Since the moment he was adopted by one of the hottest movie stars in Hollywood, Maddox Jolie-Pitt’s life became extraordinary and the hot topic of the media. It goes without saying, Maddox’s upbringing is uniquely special compared to that of other Hollywood children in more ways than one.
When Angelina Jolie adopted Maddox as her son, she not only gifted him a life of fame and fortune, she gave him the opportunities to achieve greatness. Although Maddox is not the only child adopted by the Maleficent actress, he was the first of Angelina’s six children to capture her heart.
From adoption and gaining a father, to divorce and living amongst a blended family of adopted and biological siblings, Maddox Jolie-Pitt has had to endure a lot of ups and downs in his 18 years of life. And yet, a lot about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s eldest child is not completely known. Here are 18 surprising facts about Maddox Jolie-Pitt.
18 Maddox Jolie-Pitt Was Angelina Jolie’s First Adoptive Child
Angelina Jolie adopted Maddox from Cambodia in 2002, when he was just seven months old. The moment Angelina laid eyes on Maddox and became a mother is one that is burned in her memory forever.
After Angelina came to the conclusion she would adopt a child, she promised herself she would visit at least one orphanage while visiting Battambang, Cambodia. “I didn’t feel a connection with any of them,” Angelina shared in an interview with Vanity Fair about the moment she first met Maddox. “They then said, ‘There’s one more baby.’ I cried and cried.”
17 His Adoption Almost Wasn’t Approved, Though
Angelina Jolie’s decision to adopt Maddox was an easy one, but the process wasn’t as simple and almost didn’t even happen. International adoptions can be complicated and pretty expensive.
According to CheatSheet, at the time Angelina was preparing to adopt Maddox, all Cambodian adoptions were momentarily put to a stop due to concerns of child trafficking and the agency Angelina Jolie was using in the adoption was also facing convictions for money laundering and fraud. Fortunately, though, everything worked out for Angelina and Maddox.
16 Maddox Almost Had A Very Different Hollywood Father
Before Brad Pitt, Angeline Jolie was married to a much different celebrity. Angelina’s relationship with bad boy, Billy Bob Thornton was questionable for many reasons, including their 20-year age gap and the fact they wore each other’s blood around their necks. However, Angelina was legally married to Billy Bob when she adopted Maddox.
Despite announcing Maddox’s adoption together, Angelina Jolie adopted Maddox as a single parent and was the only parent legally listed on the adoption certificate. Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton divorced shortly after the adoption was finalized.
15 Maddox Had His Name Changed More Than Once
His name by Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt now, but this wasn’t always his name. In fact, the 18-year-old’s name has been changed more than once.
When Maddox was born, in Cambodia, he was named Rath Vibol. After his adoption, his name was changed to Maddox Chivan Thornton Jolie, according to Insider. And finally, after Maddox was formally adopted by Brad Pitt, his name became Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt.
14 Maddox Had An Impact On Brad And Angelina’s Early Relationship
Maddox was already very much a part of Angelina Jolie’s life when she began her relationship with Brad Pitt. Shortly after meeting on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, in 2005, Angelina and Brad started taking their romantic relationship public.
Angelina Jolie reportedly knew the spark she had with Brad Pitt was the real deal because of the connection Brad had with Maddox and how the toddler called him “dad.”
13 He Was Formally Adopted By Brad Pitt In 2006
A year after Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt took their relationship to the next level, Brad Pitt formally adopted Maddox, making him legally his son too.
Although Brangelina wasn’t legally married until several years later in 2014, they did go on to share two more adopted children and three biological children together.
12 Maddox Jolie-Pitt Is Multi-Lingual
Angelina Jolie takes great pride in how she is raising her six children. One of their greatest achievements comes through their educational values. In addition to being born in Cambodia, Maddox also grew up with a diversified culture.
According to International Business Times, other than English, Maddox is fluent in Russian and German. He also learned Korean in preparation for attending college in South Korea.
11 Maddox And Brad Pitt Were Involved In An Altercation On A Plane
On the outside, it would appear Maddox Jolie-Pitt has lived a privileged life as the son of Brangelina. However, the infamous airplane altercation between Brad Pitt and Maddox would suggest otherwise.
In September 2016, the Jolie-Pitt family were traveling from France to Los Angeles. According to sources for Us Weekly, Brad was “heavily drinking” and became “frustrated” when Angelina told him to sober up. Although it remains unclear exactly how Maddox became involved, rumors spread about a physical altercation between Brad and Maddox. Brad later became the subject of a child abuse investigation and Angelina Jolie filed for divorce.
10 He Was A Big Fan Of Sharp Objects
A lot about Maddox Jolie-Pitt is super unique, and we can add his early-aged fascination for sharp objects to that list of special qualities.
Angelina Jolie took Maddox shopping for a dagger when he was seven-years-old. Her own mother reportedly took her on the same shopping trip when Angelina was 11. Sources revealed Angelina and Maddox were both fans of big knives.
9 Maddox Got A Say In Brangelina’s Custody Agreement
After Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s divorce, the pair came to a shared custody agreement for their children. However, given Maddox’s age at the time, he was exempt from the legal ruling. It was determined Maddox was legally capable of making his own decisions about how he would spend his time between parents.
At the time, sources claimed Maddox “never want(ed) to see his dad again.” Given the relationship between Maddox and Brad Pitt remains a little strained to this day, finding common ground was probably a struggle.
8 Brad Pitt Might Have Been Banned From Maddox’s 16th Birthday Party
A child’s 16th birthday is sort of a big deal for both parents and child. Maddox Jolie-Pitt’s 16th birthday came a year after his parents’ divorce.
Though it was never officially confirmed, rumors spread claiming Brad Pitt was banned from attending Maddox’s birthday party in 2017. A source at the time, according to CheatSheet, stated, “Brad is upset that he will miss out on this first big milestone event since the divorce. He is doing his best to work around Angelina’s wishes for the children, but this is one instance where Brad is really hurt.”
7 Maddox And Brad Pitt Have Recently Reconnected
A few years have now passed since the alleged altercation between Brad Pitt and Maddox. Despite their former issues with each other, it appears Brad and Maddox are finally making efforts to reconcile their relationship.
In February 2020, Brad Pitt skipped the BAFTAs in London to spend time with Maddox while he was home from college. “Maddox gave Brad the chance to talk and he dropped everything,” a friend of Brad’s told The Sun. “Being a father is the most important thing in [Brad’s] life and he would do anything to repair their relationship.”
6 Maddox Jolie-Pitt Is An Excellent Big Brother
Being the oldest of six children comes with a lot of responsibility, but Maddox Jolie-Pitt does an excellent job as a big brother.
Maddox is known for being really great at helping Angelina Jolie take care of his siblings and often has no issue going “above and beyond” in his role as big brother.
5 And Has A Big Influence Over His Five Siblings
Maddox Jolie-Pitt knows how much his younger siblings look up to him. His great influence over the five other Jolie-Pitt kids caused some fear into how it would play into their own relationships with Brad Pitt, given Maddox’s strained relationship with their dad.
“Maddox may definitely influence the other children, but he still has a right to his feelings to do what he needs to do to feel some sense of safety and comfort in his own life,” Dr. Deborah Sweet, a family therapist said during an interview with Hollywood Life.
4 Maddox Is Attending College In South Korea
Maddox Jolie-Pitt is officially a college student. According to The Straits Times, Angelina Jolie’s oldest son is enrolled in Yonsei University in South Korea where he is studying biochemistry.
Angelina Jolie, who initially thought Maddox would remain in L.A. and get into movies and animation, was emotional when dropping Maddox off for college. "I'm trying not to cry,” Angelina admitted in a video, according to The Straits Times.
3 He Is Very Close With His Mom, Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie and Maddox have always had a really close relationship. After all, he made her a mother when she adopted him in 2001. After Angelina’s divorce with Brad Pitt, her relationship with Maddox became even closer with some describing Maddox as taking over the role of “man of the house.”
Maddox looks up to his mother and described his time working with her on First They Killed My Father by saying, “[She’s] fun, funny, and easy to work with. She’s a wonder.”
2 Maddox Got His First Girlfriend At 16-Years-Old
Maddox Jolie-Pitt officially started playing the field when he got his first girlfriend at 16-years-old. Although his first relationship was described as nothing but “puppy love,” a source for Radar Online explained Angelina Jolie was ensuring her son knew how to treat a woman.
"Angie was so thrilled when Maddox told her he was taking girls out," the source shared. "He's her eldest and she was so excited to watch him become a man. She's sat him down and made sure to explain how to treat women with respect."
1 Maddox Jolie-Pitt Could Follow In Brad And Angelina’s Entertainment Footsteps
With two huge movie star parents, it would be surprising to learn about Maddox not falling into the entertainment business. However, he started appearing alongside his parents in small roles from an early age.
When he was 11, Maddox had a small cameo role as a zombie in Brad Pitt’s movie, World War Z. In 2015, Maddox served as a production assistant for By The Sea, a film Angelina Jolie starred in and directed. And in 2017, Maddox became the Executive Producer for First They Killed My Father. His future in the entertainment business could still become a reality.
References: CheatSheet, NickiSwift, Vanity Fair, Insider, ScreenRant