The Untold Truth Of Shiloh Jolie-Pitt
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Angelina Jolie has dealt with a lot of tragedy and hardship throughout her life, and one of her hurdles has been her tumultuous split from Brad Pitt. After filing for divorce in 2016, the couple's custody battle quickly became messy, and Jolie was even accused of wanting to "embarrass and punish" her ex, according to The Blast. As of 2021, the never-ending fight over their six children was still dragging on, but the "Maleficent" star said through her attorney in October (via Newsweek) that all she wants is for her family to "move forward cooperatively." Meanwhile, Pitt has expressed that all he wants is to be able to spend more time with his kids. When his 58th birthday rolled around in December 2021, a source told People that "his kids matter the most to him" and that what Pitt really wanted for his birthday was to see them.
Caught in the middle of the drama are the pair's children — Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne — but as one source told OK!, Pitt can always count on Shiloh to be in his corner. According to an insider, she supports her father against accusations from brothers Maddox and Pax, who reportedly "both blame him for the family fallout and refuse to see him." As it turns out, Shiloh has always done things her way and has been feisty and outspoken, just like her mom. This is the untold truth of Shiloh Jolie-Pitt.
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt's interesting birthplace and name
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt was born on "May 27, 2006, in Swakopmund, Namibia, Africa," per The Hollywood Reporter. As the New York Post confirmed at the time, African officials offered to grant Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's first biological child Namibian citizenship and a Namibian passport "if the parents should choose to do so." They did, and Shiloh remains a Namibian citizen to this day, even though her status was briefly threatened in 2016 by the Namibian Citizenship Amendment Bill, which was eventually rejected. Shortly after Shiloh's birth, Namibian governor Samuel Nuuyoma enthused, per People, that her arrival was "delightful news" and "an honor for our country, Namibia" because "the birth of a baby is something very special in our African tradition."
As for her unique name, it has Hebrew origins. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, Shiloh is "generally understood as denoting the Messiah, 'the peaceful one,'" but it can also refer to "a place of rest, a city of Ephraim, 'on the north side of Bethel,' from which it is distant 10 miles."
Interestingly, when Jolie encouraged all of her kids to learn a different language, Shiloh didn't choose Hebrew or an indigenous language from Namibia, but rather, as Jolie told BBC Radio 4's "Woman's Hour" in 2016, she picked Khmai, a Cambodian tongue.
She broke records as a newborn
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt set a number of records before she could even talk or walk. She became "one of the highest-paid baby covers of all time," per The Hollywood Reporter, when People offered to pay Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt a cool $4.1 million for the opportunity to run her debut baby photos. People received six snaps in return, and Shiloh, along with her parents, graced the June 2006 cover, selling 2.2 million copies. Indeed, when Today ranked the 10 highest-earning baby photos of all time in 2008, Shiloh was in the third spot. She was only outdone by Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's twins, Max and Emme, who earned a reported $6 million from People. However, Shiloh's photos also brought in an extra $3.5 million from Hello! for the British rights to her pics, which, when added to the $4.1 million from People, would put her ahead of J.Lo's kids. As for the top spot, that went to Shiloh's own siblings, Knox and Vivienne, who earned between $11 and $20 million.
Baby Shiloh broke another record when her likeness was sculpted and added to New York's Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in 2006. She was just 8 weeks old, and, as CBS reported, that made her "the first infant ever to be presented as a wax figure at the attraction." Madame Tussauds general manager Janine DiGioacchino gushed that Shiloh was "already an iconic figure in world popular culture" who would hopefully "delight" visitors.
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt's big screen debut
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt may not be following in her parents' footsteps with just two movie credits to her name, but she did make her big-screen debut before she was even a year old. That's when she appeared opposite her dad in an uncredited role, per IMDb, in 2008's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." According to an on-set rumor initially reported by the National Enquirer (via People), a 10-month-old Shiloh made her surprise cameo after the twin girls originally hired simply refused to cooperate. That's when Brad Pitt reportedly swapped in his daughter, who happened to be visiting the set that day. A source told the outlet that "she's a natural" and "did her scenes perfectly and was giggling and happy throughout her big day."
Shiloh followed up that role with another brief appearance in 2016's "Kung Fu Panda 3," this time after visiting her mom on the job. She was tapped as the voice of Shuai Shuai along with siblings Pax, Zahara, and Knox, who all made animal sounds for a handful of other pandas in the animated flick. Speaking of the experience, Jolie told ET her kids "were kind of shy," but explained that even though "they don't really want to be actors" she "didn't want them to miss the opportunity." In the end, "they had a lot of fun with it."
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt was a 'goofy' young child
In November 2008, when Shiloh Jolie-Pitt was just 2 years old, dad Brad Pitt stopped by "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and opened up about what it's really like to parent six children. During his appearance, he revealed some of his kids' quirks, including Shiloh's, which was that she'd never agree to leave the house without "her silky," per People, and that she "only wants to be called John. ... or Peter." Saying, "It's a Peter Pan thing," Pitt explained that the whole family has "got to call her John" and revealed that when they accidentally call her Shiloh, she corrects them by clarifying, "John. I'm John." He continued, "It's just that kind of stuff that's cute to parents, and it's probably really obnoxious to other people."
Jump to 2010 and Angelina Jolie gave more insight into a now-4-year-old Shiloh's personality. Speaking with Vanity Fair, she enthused that she loves being around "a bunch of little fun crazy people" and told the publication that each of her kids is perfectly unique. Speaking of Shiloh specifically, she called her "hysterically funny, one of the goofiest, most playful people you'll ever meet" and revealed how, as a child, she herself was most similar to Shiloh. "Goofy and verbal, the early signs of a performer," she gushed, reminiscing, "I used to get dressed up in costumes and jump around."
She has her own foundation and enjoys giving back
Like mother, like daughter! Shiloh Jolie-Pitt has proven to be a passionate philanthropist. As Angelina Jolie told Vogue in 2015, she realized her daughter loved giving back when they met refugees in Lebanon a year earlier. "When she was sitting on the floor with her UN cap writing her notes as she was talking to someone, I was flashing on myself fifteen years ago and thinking, I know that moment," she recalled. Shiloh was just 9 at the time, but as Jolie told People, she had "been asking to come on missions and meet them for many years." Shiloh again showcased her dedication to helping others while in Cambodia in 2016. According to the New York Daily News, she and her sister Zahara met a 16-year-old who told them about her 12 siblings and how they were living in poverty. Wanting to help, they gifted the family two bikes and $200 worth of clothes.
Shiloh's connection to philanthropy began in 2010 when her parents founded the Shiloh Jolie-Pitt Foundation to support Namibia's N/a'an ku se Foundation and its wildlife sanctuary. In 2011, the foundation donated $2 million to support the sanctuary. "We want [Shiloh] to be very involved and grow up with the understanding of her country of birth," Jolie explained (via PND). In 2017, the Shiloh Wildlife Sanctuary opened as the latest addition to the foundation to help "rhinos or elephants that have been injured or orphaned in incidents of poaching."
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt underwent surprise surgery
In March 2020, Angelina Jolie celebrated International Women's Day by penning an op-ed for TIME in which she praised her daughters' strength, bond, and overall character. Revealing that she had "spent the last two months in and out of surgeries with my eldest daughter," then-15-year-old Zahara, she also shared that "days ago [I] watched her younger sister go under the knife for a hip surgery." While she didn't explicitly name then-13-year-old Shiloh, the Daily Mail spotted the teen walking on crutches, confirming rumors that it was her Jolie was referring to.
In the column, the actor explained that she asked for permission from her daughters before sharing their story and received it because "they understand that going through medical challenges and fighting to survive and heal is something to be proud of." Noting that she was "writing from the hospital," Jolie went on to sing Shiloh and Zahara's praises, detailing how she "watched my daughters care for one another" and was proud of how they "so easily stopped everything and put each other first, and felt the joy of being of service to those they love."
She has inspired her mom's work
While doing press for "The One and Only Ivan" in August 2020, Angelina Jolie revealed to ET that it was actually her daughter, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, who inspired her to turn Katherine Applegate's children's book into a film. Sharing how "years ago" her daughter told her "she had read a book that she loved and she wanted me to read it," Jolie admitted it was thanks to Shiloh that she discovered the story in the first place. "I read it on my own and then we looked at some of it together and we talked about why she loved it," she recalled. That's when she decided to turn it into a movie and "stay as true to the book as possible."
Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla who learned to express himself by painting with watercolors, "The One and Only Ivan" tells the story of what happens when, after 27 years of living inside a shopping mall, Ivan meets a wild baby elephant named Ruby. As the book's official bio explains, Ivan is then "forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes." It's a theme Jolie found to be extremely timely, given the pandemic. As she told ET, it was bound to resonate because "a lot of people are feeling confined, trying to hold onto their friends and trying to better themselves, trying to understand the world around them."
Is modeling next for Shiloh Jolie-Pitt?
Acting may not be in the cards for Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, but she could still be eyeing a career in the spotlight — as a model. As we previously reported, it's been rumored that Shiloh was approached with modeling opportunities on several occasions, with one insider telling Life & Style in November 2021 that she "has a couple offers" from the industry which "she's mulling over." The source claimed that while Angelina Jolie isn't "pushing" her one way or the other, she is being supportive and is willing to "guide her as best she can" since she's "well aware that there's interest from the fashion world." That being said, the actor is reportedly being cautious when it comes to her daughter's future because while she's confident "Shiloh has a good head on her shoulders," she wouldn't let her navigate fame on her own. Indeed, as another source told In Touch, "As the daughter of Jon Voight, [Jolie] knows better than most the pitfalls of being a child of a celebrity," so she's "all about protecting her kids."
Rumors of a possible modeling career first began circulating in April 2021 when a source told Star (via ET) that Shiloh "is aware she has a lot of options both in Hollywood and in the world at large" and claimed that "modeling is what appeals to her most" because "she loves the idea of becoming an edgy teen model." The outlet also reported that she could earn as much as $20 million thanks to her parents' A-list status.
She is a passionate dancer
While claims that Shiloh Jolie-Pitt one day hopes to become a professional model haven't been proven (yet!), what we know for sure is that she really likes to dance. As we previously reported, she has repeatedly been spotted attending classes around California, like in February 2021 when Hollywood Life shared snaps of her at a Pasadena studio, or in October 2021 when the outlet posted photos of her leaving a dance class in Los Angeles. More recently, she's even been the subject of several viral TikTok videos, all of which show her dancing and having a good time. The most notable clip as of this writing was uploaded by Millennium Dance Complex instructor Cristian "Faxola" to his Instagram and shows him teaching his class (including one Shiloh Jolie-Pitt!) a hip-hop routine to SZA and Justin Timberlake's "The Other Side."
A source told In Touch in November 2021 that dance is Shiloh's "main love right now" and that she's a "natural dancer" who's "really good at it." They also added that what she loves most about dance is the fact that she can "feel the music" and "let go and be free" and that while she enjoys all styles, "hip-hop and freestyle are her favorites." As for her parents, they're all for it. Jolie reportedly "loves" how talented Shiloh is and both she and Brad Pitt are said to be "impressed" and "couldn't be prouder."
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt's style evolution
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt's go-to fashion staples have changed a lot during the years. A decade ago, she rocked a short haircut and lots of suits whenever she made a red carpet appearance. As Angelina Jolie told Vanity Fair (via Hola!) in 2010, Shiloh wanted "to be a boy" and was partial to "boy clothes." She shared, "It's a suit with a tie and a jacket and slacks, or a tracksuit." The actor revealed they "had to cut her hair" for the same reason and shared that "she thinks she's one of her brothers." That same year, Jolie told Stylist (via Us Weekly) that she has little control over Shiloh's style. "I have a very strong-willed four-year-old girl who tells me what she wants to wear and I let her be who she is," she said, adding that kids "should wear what they want and express themselves, so we give them different options."
As she grew up, there was a shift in Shiloh's style. In January 2021, she was snapped in Los Angeles with a different look that included long hair tied up in a bun and pierced ears, per South China Morning Post. In October 2021, she took everyone by surprise when she wore her mom's vintage Dior dress to the "Eternals" premiere in London. Then, as Daily Mail proclaimed, she continued to "turn her back on her 'dude' style" when she arrived at the Rome premiere in October wearing ... a chic little black dress!
Inside her relationship with her mom
It seems Shiloh Jolie-Pitt and Angelina Jolie couldn't be closer. In addition to taking after her mom in the philanthropy and style departments, Shiloh and her siblings have a supportive relationship with their superstar mother, who always encourages them to be themselves. As Jolie told Reuters in 2010, "I would never be the kind of parent to force somebody to be something they are not. I think that is just bad parenting." She also proclaimed that all children "should be allowed to express themselves in whatever way they wish without anybody judging them."
What's more, that support also runs in the opposite direction, as Shiloh and her sisters proved in August 2021 when they showed up for their mom in her time of need. According to Hollywood Life, the actor "spent nearly six hours" in a Burbank, California, hospital for undisclosed reasons, and, halfway through, her daughters arrived. Shiloh was photographed giving her mom a huge hug and, as South China Morning Post noted, appeared "fiercely loyal towards her film star mother."
In 2021, Jolie was criticized for wanting her kids to testify against their dad in her ongoing custody battle with Brad Pitt, but as she told The Guardian that September, all she wants is the best for them. "I just want my family to heal," she said, adding she wants "everyone to move forward" and to "be peaceful." She concluded, "We'll always be a family."
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt's relationship with her dad
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt doesn't only have plenty of support from her mom; dad Brad Pitt is also "happy" she's "coming out of her shell" and embracing dance and red carpets, according to a source who spoke with In Touch in November 2021. What's more, it seems the two are "very alike" and not just in looks, according to one insider who told In Touch "they have the same big heart" and are both "very compassionate and loving," as well as "very open" and "enjoy meeting new people." Noting that "Shiloh seems to have somehow picked up Brad's midwestern demeanor," the source added that Pitt is "very touched" that she wants "more of a relationship with him."
It's not the first time Shiloh's bond with her dad has been highlighted during Pitt and Jolie's unending custody battle. One source told OK! in December 2021 that she's "desperate to see her father," but due to legal arrangements, all she gets is a "quick trip to his house here and there." Back in 2018, Jolie was granted sole custody, while Pitt received the right to "therapeutic visits," per Elle. He was briefly granted joint custody by a Los Angeles superior court judge in 2021, but that judge was later disqualified, and the California Supreme Court denied Pitt's petition to review the case. They instead reverted back to the original 2018 ruling, per People. Even so, the source told OK! that Shiloh isn't "willing to turn her back on Brad."