Angelina Jolie has shared a deeply personal account of how her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, shaped her life and career. In a recent interview with W Magazine, Jolie revealed the profound influence her mother had on her decision to pursue acting.
From an early age, acting was less of a personal ambition and more a shared dream, one she fulfilled for Bertrand, who had once aspired to be an actress herself. Bertrand had tried to establish her own acting career, auditioning for theater in Chicago and roles in Los Angeles, but by the age of 25, her path took a dramatic turn. Divorced from actor Jon Voight and raising two young children, Bertrand chose to devote herself to motherhood, putting her career aspirations aside. Despite this sacrifice, her passion for the craft lived on through Jolie, who now admits, “I don’t remember making the choice [to be an actress]; I remember it made my mom happy.”
How Angelina Jolie’s Mother, Marcheline Bertrand, Shaped Her Acting Career
Angelina Jolie’s early foray into acting became a means to help her mother financially. With Bertrand serving as her manager, the pair formed a partnership aimed at building a better life. “We were a team,” Jolie said, recounting how her earnings as a child actor went toward supporting their family, including the goal of buying a house for her mother.
Acting wasn’t simply a profession for Jolie; it was a way to express love and gratitude toward a woman who had sacrificed so much. This bond remained strong until Bertrand’s death in 2007, following an eight-year battle with ovarian and breast cancer. The loss left an indelible mark on Jolie, who confessed that acting became more challenging afterward, as it had been so intrinsically tied to her mother’s happiness and dreams.
In the wake of Bertrand’s passing, Jolie experienced a shift in her own values, inspired by her mother’s unwavering dedication to family. Speaking to Vanity Fair a year after Bertrand’s death, she reflected on the nobility of her mother’s life. Bertrand, despite the hardships of single parenthood and personal loss, found joy and purpose in raising her children. Jolie remarked, “When [my mother] passed, I realized that somebody who lives life with that kind of dedication to their family is the most noble.” This realization influenced Jolie’s approach to parenting her own six children, whom she shares with her former husband, Brad Pitt.
Jolie’s memories of her mother extend beyond her sacrifices; they also encompass Bertrand’s intellect and creativity. At the 2024 Gotham Awards, Jolie honored her mother in an emotional tribute, sharing anecdotes that revealed Bertrand’s resourcefulness and love for literature.
Books were so important to Bertrand that, in their modest apartment, she stored them in the oven for lack of shelves, a testament to her priorities. This passion for art and storytelling undeniably shaped Jolie and her brother, James Haven, as they pursued their creative endeavors.
The connection between mother and daughter resonates in Jolie’s choice of roles, particularly in ‘Maria,’ where she portrays opera singer Maria Callas. Jolie expressed empathy for Callas’ struggles, particularly in the final years of her life when she faced harsh criticism and solitude. The role gave Jolie an opportunity to bring nuance and compassion to the story of a misunderstood artist. The project also echoed Bertrand’s influence, as Jolie continues to honor her mother’s legacy through her own creative choices.
Angelina Jolie stars in the official trailer for #Maria.
The Pablo Larraín film is in select theaters November 27 and on Netflix December 11. pic.twitter.com/COMjcKBZBX
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) October 24, 2024
Jolie has openly shared the pain of losing her mother, comparing it to “having someone rip away a protective blanket.” In essays for The New York Times, she reflected on how Bertrand’s passing changed her deeply. The loss wasn’t sudden, but it left a void that reshaped Jolie’s perspective on life, family, and the fragility of human connection.
From Hollywood Dreams to Motherhood: The Story of Marcheline Bertrand
Marcheline Bertrand, born on May 9, 1950, in Chicago, was not just a mother to Angelina Jolie but also her greatest friend and unwavering supporter. Raised in a Catholic household on the South Side of Chicago, she grew up alongside her sister Debbie and brother Raleigh, in a family shaped by her father, a World War II veteran who managed a bowling alley.
Her family later moved to Los Angeles during her teenage years, where she attended Beverly Hills High School and embraced the counterculture of the time. A self-proclaimed hippie, she frequented the Sunset Strip and adored the Rolling Stones. It was during these formative years that she discovered her passion for acting, eventually studying with Lee Strasberg, a prominent director of The Actors Studio.
At the age of 20, while chasing her acting dreams in Los Angeles, Bertrand met actor Jon Voight, then a recent Academy Award nominee for ‘Midnight Cowboy.’ Their romance blossomed, culminating in a wedding on December 12, 1971. The couple faced tragedy early on with a miscarriage, an experience that deeply affected their relationship. However, they went on to have two children: James Haven in 1973 and Angelina Jolie in 1975.
Bertrand’s marriage to Voight ended in separation shortly after Jolie’s birth, followed by a divorce in 1978. The breakup was reportedly caused by Voight’s infidelity, an event that left Bertrand heartbroken but steadfast in her role as a mother.
Following her divorce, Bertrand devoted herself to raising her children, creating a nurturing and supportive environment despite financial challenges. Living between Palisades, New York, and Los Angeles, she made their home a haven filled with love, home-cooked meals, and meticulous care. James Haven recalled the warmth of their home, where his mother would teach them using flashcards or educate them about vegetables while cooking. Her efforts extended beyond emotional care—she was deeply invested in her children’s education and personal growth.
Although she had a brief acting career, appearing in shows like ‘Ironside’ and films like ‘Lookin’ to Get Out’ and ‘The Man Who Loved Women,’ Bertrand chose to set aside her ambitions to prioritize her children. In her later years, she transitioned to producing, establishing Woods Road Productions and co-producing the 2005 documentary ‘Trudell,’ which explored the life of Native American poet and activist John Trudell, her then-partner.
Beyond her work in film, Bertrand was a committed humanitarian. She co-founded the All Tribes Foundation with Jolie and Trudell in 2001, supporting Indigenous communities through cultural and economic initiatives. Over the years, the foundation distributed over $800,000 in grants. Her advocacy extended to raising awareness about gynecological cancers through the Give Love, Give Life organization, hosting benefit concerts, and pushing for legislative efforts like Johanna’s Law.
In 1999, Bertrand was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and later with breast cancer. She faced these challenges with resilience but succumbed to the illness on January 27, 2007, at the age of 56, surrounded by her children. Her passing left an indelible mark on Jolie, who described her mother as “the most noble” figure in her life. Inspired by Bertrand’s love and dedication, Jolie made significant decisions regarding her health, including a preventive double mastectomy in 2013 and the removal of her ovaries in 2015, actions aimed at reducing her cancer risk as a carrier of the BRCA1 gene mutation.
Bertrand’s influence extended well beyond her lifetime. Jolie honored her legacy in deeply personal ways, from wearing her jewelry at her wedding to Brad Pitt in 2014 to infusing her 2015 film ‘By the Sea’ with the grief she felt after her mother’s death. Jolie also credited Bertrand for inspiring her philanthropic endeavors and artistic pursuits, sharing that her mother’s love for books and theater introduced her to the arts. During her acceptance of the Performer Tribute at the Gotham Awards in December 2024, Jolie fondly recounted how Bertrand’s creativity and sacrifices shaped her journey as an artist and mother.
Even in death, Bertrand remains a guiding force in Jolie’s life. Through her six children, Jolie feels connected to her mother, adopting many of her parenting techniques and cherishing the lessons of love and selflessness Bertrand embodied. Though she laments that her children never experienced the joy of knowing their grandmother, Jolie often speaks to her in her thoughts, seeking the guidance she once relied on so deeply.
