted their lifestyle to accommodate their growing family. There is nothing wrong with traveling the world as a single person but once children come into the picture, I would probably settle down except for the ocassional family vacation.
I have to agree with an earlier post. I find it odd how people put Brad and Angelina on such a high pedastol as if he is a god and she is a saint. No one is perfect but many people think these people can do no wrong. I also get the feeling that many people believe that Jolie-Pitt’s wealth make them great parents automatically because they live quite lavishly and can afford private tutors, nannies etc.
Lastly, I do not see any comparison between the Jolie-Pitts and a military family. The Jolie-Pitts seem to be always on the move. Right now, there in LA but next thing you know they’ll be in Europe then back to the US again. What military family changes addresses every few weeks. In addition, I do not see how anyone could equate men and women who defend their country and people in the entertainment industry.
January 26th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Like April said, people were going to absolutely insane, dangerous lengths to try to get a picture of Shiloh, and Knox and Vivienne. Personally I think it’s great that Brad and Angelina had those professional photos done; not only did they get beautiful photos that they can put up in their home, but they got freaking 14 million dollars for the ones of Knox and Vivienne, and all that went to charity. How much were Shiloh’s pictures, $8 million? Or $12 million? Something like that. Either way, over $20 million went to charity. On one hand, it’s ridiculous that photos of these babies would go for that much, but I’m glad they put the money where they did. I’m not an especially big fan of either Brad or Angelina, but I do have a lot of respect for them as parents.
January 26th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Di:
What makes someone in the military more valuable than an entertainer? Aren’t all people in this world valuable? Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt do a tremendous amount of good in this world. They’ve helped to rebuild a city devastated by a hurricane. They’ve brought money and recognition to the forgotten victims of war and poverty. They’ve built houses for the poor with their own hands. They’ve rescued 3 children from a life in an orphange with no family. How are they less worthy than someone in the military? I’m very offended by your implication that certain people in this world are worth more than others.
January 27th, 2009 at 12:12 am
I feel bad that these kids dont have one stable place to be raised. I know their life is probably exciting and they have great parents but at some point you have to give them some kind of stability and jetting off to different countries every week doesnt exactly do that.
January 27th, 2009 at 12:22 am
This whole stability thing is over rated. A lot of kids in this country that live in stability end up strung out on drugs or become alcoholics or drop out of school. Whatever lifestyle works for family is just fine. What works for the Jolie-Pitts might not work for you and your lifestyle might not work for the Jolie-Pitts. To each their own.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:01 am
Di – guess what? You were reading a TABLOID. You’re one of the ones who just reads it in the rags and then assumes it’s 100% authentic, then? Yeah, Brad and Angelina have traveled in the past few months, but it’s NOT as bad as all that.
They settled in Berlin so Brad could film in late SEPTEMBER of 08. They’ve stayed since then, barring trips that have lasted a week or two, except maybe over Christmas, since nobody knows where they were. Those trips were to NOLA and LA, where they have *homes*, and to NYC. The trips were all short, like a week or 2. The rest of the time, they’ve been in the same place. *gasp* Just like most of last year, they were in France. They take short trips and everyone just assumes they travel all the time when they really don’t, and half the time they travel between homes, not just hotel after hotel. Get a grip, people.
Just because you “can’t imagine it” doesn’t make it wrong.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:14 am
Just to clarify I meant I have great respect for the celebrities who either submit their own photo or allow a shot to be taken to avoid all the pap chaos.
And yes I know about crazy paps I live in LA, my son and I play spot a pap almost every day outside his school.
But I loved what Gwen did by putting a pic of her and Zuma on her website adorable and classy! Regardless if the money goes to charity, it’s still putting a price on your baby’s head and fueling the obsession even more!
January 27th, 2009 at 1:29 am
Ashley- And they plan to do just that. Angelina (and maybe Brad as well, but I don’t remember that for sure) has said repeatedly that they realize that, when the kids get older, they’ll want to stay in one place, and that’s when they’ll settle down. Also, they don’t jet off to a different country every week. For most of the past month they’ve been in Berlin while Brad was finishing up filming Inglorious Bastards. Before that they were in LA for awhile. Last year they stayed in France for at least a good three to four months. After that they were in Berlin for a month or two while Brad began filiming Inglorious Bastards.
Most of the time they actually stay in one place for at least a few months (which will happen again come the end of next month, when Angie starts filming the movie Salt in upstate New York). It’s only when they are promoting movies by attending premires and award shows and such that they come close to being in a different place every week.
That said, I knew this article was going to start up the “Should they be traveling so much?” argument. Instead of trying to reply to all the posts that I would like to, I’m just going to share my own thoughts about the matter.
I, personally, don’t think we need to be worried about the Jolie-Pitt kids. They all seem to be very happy and well-adjusted by the pictures and videos we’ve seen (granted, sometimes they-Zee Zee in particular-Look scared or upset, but it’s usually pretty clear that that’s because the paps got to close.) In fact, I greatly admire Angie and Brad for pretty much letting their kids be, well, kids! We’ve seen the kids in mis-matched outfits, running around in parks getting dirty (and having a blast doing so!), being allowed to eat fun “kid” treats like ice cream and Cheetos, going on “normal” family outtings such as the zoo, the musuem, the movies, the art store, the toy store, etc.
In fact, if you took the crazy paps out of the equasion, I probably would think the J-Ps were just an average, every-day family if I passed them on the street! Anyway, I think those kids have wonderful parents and a fantastic life! If they weren’t happy with the constant traveling and such, believe me, it would show! Kids, especially kids as young as the Jolie-Pitt kids, can’t fake emotions the way adults can (heck, even for adults it’s usually hard to do!).
As far as them adopting…I don’t think that’s something to be concerned about either. Back in October-November when she was doing the press rounds for Changeling, Angie said not once, but TWICE that they only add to their brood when the kids are ready for it. Also, keep in mind that, even if they DO apply for adoption now, the process will likely take close to a year to complete, just as Pax’s did. Therefore, they probably won’t actually have a new edition to their family until this Fall at the earliest.
I think we tend to forget that, just because they talk about wanting to adopt again, that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen tomorrow! Also, I don’t see a problem with how fast they adopt. Some people have biological kids just as close together. Brad and Angie have said that they want to raise their kids while they’re young, and given the fact that Brad’s already 45 (not that he’s old by any means, but he’s also not getting any younger!), it makes sense that they want to add to their family ASAP!
January 27th, 2009 at 1:30 am
Oh, and I also want to add that Angie has said that they DO have places they consider to be homebases. New Orleans is one of them.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:36 am
Also, I don’t think Angie looks ill or too skinny at all! She looks like the beautiful, naturally thin actress she is!
January 27th, 2009 at 4:23 am
I am gobsmacked that so many people think that because they would like to travel or had dreams of it as a child, that these kids are LUCKY? Please, they have no peer group, their parents are under a lot of stress with pregnancies, lots of children, and paparazzi etc etc…like Kate Winslet HERSELF said (an actress) these people are a living soap opera. I am sure they mean well but I doubt all is well in their house…or more accurately the proverbial will hit the fan as these kids grow up. I see BIG therapy bills. And I travelled to a new country every 2-3 yeras as a child and I actually think overall, though it was fun, it was the wrong time to do it. I think I would have gotten a lot more out of the experience as an adult and that I missed out on a secure/stable base. I think being a bit bored is part of the perfect childhood, it makes you dream and plan and get some ooomph into you. Honestly by the time I left university all I wanted to settle down and plant a garden (exotic to someone who had never stayed anywhere for long)….
January 27th, 2009 at 5:00 am
Is it just me, or did she look pregnant AGAIN at the SAG Awards? Her chest looked bigger than normal and I swore I could see a little baby bump. Plus they both said while being interviewed that it was time to add to their brood as they love babies. I know they love their children, but the family is starting to look like a traveling circus! I can only hope those kids are getting the individual attention that they need … too many kids all at once in my opinion ~ but I honestly do wish them well.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:49 am
Oh yes please, I would also like to see an updated photo of the kids
Jet-setting or not, I think those children are LOVED.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:30 am
My brothers and sisters and I were moved from home to home in our young lives and I missed out on a hell of a lot. Proper schooling, friendships and sometimes I didn’t know which country I was even in.
My heart goes to the Jolie-Pitts and I see Brad and Angelina, the way I see my own parents. Selfish individuals who didn’t need to travel as much. I love my parents dearly but I wish they hadn’t have moved around as much.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:49 am
April,
reading the comments here I cannot see the fact that they make mistakes, many of you gush about the smallest things about this family, and they have become saints (and I am not overreacting, reread some of the comments from current and past posts)….. I see the Federline boys smile in some pictures, but people have already decided that they are miserable kids and you all feel sorry for them. Just because you seem the Pitts Jolie kids smiling does not make them well adjusted kids…. How do you know this? How do you know that in 15 years we wont see another train wreck a la Spears, Lohan? Then what will the CBB community be saying? Who will they be blaming? I dont doubt they love their kids (as do many infamous parents in history – so that point is not valid), but it doesnt mean they are providing stability, they keep saying they will “retire” to live somewhere where the kids can grow up, they say they will stop making movies to spend time with their kids, whcih means that this must be a lacking point, or else why would they bother settling down in one place and quit their jobs, if the it were not to change something in their kids lives? As for them smiling, that means pretty much nothing…. I have been to poverty striken countries and have seen and taken pictures of smiling kids with their parents, kids running and playing, and these kids sure look happy but their life is hard as hell….. chances are they are not that happy – would you if you had no place to live and nothing to eat? But yet these kids keep smiling and “enjoying” the life they have. I am not saying this is the case with the Jolie Pitts, but my point is pictures don’t mean much. The day the kids give interviews then we can judge, until then, we do not know…..
Also, Johnny Depp is a big star that has been able to get away and we rarely see pics of his kids nor does he go on national television and talk about “poopy diaper”, I am obviously talking to the wrong crowd, but constantly talking about their personal life is NOT the way to get privacy, who cares of the media and the world is interested, it is in their best interest to not discus private matters. You cannot have it both ways…. slam away, but only time will tell…
I have said what I had to say, this is my opinon and I am sure you have your own….
Enjoy the rest of the debate you guys
January 27th, 2009 at 7:07 am
Right so anyone defending the Jolie-Pitts must be a rabid fan intent on protecting their heroes who are considered above it all. Um I must have missed the bit where people said don’t criticize Brad and Angelina because they’re like gods who can do no wrong. Of course they’re fallible, they are human after all and I think it’s actually the fans who recognize that better. The people dogging their every move seem to want Brad and Angelina to subscribe to their view of perfection, because anything less means they aren’t providing the right kinds of life for those kids. If Brad and Angelina choose to keep the kids in one country because they’re jetting off for a quick round of promos and press around the world, that’s it their abandoning their kids, if they bring the kids because they’re attending the Venice Film Festival for example and will be around in one place for a week maybe a bit less they shouldn’t have brought them because it’s disrupting their schedule.
The point the majority of people are making is that the lifestyle these two lead is typical of celebrities yet the same people all over Brad and Angelina’s every move are conspicuously absent when it comes to other couples like Will and Jada or Gwen and Gavin, who an earlier poster noted when they are on tour move around very frequently all over the world at times. Brad and Angelina employ a sensible plan of having only one parent working at a time. So the other is at home with the kids and somehow that means the kids have no stability? Home is where your heart is (corny as it sounds), i.e. wherever your family is. A home is not the same as a house. This family has both (many houses in fact lol).
Neither of them has denied they have help, dunno why people are making an issue of it. Nor do they incessantly complain and moan about privacy. In fact I find them to be very matter-of-fact and pragmatic about it. They accept the situation and on rare occasions express a wish that the paparazzi weren’t so intrusive. They’ve said in interviews yes we understand why the media are like this but can’t they use the long range lenses or take a couple of steps back rather than crowding round and shoving their cameras in my kids’ faces. If I had to deal with what they do I’m not so sure I wouldn’t be angrier about it all. Sure they’re celebrities and should accept a level of interest in their lives. However they should have to be ok with harassment, trespassers etc. Do you not think they are entitled to wish the paparazzi weren’t so crazy as to try and drill a hole through their hospital room ceiling to get a photo of their newborn twins or pose as medical personnel to get entry into the room when they’ve had to go to a different country with more stringent privacy laws? If you seriously think that’s reasonable then you must think it’s fine for photographers to hide in bushes on their land (that’s private property not just a bush outside their house), try to sneak in over the walls or get a helicopter just to take photos of them enjoying themselves outside.
I think the comparison with the lives these kids are leading does work well with military personnel, but also anyone whose parents move a lot. Normal kids cope with it, what makes you people think the Jolie-Pitts won’t, or will somehow undergo some sort of deep childhood trauma? In any case if they were in one place in one school, how do you know they wouldn’t be picked on because of their parents, or other kids wouldn’t just use them to get invited home to meet their parents or whatever. Point is they could have any number of problems/difficulties wherever they are, whether that is in one place or in several ones.
As for no one knowing what their life is really like, yes it works both ways. But people just making comments like when I see pictures of those kids at airports I want to reach out to them, that’s making a huge assumption based on a photo that doesn’t even back up what you’re saying. The pictures almost always show happy smiling kids, how does that work with the whole poor kids view of things? Z is the only one who doesn’t always look happy, but that’s because she’s usually giving the paparazzi evils and Brad’s said she’s afraid of them. Maddox too likes to give the paps the evil eye. Pax seems like a smiley chap, can’t be sure though but there might have been some scared of the paparazzi circus shots somewhere. I can only remember one picture of Shiloh crying and that was because she’d hurt her knee. As for the twins well their introductory photos didn’t indicate any unhappiness during their first 6 weeks or so with the family. I mean I dunno where’s the evidence that shows us we should be really worried about these kids?? When you show some rather than just speculating and accusing maybe other people will take another look and listen to what some people are saying seriously. Until then I’ll choose to be take a positive view and believe Brad and Angelina are doing a awesome job.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:14 am
i can’t believe how catty CBB’s commentors are. i used to like this website, but every time i read the comments i remember why i almost never come back.
some of you really should be ashamed of yourselves.
January 27th, 2009 at 8:12 am
Some of you guys need to chill out. I’m not sure what it is about this family that inspires such fervent devotion, but there’s no need for the novels some people are writing in the comment section. I’m sitting here with my coffee trying to get through them but I’ve given up. I guess I just don’t care that much.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:36 am
I like them as a family (and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Angie) but sometimes I do find myself wondering if it’s real or where they will be in 10 years. Remember Brad has professed his undying love before.
January 27th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
“You’re right guys. they would be much better off – and much better educated – in their third world orphanages. Can’t believe social services isn’t in on this?!”
Nobody here has said anything even close to this, and you know it. If you were “making sense” as you apparently put a high premium on, you wouldn’t need to resort to theatrics like this.
All has been said that really can be said here. All I’ll add is that as per usual, whenever anyone expresses any sort of opinion that disagrees with anything they do, the Brangie brigade is all over them like a cheap suit, defending the family like they would a relative who’s been smeared. Brad and Angelina are far too busy uprooting their family every week to give a darn what I or anyone else thinks; judging by the short stories here, I guess the fans think they need to do the caring and explaining for them.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
I always envy the Jolie-Pitt children. To get to see and experience the world the way they do. Wow. They’re so lucky. I’d give my right arm to have gotten to travel like that. I spent the first half of my life in NC, living with my parents and three brothers. Then we moved to IN. Spent every single day with ‘those people’/my family. And yet, never once, did my parents or siblings, ever take the time to really get to know me. It was always a lonely and empty childhood with very little meaning, me eventually growing into a teenager with endless issues with eating disorders. None of which, did they notice or ask about. Eventually, I cured myself and sought my own adult life away from them. To this day, none of them can answer even simple questions about me – what’s her favorite color? is she a republican or democrat? etc.
Growing up with a ’solid’ family all in one house and a consistantly stable education isn’t always ‘the ideal’ it’s cracked up to be.
Not only do the Jolie-Pitt children get to travel, but they also get two doting parents who actually notice all of their children’s individual nuances.
Just my two cents amongst the litany of arguments going back and forth here.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:03 am
Sheri- Don’t worry, I doubt she’s pregnant again. If you look at some of the pictures from the SAGs, she definently has a flat stomach! She also is not wearing the pregnancy-disqusing clothes she was wearing at this time last year (yes, she has worn slightly loose-fitting clothes to the Globes, SAGs, and the like, but the dress she wore at last year’s SAGs almost makes this what she’s worn to this year’s award shows look form-fitting!). She also said a few months back that they will be adopting next.
Also, it hasn’t even been seven months since her C-section, and I don’t think Angie is the type to be irresponsible enough to get pregnant so soon after major abdominal surgery (from what I’ve read, women are supposed to wait at least a full year after a C-section before getting pregnant again. Granted, not everyone follows that advice! Britney Spears is a perfect example of that!).
That said, I doubt the kids would be looking so happy in public if they really weren’t. Like I said earlier, kids can’t fake emotions for the cameras the way adults can. As for Brad and Angie talking about their personal lives….I suggest some of you watch the videos of them being interviewed at the SAGs. In the one with E! in particular, it is very clear that they didn’t want to speak about their personal lives. They tried to steer the conversation back to their acting work (which is really what they should have been asked about in the first place. An awards show isn’t the time to be asking personal questions, IMO.), but the interviewer wouldn’t have it.
Also, while Johnny Depp may not talk about his personal life very much, there are plenty of other celebs besides Brad and Angie who do. Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, Nicole Ritchie and Joel Madden, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, and Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony are all examples of celebs who discuss their kids and personal lives in interviews.
To that same effect, the Jolie-Pitts also aren’t the only celeb family to movie around a lot. The Smiths (Will, Jada, and their kids), the Stefani-Rossdales, and the Holmes-Cruises all move around quite a bit as well. Matt Damon has also spoken about his family moving around quite a bit. Why don’t they get critcized for it?
January 28th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I just have to defend the Affleck family here, many people have posted that they see way more of this family than Brad and Angies. My daughter attends her preschool and there are between 20-40 paps waiting outside EVERYDAY!!! It’s crazy! The only reason we see so much of them is the fact that they have a solid routine and are one of the few celeb kids who actually get a parent to take them to school almost every day.
Seriously it’s insane the same pic every day and it’s not fair to the children at the school either.
So please stop saying that the Afflecks bring this on…there loving parents who take their kid to school thats all!
January 31st, 2009 at 9:37 am
It annoys me that someone who is so concerned for the wellbeing of children all over the world (which I think is great!) can be so completely ignorant of the climate changes. I mean, they fly everywhere, all the time. They always seem to be in different countries, and sure, that’s part of being an actor, but just the thing that they live in Europe and fly over so often for award shows and things in the US.. It just really bothers me.