Angelina Jolie’s Children

On March 10, 2002 Jolie adopted her first child, seven month old Maddox Chicane. He was born August 5, 2001 as Rath Vibol in Cambodia. Jolie decided to start the adoption process after she had visited Cambodia twice, while filming Tomb Raider and on a UNHCR field trip in 2001. After separating from her second husband, Billy Bob Thornton, Jolie received full custody of Maddox.

On July 6, 2005 Jolie adopted a six month old baby girl, Zahara Marley. She was originally named Yemsrach by her biological mother, and later became known as Tena Adam of the orphanage in Addis Ababa where she lived. Shortly after arriving in the United States, Zahara was hospitalized because of dehydration and malnutrition. In 2007 the media reported that Zahara’s biological mother, Mentewabe Dawit, wanted her daughter back, but denied the allegations and stated that Zahara had been lucky to be adopted by Jolie.

Pitt was present when Jolie signed the adoption papers and picked up her daughter, Jolie said later that they had jointly decided to adopt Zahara. In January 2006, Pitts requested to legally adopt Jolie’s two children in California. Their surnames were formally changed to Jolie-Pitt.

On May 27, 2006 Jolie gave birth by Caesarean section to daughter, Shiloh Nouvel, in Swakopmund, Namibia. Jolie and Pitt sold the first pictures of their new born to People magazine, which paid more than $ 4.1 million for North American rights, and the British magazine Hello! bought the international rights for about $ 3.5 million. All of the proceeds were presented to an undisclosed charity.

On March 15, 2007 Jolie adopted a three year old boy from Vietnam, Pax Thien. Jolie adopted this child from the orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City where he was staying. She said his first name, Pax, had been suggested by her mother before her death.

After months of speculation, Jolie confirmed at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008 that she was pregnant with twins. On July 12, 2008 she gave birth by Caesarean section to a boy, Knox Leon and a girl, Vivienne Marcheline, in the Lenval hospital in Nice, France. The rights for the first pictures of Knox and Vivienne were jointly sold to People and Hello! for $ 14 million, one of the most expensive celebrity pictures ever taken. The proceeds went to the Jolie-Pitt Foundation.