The Media Platforms Design Team article was first published in the November 2004 issue. I met her at the Hotel Bel-Air lobby bar, where she appeared late but surprisingly. Her big blue eyes and long chestnut hair framed her porcelain face, giving her an ethereal appearance. She was smaller than I anticipated and wore a camel-colored overcoat that reminded me of Amelia Earhart. This was our second meeting, and in the three nights since we last saw each other, she had stayed at three different hotels in Beverly Hills and New York City. She visited New York partly for a business meeting and also because her son Maddox Jolie loves playing in Central Park. In 2002, she adopted Maddox in Cambodia, and like her, he is passionate about airplanes. On his second birthday, she promised to learn how to fly, and on his third birthday, she test-flew “our new plane” after soloing for the first time in August.
As she climbs onto the barstool, her coat comes off revealing a tight black top and low-slung jeans. A barely visible old tattoo peeks out from under skin-colored makeup on her left shoulder. Throughout the night, she lets me attempt to wipe off the makeup with my moistened finger, revealing the name “BILLY BOB” that was once inked there. She also turns around and lifts her shirt to show off her new tiger tattoo that stretches from her shoulder blades down to her lower back. Her thin frame and fragile appearance make her seem like a refugee. All of this happens while we work together in the Media Platforms Design Team.
Famous for intertwining her personal and professional life, Angelina Jolie has taken on a variety of unique roles throughout her acting career. From playing a drug-addicted and bisexual model in HBO’s
Gia
to winning an Academy Award for her portrayal of a psychopathic roommate in
Girl, Interrupted
, Jolie’s performances are both captivating and intense. She also starred as the seductive and adventurous wife of Billy Bob Thornton in
Pushing Tin,
and the two shared unconventional interests such as tattooing, self-harm, and bloodletting. Nevertheless, Jolie has once again transformed herself into a new and exciting character.
Angelina Jolie is currently on the brink of two major movie roles, one as Alexander the Great’s mother in the epic Alexander by Oliver Stone, and the other as Brad Pitt’s wife who is a professional killer in Mr. & Mrs. Smith. She now embodies a blend of the comic-book hero Lara Croft and an enthusiastic humanitarian from Beyond Borders. Though she is newly responsible, her untamed spirit still remains. She speaks softly with a gentle whisper while sipping on some pinot noir. Jolie admits that she has always been viewed as wild, bad, weird, or crazy. However, if people knew her personally, they would realize that she is even wilder than her reputation suggests. Despite this, she also has a softer side to her personality that not many people know about. She considers herself a soft woman, much softer than what others may perceive. Interestingly, most of the “bad girl” characters she portrays in movies eventually end up crying for some reason.
At present, I am without a permanent residence. Though I do possess a house in England and an office in New York, there is a sense of restlessness within me that pushes me towards change.
I have always dreamed of leading a life more thrilling than the characters I portrayed in my movies. Finally, I feel as though I am on the right path; my life has become just as captivating as my work.
It is easy to assume that when cameras or microphones are present, one must speak. However, this is not always the case.
Flying solo for the first time can be incredibly isolating. Early pilots used to compare the experience to soaring above the criticisms and negativity of the world, experiencing true freedom. I find myself agreeing with them. The commitment and discipline required for something like this are intense, but I love it. There is a lot of hard work involved, including classes in meteorology, navigation, science, math, and more. I am currently taking courses in both England and America simultaneously, preparing for eight tests in England and one in America.
The Media Platforms Design Team expresses that the author has a passion for flying and has been taking flying lessons. She has also been a Goodwill Ambassador for three years through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and has traveled to various countries to raise awareness about different issues, such as trafficking and refugees. The author is also passionate about being organized and believes in raising children for greatness. She has gone through two marriages and has two close lovers at present. However, she prioritizes her son above everything else and does not want him to call someone “Daddy” unless they are committed to staying. She does not have many friends outside of work and is focused on having economic freedom to make her own decisions.