Angelina Jolie is undoubtedly one of the most famous and influential actresses of this generation. Jolie began her career in the 1990s, her first major role came in 1995 film, Hackers. She got several other major roles in many movies in the late 1990s, including Foxfire (1996), Playing God (1997), and Gia (1998).

Her role as Lisa Rowe in Girl, Interrupted (1999) made her a household name. At the peak of her career, the actress starred in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001). Some parts of the film were shot in Cambodia, and visiting that place was a life-changing experience for her.

Angelina Jolie cried constantly while filming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

Angelina Jolie

In 2000, actress Angelina Jolie got the opportunity to star in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001). The movie cemented her place as a successful star in the entertainment industry. While filming the movie, the actress visited Cambodia. What she saw there completely changed her as a person,
“One of the first camps I went to had 400,000 people. It was a sea of human misery. In Sierra Leone, I saw tens of thousands with their arms and legs cut off [by rebels], orphaned children. I felt completely overwhelmed. I cried constantly. I felt guilty for everything that I had. Then I realized I wasn’t doing these people any favors by crying. I kept getting angry at the injustices until I couldn’t think straight. I took a deep breath and focused on how I could help. I discovered that I was useful as a person. When I met suffering people, it put my life into perspective. It slammed me into a bigger picture of the world.”

The actress came across so many people who were struggling and needed immediate help. As of April 2023, the population of Cambodia is about 17 million.

The actress decided to become a philanthropist

Angelina Jolie in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

After her visit to Cambodia, Jolie realized that crying will not help those who are suffering. So, she became a humanitarian and visited refugee camps around the world. Very soon she was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

She puts one-third of her income into savings, one-third into living expenses, and one-third into charity. In 2002, the actress adopted a Cambodian refugee boy named Maddox, and in 2005, adopted an Ethiopian refugee girl named Zahara.

Angelina Jolie started acting in the 1990s

Angelina Jolie

Jolie’s first major role came in 1995 as she got the role of Kate Libby in Hackers (1995). In just 5 years, her career reached a new height and she became a worldwide sensation. Her performance in her 1999 film, Girl, Interrupted, earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Today, the actress has won countless awards, including three Golden Globe Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Apart from this, she was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2009.

Source: IMDb