Angelina Jolie at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival

Growing up in Los Angeles, Jolie was no stranger to the film industry, being the daughter of Academy Award-winning actor Jon Voight. She later trained and performed at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, where she was seen in several stage productions. She worked as a professional model in London, New York and Los Angeles, and has also appeared in music videos for such artists as Loaf, Meat, Lenny Kravitz, Antonello Venditti and The Lemonheads. In addition, she has acted in five student films for the USC School of Cinema, all directed by her brother, 'James Haven'.

Angelina Jolie had her break-through in 1999 with The Bone Collector starring Denzel Washington, and in Girl, Interrupted with Winona Ryder which won her the Golden Globe, the SAG Award and the Academy Award for best leading actress in a supporting role.