Here's to Angelina Jolie
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at 9:06PM 
Additional respect to Angelina Jolie for her brave editorial about her double mastectomy. It's one thing to go public with a difficult health decision. It's quite another to go public when the health decision you make is so directly tangled up with your persona. I don't mean to imply that Angelina Jolie's breasts have made her career but they sure as hell haven't hurt it. She's a global sex symbol and though she doesn't make as many movies as she used to she'll always be a beautiful sexual woman. She mentions in her editorial that she doesn't feel any less womanly. I hope she drives this point home with a really sexy movie some time soon.
I chose the word "additional" as a modifier for respect because "newfound" would have been inappropriate. I've admired her for a long time. Sometimes I am amused at how much philanthropic celebrities become targets of scorn in certain pockets of the media (I mean the shit Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon get!) and with certain sections of the populace but mostly when this happens I feel sad. I think deep down a lot of the anger that philanthropic celebrities stir up in us is shame-based -- this person is better than me! Yes, even if I was drowning in money. I personally love outspoken do-gooder celebrities but I'm also man enough to admit that my own charitable impulses (which I do have on occasion) are meager in comparison. I'm sure I would do charitable things were I suddenly blessed with hundreds of millions but would I use it to build schools and orphanages and so on? I'm doubtful. I'd more likely spend it on friends and family and shrines to great actresses (by which I mean investing in movies starring them which wouldn't get made otherwise).
So here's to Angelina - a seismic screen presence, a very good actress when she applies herself, but mostly a good person. She has demonstrated over and over again that she thinks about the greater good and cares more about the world than herself.
(Her boyfriend is pretty cool, too.)
Reader Comments (19)
I know she has a lot of detractors, but I've always loved Jolie. I think she's incredibly articulate, smart, gorgeous, a good actress, and a star like no other. I'd love her more if she made better films ... but that's beside the point.
I think her decision to talk about her double mastectomy was brave, and I think the WAY she spoke about it was refreshingly candid, thoughtful, and devoid of the usual celebrity entitlement/bullshit. For all of her supposed craziness, I always felt there was something more down-to-earth about her than many other celebs. She seems aware of her privilege and actually tries to do positive things with her fame.
Also, I thought this part, when she was talking about her children, was especially touching: “They know that I love them and will do anything to be with them as long as I can.”
Say what you want about this woman, but she puts her money where her mouth is. And happy belated Mother's Day to her ... she seems like she's a phenomenal mom.
She has crammed so much into her life, I couldn't believe she was still in her 30s while I was reading all these reports today.
I have liked her for a long time but could never exactly point to why (I like a few roles she has been in but I was not an obsessive fan) aside from her activism never seeming for show. This just sends her into another stratosphere. Her mother seemed very important to her, not to mention they were each other's doppelganger, and I cannot imagine the personal impact of losing her mother to that disease and the decision-making involved in this matter.
I love Angelina Jolie and how she tells her story articulately and with such grace and class. Best wishes to her and her family, and for a speedy recovery.
I wouldn't lump her, however, with Susan Sarandon or certainly Sean Penn, who has been a target of scorn not for his philanthropy but for his thorny politics that whitewash oppression, not fight it. (That said, I have admired Susan Sarandon for owning her outspokenness and acknowledging it's more important than career.) Angelina never has struck me as someone who has the agendaor appetite for political theatre. She seems like a genuine humanitarian who believes in humanity. A good egg, that one.
http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2013/03/12/op-ed-friends-hugo-chavez
Here's to acknowledging her Oscar snub for some beautiful work in A Mighty Heart. <3
I guess I'm one of her detractors. good for her on this, and best wishes for her recovery, but I don't get the media frenzy. I don't get the way people treat her, as if she's royalty - and the way those are treated is ridiculous - or a saint... I mean the way they talk to her, afraid to say something wrong, with too much deference, and how she responds back ("yes, I'm very serious"). that one leg thing won't change that for me - and even that was a "only I could get away with this".
remember when she was that weird yet more natural and interesting woman who had her boyfriend's blood on her neck? I liked her better. I just don't see her as a real person anymore. I was impressed by her beauty in "playing by heart", now I'm just tired of it.
more: she doesn't seem to care much about movies from her interviews, and is not a great actress, so...
'I'd more likely spend it on ... shrines to great actresses'
I'm glad you clarified because I imagined giant religious-type shrines for worshipping Nicole, Julianne, Michelle, Jessica, Viola, Meryl, Bette, Liz etc etc.
New movies starring great actresses would of course be much more worthwhile but not as fun to imagine.
I love Angie, but I honestly don't understand her decision and no one should follow her example.
@PeggySue, I can understand your not understanding it (if you'll forgive the repetition), but can't quite figure out why you'd condemn a decision that is obviously a hard and personal one.
I never really understood why people attacked her for adopting all those children, when did that become a bad thing ? The thing I love about Jolie is that she does not give a damn what you think of her, and she will do what she thinks is right in the world. Yes she is a movie star and very talented but she could have used that fame and money for far less noble things. She's never been my favorite actress but I appreciate her even more now than ever.
I don't like the word "condemn". I respect her decision, but I have also the right to say that is highly questionable in medical terms.
Yep, maybe "condemn" came through a bit harsh, sorry :P I just meant that saying no one should do that seemed a bit strong to me but, hey, everyone's entitled to their opinion, of course! ;)
At least, whether medically wise or not, I think her article may rise some awareness on the importance of inheritance and the potential of prevention in breast cancer.
That's exactly my point. Since her article will arise more awareness about cancer -if that's even possible- it must be said that by removing her breasts she's not cancer free now, considering she's keeping her ovaries which are also in danger is she's got that gene.
Question without answer: Should we really go out public with our medical records?
Good article.
I thinks she's terrific. I agree she's a good actress when the right role allows her to be, her directorial work looks interesting & her work for charitable organisations is admirable.
She wouldn't make the top ten list of my favourite actresses, but you've got to give credit when credit is due. It takes guts to undergo such an extreme procedure and being open about it. I guess she went public because as it changes her physical appearance, she preferred to prevent any other kind of rumours.
If my doctor told me that having my balls removed would reduce the possibilities of suffering cancer (that's in my genes) in a 90%, I'd give them to him wrapped in Christmas wrapping, laced and all, if necessary.
I haven't followed this story very closely, but is she having reconstructive surgery? I'm assuming she is because she can afford it. I just wonder what is so brave about a double mastectomy (the way they are ascribing her braveness because she's such a sexy woman that removing her breasts is a big deal) if she will end up having breasts again (granted, artificial ones)?
Maybe this explains that defiant stance at the Oscars this year. Good for you, Angie!!!
This woman is the real deal. I am Iraqi and I remember seeing her tears while interacting with Iraqi refugees. She is blessed with the perfect beauty and the perfect heart.
Great article, Nathaniel. I LOVE Angelina.