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.
