Where It All Began

As the extremely handsome and beautiful couple introduced their daughter Shiloh Nouvel through a two-page spread in a magazine, this wasn’t the first time the two had welcomed a new child into their home. It would simply be the first time they shared a biological child who had a shot at sharing their gorgeous genes. Before Shiloh, their parenting journey began elsewhere and separately. Jolie had adopted Maddox from Cambodia when she was newly single after her split from Billy Bob Thornton. Maddox was just six months old when he made Angelina a mom for the first time. Later, Angelina would adopt Zahara, a daughter from Ethiopia, before welcoming Shiloh into the family.

Staying Private And Out Of The Limelight

While it was the spotlights of Hollywood that would bring these two to fame and fortune, when they started their journey to becoming parents, the efforts were to stay as private as possible. After all, the decision to start a family together is a private matter and should be allowed a certain amount of intimacy that is not shared for fans to see. Their efforts would prove to be an ongoing battle as the media refused to leave the two alone. Paparazzi were constantly watching with baited breath waiting to capture the first glimpse of any indication that there would be a baby.

An Ethiopian Adoption

You might think that being a successful A-lister in Hollywood would make it a breeze to do anything you dream of doing, including adopting a family. After Brad and Angelina got together, Angelina had already successfully adopted two children from different countries. In 2005, the two attempted to adopt Zahara. She was a six-month-old orphan in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The adoption, however, was not so cut and dry with ease. Shortly after taking custody of Zahara, Brad announced that he wanted to adopt both of Jolie’s adopted children. The two he sought to adopt were a boy named Maddox and a girl named Zahara.

Heading To Africa

Brad and Angelina wanted to keep this pregnancy so private that they made a big decision. They didn’t hide away in a cave, and they didn’t simply go off the grid or unplug their internet. They up and moved to a completely different country. They decided to go all the way to Namibia for the birth of Shiloh. They discovered that their decision to temporarily move all the way to the south of Africa made it very challenging for paparazzi or anyone with a camera and instant access to the media to follow them. It was just their small family waiting to give birth.

Just One More Will Do!

Going into the relationship, Angelina already had adopted one child and another soon to follow. As much as the media was awaiting the offspring of two gorgeous stars, Brad and Angelina didn’t see that as a stopping point. After Shiloh was born, they kept adopting. They decided it was time to give another orphan a chance. They adopted what would be the fourth child between them, named Pax. Pax was an orphan from Vietnam who was three years old. How the family had grown in such a short time. Now they were a family of six people as the children were quickly outnumbering the adults. Before long, they would add two more biological children to the mix as well.

Challenges Of Being An Adopted Kid

The family had grown into a multi-national family of six. They had a Cambodian-born child, an Ethiopian born child, their American biological child, and a child from Vietnam, all no more than 5 years apart in age. Maddox, Pax, Zahara, and Shiloh would now find themselves as siblings adjusting to each other. Angelina and Brad are very much aware of the fact that they have blended together a family of many cultures. They are very careful to show the same love and affection to each of the children fairly. But, if the truth were told, all of the adjustments had made the two want even more kids.

The Kids Take On The Pitt Name

Though Angelina and Brad had not officially become a married couple for another nine years, by 2005, Brad and Angelina felt like it was time for the first two children whom Angelina had adopted, to take on the full family name. They decided to change the last names of Maddox and Zahara to reflect the Brangelina union. This is the year that the two would now have the name Jolie-Pitt. In 2005, Brad Pitt filed paperwork to adopt both of Jolie’s children. The couple’s first biological child was not yet on the scene. They would welcome Shiloh the following year, in 2006.

Trying To Stay Private

Back up just slightly to the moment the world discovered Brad and Angelina were together and about to have a child who shared their gorgeous stardom genes. The media was already a frenzy over all of the adoption news from Angelina. Taking on the responsibility of raising a child who needs a loving family is exciting news. However, nobody could see what was about to become front page news all over. While they were dating, the two tried best they could to keep their relationship as private as possible. Their efforts proved powerless up against a paparazzi-style media hungry for pregnancy news. Yet, the two realized that their children had not chosen the spotlight life.

Where The Two Began

Back up even more to where it all began for Angelina and Brad. The two had never met until they were both cast in the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Perhaps the title of the film could not have been more appropriate seeing as how couples who sneak around to find a hotel room for one night might choose to register under the name of Smith or Jones, or some other generic and unrecognizable name. These two, however, were side-by-side in a movie. It would have all been sweet and wonderful with one problem. Brad was married to Friends star, Jennifer Aniston at the time.

Oops! He’s Married

When Brad met Angelina and found her irresistible, there was a problem. He was married. Not only was he married, but his wife was a high-profile, well-known actress Jennifer Aniston. The world was soon to receive an avalanche of gossip, but all of the rumors would play out to be true. To thicken the plot, Angelina had been quoted and caught in a lie saying that being intimate with a married man is not something she could forgive seeing as how her father had cheated on her mother. But, it was true. Brad and Jennifer would soon divorce so he could spend time with Angelina.

Waiting For The Birth

The relationship had started out on rocky territory, since Brad had met Angelina as an affair. Even though there was a rough start and Angelina already had two adopted children, Brad and Angelina were now awaiting the birth of their biological child. As the world received the news that there would be a baby from the Hollywood A-listers, they began to wait and watch with much anticipation. Some even tried to make their way to the country of Namibia where Brad and Angelina had gone to escape the paparazzi. On May 27, 2006, the pair would welcome their baby girl.

Photos For A Good Cause

Brad and Angelina went all the way to Namibia to give birth to Shiloh on May 27, 2006. They wanted to have as much privacy as they could. Of course, the cameras of media outlets hungry to be the first to show images of the newborn were wildly awaiting a first glimpse. Whoever captured the first images was bound to be paid plenty. The couple ended up selling some photos, but they refused to keep the money for themselves. They decided instead to help out a charity with the proceeds. They made about $4.1 million from People Magazine for the first photos and another 3.5 million from a British publication.

Attempt To Stay Private

Brad and Angelina had gone to great lengths to keep the adopted children and their biological child out of the public eye. After all, they realized that their lives of stardom was not something the children had chosen for themselves. They wanted them to have normal childhoods as much as possible. The two headed to Namibia south of Africa to give birth to Shiloh. Security there was tight. The media was pushing in frantically to get a picture, but the local authorities managed to keep them at bay. Only those who had written permission from Brad or Angelina were allowed inside the hospital.

Bodyguards Were Necessary

While security was tight around the hospital, news got out that the couple were about to welcome their child. Photographers swarmed to capture the first photos of the baby. Their attempts to stay secretive was about to be foiled. The security did a great job keeping them at bay, but there was at least one incident. As the world awaited the announcement that the baby had been born, one rogue photographer had managed to weave his way into the hospital. A great deal of commotion broke out in the waiting crowd. The photographer was caught and taken into custody under arrest.

A First Glimpse

Brad and Angelina had managed to escape fairly successfully to the country of Namibia to give birth to Shiloh. American media outlets waited anxiously wondering if the two had made a private agreement to sell the first photos to a specific news outlet. As it turned out, they sold the pictures through Getty Images. From there, the first outlets to publish the images were Hello! and People Magazine. These two sources paid a pretty penny to have rights to publish the images. However, Brad and Angelina were not interested in profiting from the birth. They turned around and donated the proceeds to charity.

Wax Figure Or Real?

If the image looks like a doll instead of a real baby, you just might be onto something. While Brad and Angelina thought that the media frenzy would die down after the first photos were released, they were wrong. Madame Tussauds got in on the action and made a wax figure of the baby. Manager, Janine DiGioacchino, expressed the reason behind the decision was that the baby had already become an iconic figure. Even if it seemed absurd to call a newborn iconic, Shiloh would go down in history as being the first infant ever to be immortalized in wax at the museum.

The New Parents Front And Center

Shiloh commanded international headlines when she made her entrance into the world. She was the firstborn of America’s most starry eyed and star-studded Hollywood couple. The baby was born a girl and would later come out as being gender-fluid at the age of 13. No one can foretell where the future will take this royal child of Hollywood. The fact will forever remain that this child was once a tiny little baby who stole the hearts of anxiously awaiting fans. All of these fans could not wait to catch even just a glimpse of the baby outside of an adorable baby bump seen protruding from underneath the dress of her mom, Angelina Jolie.

Another Adoption

The couple had not returned to the states for long before they felt like something was missing. Even though the two had not yet officially married, they had given two adopted children and a biological child their combined last name, Jolie-Pitt. Shiloh was still an infant when they decided to adopt yet again. This time, they would adopt a three-year-old from Vietnam named Pax. The two were not allowed to adopt Pax as a couple since they were not legally married. Vietnam has a law against couples adopting who are not married. So, Angelina adopted a third child under her name.

Meet The Jolie-Pitt Kids

Vietnam would not allow Brad to be part of the adoption of Pax while they were in the country for the adoption proceedings. Once they returned back to the United States, however, the laws provided a different story. Brad Pitt was allowed to legally adopt Pax under US laws. In 2008, he gave his name to another son. This would turn the family into a family of six, four children and two adults. It was not a traditional union of two married people with children. Instead, it was a blended and diverse family without any paperwork for marriage. The children took on the Jolie-Pitt name just the same. Though, Shiloh would stand out with fair skin, blonde hair and light, blue eyes.

Paparazzi And Fans Couldn’t Get Enough

Though Brad and Angelina longed to raise the children out of the spotlight as much as possible, the paparazzi could not get enough. Whenever Shiloh was seen out in public, the media seemed to be insatiable. Speculations and headlines would ask which parent the toddler resembled most. Angelina would say how much Shiloh resembled Brad. Onlookers were consistently enamored by the notion that this child was going to be stunningly beautiful. After all, both mom and dad were already admired and hotly photographed as having near perfect genetic good looks. No doubt, they had handed down their attractiveness to their child.

Is Shiloh A Mom Or A Dad Look-Alike?

Magazines and other publications could not get enough images of little Shiloh. The question was always raised as to whom the child most resembled. Angelina stayed constant in saying that Shiloh looked like dad Brad. However, many found some resemblances in childhood photos of Angelina as well. Only time would tell who the child would grow up to look like most. Regardless of how the child looked, Shiloh would have some pretty big shoes to fill. This is something that neither Brad nor Angelina wanted their children to deal with. They wanted to remain as private as they could to no avail.

Another Big Announcement

Still not yet married legally, the couple was about to make another big announcement. This time, it would be double the punch. Shiloh was turning 2, and Brad and Angelina were still raising the three adopted children as part of the Jolie-Pitt clan. The couple had even bigger news to share. In May of 2008, during the Cannes Film Festival, Angelina would announce that the couple were expecting again. This time, they were about to welcome twins. In such a short amount of time, the cameras would be all a flutter with sounds of fast-clicking shutters once again as they would try to capture the image of not one but two more Jolie-Pitt offspring.

Double The Blessings

On July 12, 2008, two-year-old Shiloh and her three adopted siblings would welcome two more Jolie-Pitt children into the mix. Twins, Knox and Vivienne were born to Angelina and Brad. This time around, the two had made a media deal. The final price tag on the first photos would climb upward to $14 million. Yet, once again, the two would donate the proceeds to a charity. This time, the charity was their own, the Jolie-Pitt Foundation. They founded this foundation in 2006 to assist with humanitarian crises around the world. They have made large donations to Doctors Without Borders and Global Action for Children.

Brad’s Mini-Me

The couple managed to keep the newly born twins out of the public eye, for the most part anyway. But, as attention was not allowed to follow the newborns, the media switched back to putting Shiloh in the spotlight once again. Images began surfacing of a young Brad Pitt. Discussions about how much the child resembled dad were circulating. Shiloh was often dubbed as being daddy’s girl with the blonde hair that Pitt once wore, same blue eye color, and even the way the toddler was often seen dressed resembled dad. Young Shiloh remained the focus of the media’s attention.

No Girlie Dresses For Shiloh

Shiloh looked so much like her father that people began to take notice. Shiloh was never seen frolicking in beautiful girlie dresses like her sisters. Whenever a young Shiloh was seen on the red carpet with her parents, the child was seen wearing a suit or less-than-feminine attire. Shiloh’s sisters all wore sweet, gorgeous dresses. Shiloh, on the other hand, appeared to prefer to sport a more masculine look. Some fans would even question whether or not they had heard properly about the Jolie-Pitts giving birth to a baby daughter. Was she, instead, a baby boy? The world was about to find out.

Even The Hair Resembled Dad’s

As pictures began to be continuously circulated of a young Shiloh, many took note of how much like dad she looked. The child’s choice of style went beyond masculine clothing choices that were a sharp contrast to her sisters. She would soon also sport a Brad-like hair cut. Shiloh’s blonde hair had been cut and styled to resemble Brad’s look. Images that were plastered across the media were always accompanied with comments that often ridiculed Shiloh’s more male-like appearance. As the pictures continued to appear everywhere, the public was less than welcoming. They had awaited the birth of a gorgeous Angelina lookalike, but they were now faced with news that would come as a shock.

Cannot Hide From Tabloids

Of course, it would not be long before Shiloh would make the cover of tabloids. The cover images would ask questions such as, “Why is Angelina Turning Shiloh Into A BOY?” Cover story after cover story would feature the young child accompanied with questions about the child’s gender. There was even speculation that Angelina was calling the shots to transform her daughter into a son. Some even claimed that the mother referred to Shiloh as John. Some went on to blame Angelina for choosing the masculine clothing and boy-like hair cut. Others went on to claim she was not allowing Shiloh to have girlie things.

Paparazzi Goes Too Far

As the media continued to blast their covers and headlines with images of a young Shiloh transformed into a boy-like appearance, others grew uncomfortable. On the one side, articles claimed that the family was harming the child by not distinguishing between genders for the child. They would accuse Angelina and Brad of harming the child. Others claimed that it was the media coverage and negative press that would be most damaging to a growing child. Keep in mind that Angelina and Brad wanted to keep their child out of the spotlight from the beginning. But, the pictures kept showing up with opinions running alongside them.

Whose Choice Is It?

The headlines got to be so severe that The National Center for Transgender Equality released a statement. They claimed that society needs to have healthy and well-rounded children who are diverse instead of outdated stereotypes of gender. Angelina put in her two cents as well. She gave an in-depth interview to Vanity Fair. During the interview, she made clear that she was trying to oblige her daughter to make her own choices. She told the magazine that Shiloh enjoyed dressing like a boy and that she wanted to be like her brothers. She admitted that this was the reason she had cut her hair and allowed Shiloh the choice.

Still Talk Of The Town

Instead of putting speculations to rest, the interview that Angelina provided to Vanity Fair only proved to launch more discussions. Keep in mind that at the time of the interview and the transformation of girl to boy, Shiloh was four years old. People began to discuss their opinions and insight into the matter. Was Shiloh simply experimenting with tom-boy-like traits? Or, was Shiloh headed toward becoming a transgender child? At the time, young Shiloh was at a very impressionable age. Only time would tell how things would play out for this Jolie-Pitt biological first-born child. Though, it was clear that Shiloh would continue looking more like dad.

Advocates Would Step Forward

Regardless of whether or not the child was experimenting or full out transforming before the public’s eyes, Shiloh was about to gain the support of an entire organization. As the news began to spread about questions of Shiloh’s gender identity, LGBT advocates began speaking up in support of the child’s choice. Fellow celebrities also got in on the action adding their voices of support for the young Jolie-Pitt offspring. There were many who came forward to offer their support, but there was one who would soon stand out. Through all of the publicity, there was another famous star offspring who was about to step into the rink to support Shiloh’s decisions.

Chaz Bono Speaks Out

These two highly photographed children of stars had more in common than either would have imagined. While the two never met up to this point, they shared a common bond. Both were born as girls and both began their transformation to becoming male right in front of a public filled with opinions. In 2011, Chaz Bono decided to speak out. Chaz was born to musician performers Sonny and Cher as daughter Chastity. Chastity grew up in the limelight and very watchful eye of critical media. Chaz was vocal about admitting that he was open to discussions and would love to talk to let the family know that there are resources available.

Rumors Kept Flying

Despite efforts to keep Shiloh out of the spotlight, and despite organizations and famous celebrities stepping forward in support, the rumors kept flying about Shiloh’s gender. There was even one high-profile model who spoke out of turn. Despite not having any personal affiliation with the child or the Jolie-Pitt family, model Amber Rose posted a picture of young Shiloh to her Instagram account in 2014 with hashtags referencing transgender children. While she may have been onto something, she truly did not have first-hand knowledge. This angered fans saying that she had the audacity to comment and share pictures of an issue she had no personal connection with.

Family Is Finally Official

After years of dating and being unofficially married, Brad and Angelina finally made the union legal. The two married on August 23, 2014. By this point, they already had three adopted children and 3 biological children to their name. While they had been together as a couple for an entire decade before saying, “I Do”, once they officially tied the knot, the couple would not make it last much longer. Brad and Angelina would go on to divorce just two short years later. In September, 2016, their divorce would be final. It was a long journey that brought a mismatched family together.

Privileged Birth

Rumors kept flying with pointed fingers and accusations turning to focus on the mother. Angelina did finally come forward to speak on the matter of her child’s gender. She admitted that she felt like her adopted children were survivors. She had chosen to give them a chance at happiness and family life. Shiloh, on the other hand, seemed to be so privileged from birth. From the moment she was born, Angelina said, she had privilege. She went on to explain that she is aware that she needs to make sure she does not ignore Shiloh’s needs simply because the other children seemed to be more vulnerable.

Seeking Attention

After Angelina came forward to admit how she felt Shiloh had been born with privileges that her adopted children did not share, fans began to shift their opinions. Many fans began to claim that Shiloh was not in a gender identity crisis after all. Discussions began to swirl that instead of gender identity, Shiloh was struggling simply to get noticed. They speculated that Shiloh was acting out in search for attention. It was widely discussed that the child was simply needing love in contention with her adopted siblings. While the theory may have had some amount of merit to it, there were happenings that were about to shift that would take fans by surprise.

Divorce Takes Its Toll

If being a highly photographed child of two very good looking celebrities made Shiloh crave attention to be loved, things were about to get more shaky. The entire brood of six children were about to feel the pressure and strain of watching their parents split up. Brad and Angelina went through a very public and very bitter divorce. As much as their relationship and family had been publicized over the years, their marriage and divorce would also be front page news. As with every other decision they had ever made since becoming stars, their divorce would be the center of household discussions for years to come.

Brad Mad At Maddox

As if news of the upcoming divorce was not enough, it was reported that there was additional tension. During a private flight, reports leaked out that Brad and his adopted 15-year-old son, Maddox, had a disagreement. Apparently, during a verbal argument between Brad and Angelina, Maddox cut in to defend his mom. When the story reached the headlines, it was already speculated as possibly being a rumor. Some claimed that there was not an actual fight between father and son. Either way, one thing was clear. The couple would not be allowed to take part in any aspect of life without it becoming front page news and without it affecting their children.

There Had To Be A Reason

Since the public loved the idea of fantasizing over the Brad and Angelina partnership, they were not going to be quick to accept the break up. After the publicized altercation on the private airplane, news began to circulate about possible reasons for the fight. Some claimed that Brad was an alcoholic or suffering from a substance abuse problem. This accusation was welcomed by fans who were not willing to admit that either Angelina or Brad had any contributing faults to the breakup. What else would drive an admired, good-looking movie star to verbally fight with his wife and son? Alcohol seemed like a good explanation.

Speculation Of An Affair

While some fans speculated that the breakup between Angelina and Brad must be alcohol related, others looked further. For awhile, rumors began to circulate that Brad had engaged in an affair with Marion Cotillard. Cotillard was cast alongside him in Allied. The two vehemently denied claims that they had an affair. But, after all, Brad did have a history of not staying loyal to his mate. When he met Angelina Jolie, the two had been cast together, and the two had an affair. It was this affair that would begin their relationship. So, it wasn’t out of the question that he would repeat this pattern.

Child Abuse Allegations

If it wasn’t alcohol, and it wasn’t an affair, then what led to the breakup? Soon, paparazzi would begin circulating images of moving trucks at the Jolie-Pitt residence. News broke that the FBI and the LA Department of Child and Family Services were investigating Brad for allegations of child abuse. The awaiting public was shocked at the idea. How could a man so involved in childhood charity work and adoption of children be considered to take part in such atrocious behavior? Was all of his attempts at remaining private for a reason? Thankfully, the answer would be no. After a lengthy investigation would eventually reveal that there was no evidence of child abuse. But, it would taint his name.

Things Were About To Get Real

Any divorce when there are children involved is brutal. No child wants to watch their parents split up. Add to an already rough time the fact that every last detail of the breakup would be plastered across headlines, and the Jolie-Pitt children were in for some rough times. Some sources reported that Shiloh had the hardest time of them all. Reporters and fans watched Shiloh change from a once bubbly and happy child to one with many questions and sadness. The child once thought to be born into privilege was possibly the one hardest hit by the news that the family was falling apart.

Separation Anxiety For Shiloh

Angelina would go on to file for sole custody of the children. Because of this, the six Jolie-Pitt kids who were minors had no say in the matter. They were forced to stay with their mom. For the child once dubbed a daddy’s girl, Shiloh seemed to be struggling with this court decision. Brad was no longer there to be a part of their everyday lives. This is tough on any child, but with Shiloh heading toward pre-adolescence it seemed to be especially difficult. Would Shiloh continue to embrace the dad-look-alike image even with dad Brad out of the picture?

Mom Keeps It Bottled Up

Throughout parenting six children, Angelina has given a few interviews. She has revealed some tell-tale insights into how she approaches life and raising kids. In a very emotional interview during the heat of her divorce battle, she admitted that she thinks it is very important to cry in the shower instead of in front of the children. She went on to explain that she felt strongly that kids need to know that everything is going to work out and be fine. Angelina has always appeared to be very loving and protective as a mother. She has always seemed to put her children first.

Brad Bond Not Broken

This Brad Pitt mini-me seems to retain a strong bond between child and father. In spite of the fact that mom and dad would not be together as husband and wife to raise the children, Brad Pitt would still be in the children’s lives. The children, including Shiloh, would see their father on a regular basis so as to retain the relationship they had grown to know. Both Brad and Angelina appear to continue to offer love and support to their children. Shiloh, in the midst of it all, would be given the freedom to choose how she wanted to grow up. As the public watched, many would begin to comment about how Shiloh looked like a miniature version of Brad.

Angelina Gives Full Support

In November, 2017, a little more than a year after the divorce was filed between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, she would make an appearance. Jolie had produced a movie called The Breadwinner, about a girl in Afghanistan. It was an animated film. She explained how she had not worked on any project for more than a year since the children needed her at home. Her world and their world were at a standstill as they learned to adjust. She went on to explain that any work she would do would need to evolve around the kids. She admitted that whatever else she takes on will need to be based upon how much her children were able to handle.

It’s All About Freedom

For Angelina, it’s all about freedom. She wants to allow her children freedom. She is said to be a loving and dedicated mother to her children. She expresses her love toward them by allowing them to make their own choices. Although, it would be dad Brad Pitt who would set the stage for the public to begin calling his daughter Shiloh by a more masculine name of John. He made this request on the Oprah show in 2008. While this raised many eyebrows and questions of parenting seeing as how the child was only a toddler at the time, others applauded the announcement.

An Unsuspecting Twin

Most have said from the start that Shiloh looked just like her dad, Brad Pitt. Other fans began to notice something else. When Shiloh was out and about with siblings, some fans picked upon the fact that Shiloh not only resembles dad but also brother, Knox. Knox and Vivienne are twins, but some have joked that Shiloh and Knox actually look more alike. The two could pass as twin brothers themselves. They both share the light-colored hair and blue eyes that Brad Pitt has. They also have similar facial features and shape right down to the dimples and the smile.

Young Photographer

Aside from curiosity about what gender Shiloh relates with or which parent is similar in appearance, the child has other interests. Angelina once took Shiloh to a camera shop in Los Angeles. The idea was to simply go on a bonding shopping trip. Shiloh had shown a great deal of interest in photography. The mother and child pair carefully picked out a camera, and Shiloh has enjoyed getting creative with it. Now, if only the awaiting public could see images of Shiloh’s photographic work on the front page rather than questions and speculations about the growing child, that would be welcome change.

Musician In Training

If Shiloh gives up an interest in photography, there may be another hidden talent awaiting. Shiloh has also taken an interest in music. To be specific, the ukulele is what has piqued the young growing child’s interests. Angelina gave Shiloh a uke as a gift. It would be nice if the public could hear tunes played on this very special ukulele gift. Perhaps, if publications were not filled with paparazzi photographic images of the kid, there could be room to see more to who Shiloh is and what talents are yet to be discovered in the rapidly growing child of the stars.

As The Sibling Grow

Life goes on, and these once infants and toddlers who took the public by storm are growing up right before our eyes. In 2019, part of the Jolie-Pitt brood posed for a picture. Maddox had turned 18, Pax was a 16 year-old, and Zahara was 14. The biological children of the Jolie-Pitt crew revealed a now teenage Shiloh, and 11 year-old twins, Vivienne and Knox. When the picture was taken, mother Angelina Jolie had turned 44 and was living in Los Angeles. These children who were forced to be front page news as children of celebrities are becoming teenagers and adults in their own right.

Split But Not So Far Away

While Angelina and Brad filed for divorce and split up the family in 2016, the two would not be far away for long. Angelina purchased a $24 million mansion in the early part of 2017 just so she could be closer to Brad. The mansion was once owned by filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille. The marriage and relationship between the two celebrities may not have worked out as everyone dreamed it would, but the family remains close by as the children grow up. As far as Angelina is concerned, her decisions seem to be led by motherhood. It all seems to be what is in the best interest of the kids.

The Family Gives Back

Angelina and Brad enjoyed giving back to the community, as especially with children around the world. They believed so much in giving back that they established their own charity. Their charity was named the Jolie-Pitt Foundation. It was to assist with humanitarian crises around the world. It seems that Angelina’s focus is constantly on helping children. She extended her love and opened her arms to adopt several children who needed a family. Now that her first adopted son has grown into teenager hood, he has actually joined her on trips. He loves to travel abroad with her to help give back to those in need.

Embracing The Camera

From even before birth, Shiloh has been in front of the camera. From the moment that baby bump was visible, photographers rushed to be the first to get a glimpse of that face captured in a picture. Shiloh grew up as a child of two famous celebrities parents. This has led into a life of plenty of premiers, events, and tons of paparazzi. As much as Angelina and Brad attempted to keep Shiloh out of the public eye, their attempts would prove to be futile. However, in spite of it all, Shiloh seems to embrace the camera and is not camera shy by any means.

What’s In A Name?

Backing up a bit to when Shiloh was named, it was done on purpose with careful selection. Shiloh’s first name and middle name have very important meanings. Shiloh is a Hebrew name that means, “To Whom It Belongs.” Shiloh’s name references prophets in the Bible as well and comes from Jerusalem. Many are not aware of Shiloh’s middle name, Nouvel. Nouvel is not historical but is the name of a very special person. Brad loves an architect who is named Jean Nouvel. This French architect designed several buildings. In honor of Jean Nouvel, Brad wanted to pass down the name to Shiloh.

Decision To Home school

It is not uncommon for celebrities to send their children to either a private school or to have them home schooled or privately tutored. Shiloh is no different. Homeschooling is a welcome way to educate the children of stars. Many celebrity parents decide to home school their children as a safer manner instead of allowing them to be harassed by paparazzi at school. Regular public schools, on the other hand, can be a lot to deal with for a child who is already sought after to be photographed constantly. Homeschooling helps to make being the child of a celebrity a little bit more manageable and bearable.

C-Section Birth

While Angelina and Brad fled to avoid the media during Shiloh’s birth, many do not know details of how it all transpired. Turns out that she apparently showed up at the hospital in Namibia only to find that Shiloh was in a breech position. She ended up needing a C-section to deliver. When she realized that there were no ultrasound machines in the hospital, she was astonished. She did, however, put her confidence in the staff who seemed to be qualified. Her obstetrician, Dr. Jason Rothbart, was flown to the country from Los Angeles for the sole purpose of delivering Shiloh. She ended up delivering via Cesarean section.

Siblings And Friends

Even though Shiloh was Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s first biological child, they already had adopted two others who were older siblings to Shiloh. On top of that, not long after Shiloh’s birth, the couple adopted another child who was also older than Shiloh. So, even though she was the first born, she was the youngest of the crew until her twin siblings came along. On top of that, she and her siblings have some pretty famous friends. Shiloh has been known to hang out with Millie Bobby Brown, for instance. Millie is also friends with Shiloh’s adopted sister Zahara.

Movie Stardom Is Part Of The Family

Since Shiloh was born into an A-list celebrity family, fans may assume that it is only natural to be part of a movie. While it doesn’t always come naturally for offspring of movie stars to want to act, Shiloh has been credited in at least one movie. While still young, the child was asked to play a small role in the animated film, Kung Fu Panda 3. This was filmed in 2016 when Shiloh was turning 10. Alongside siblings, they recorded some animal noises that ended up being used in the actual movie release. Only time will tell if any future roles await.

Becoming A Teenager Never Looked So Fun

Turning 13 and becoming a teenager is a bit of a rite of passage. Shiloh’s entrance to the teenage years, however, was probably a lot more cool than most. Shiloh had wanted to go to Hollywood’s trendy escape room, The Basement. This place simulates a scenario where those who take part in the activities are kidnapped by a scary serial killer, all played by live actors. No one under the age of 13 is allowed entrance. On Shiloh’s 13^th birthday, Angelina took her along with older siblings, and Shiloh absolutely loved the experience! There is no word on whether or not they recognized any of the live actors.

A Place To Call Home

Most families have one home where they grow up. The Jolie-Pitt family are not only unique in their stardom and their eclectic family, but they also have several places they call home. Sure, the adopted children technically have a homeland they can call home, and Shiloh was born in another country. But, this family actually has several homes all over the world. They own two houses in California, two in Louisiana, and one apartment in New York City. This does not even begin to bring into mention the properties they own in the South of France and also in Spain.

Speaking Many Languages

The Jolie-Pitt children not only have multiple homes, but they also speak multiple languages. Angelina and Brad have encouraged them from the start to embrace a well-rounded worldly education. This includes learning and speaking new languages. Angelina once explained that she had asked the children what languages they would like to learn. Shiloh immediately responded by wanting to learn a language most people have not even heard of. This language is called Khmai, which is the language of Cambodia. Pax was interesting in focusing on Vietnamese. Mad was interested in German and Russian. Zahara wanted to learn French. Vivienne was interested in learning Arabic. Knox wanted to speak sign language.

One Rule Stands – No Drinking Allowed!

While Angelina is openly accepting of allowing her children to make choices for themselves, there is one rule she will not bend on breaking. She has one very strict rule to never allow alcohol into the house. She does not want her children drinking. Some have even said that Angelina will not allow the children to sleep over at friends who may have alcohol at their homes or who may present the children with an opportunity to drink. It is unclear whether or not her rule started when the rumors of Brad’s alcohol or substance abuse started or if she had a bad experience with alcohol growing up. For whatever reason, she refuses alcohol in her home.

Assigning Nicknames

In addition to one specific rule of no drinking allowed, Angelina also has another characteristic in parenting. While most parents tend to throw out a pet name here and there, Brad and Angelina have a special name for each child that is more commonly used than their given names. She and Brad have given the children rather unusual names. In addition to the uncommon birth names, she has also assigned each one a special nickname. Some of these shortened terms of endearment include Maddox being called simply Mad, Zahara is shortened to Z, Vivienne is often referred to as Vivi, and Shiloh is often called Shi when not being referred to as John.

One Daily Phone Call

Growing up, the Jolie-Pitt children were rarely ever seen without one parent or the other hanging around nearby. After the divorce was final, however, Angelina wanted to touch base with each one every day even when they were with Brad. The two decided on an agreement to make one daily phone call. When the children were with Brad, the two arrange an agreed-upon set time when they are allowed to have one phone call every day with Angelina, their mother. Otherwise, she would probably end up getting carried away and calling them incessantly all day long since she never seems to be able to get enough of time with her children.

Free-Range Parenting

It is unclear how Brad feels about the idea, but Angelina’s parenting style is extremely free range parenting. Sit back and dream about what you would have wanted to do as a child. Did your parents have rules against these things? Not in Angelina’s household. She does not believe in over use of parental rules. She firmly believes that it is very important for children to be able to express themselves freely. Whatever the result or decision may be, she is alright with what her children decide. This may be evident in how she has parented Shiloh from birth seeing as how the child was rarely ever seen in a dress, and by age 2 seemed to be transforming into a boy.

No Testing Allowed

Not only is Angelina a free-range parent, allowing her children to do whatever they feel the need to do, she is also essentially follows an unschooled style among homeschooling. Her children are home schooled mainly out of necessity to fit into the demanding schedule of Hollywood. However, her children seem to be not only home schooled but unschooled. This is where the child’s interests lead their learning. No tests allowed in the Jolie-Pitt household of schooling. She also does not enforce the need to do any homework. It seems life and life’s events are all they need to embrace a love for learning any and everything they desire to learn.

Raised With The Help Of A Nanny

As much as the high-profiled pictures like to indicate that Angelina and Brad have been hands-on parents who dote over their children, they actually had a bit of help. Brad and Angelina ended up hiring one nanny for each child. For those keeping count, that is a total of six nannies. With all of these nannies, it would be easy to become confused and a bit of too many cooks in the kitchen type of scenario. To solve this problem, Angelina hired her brother to be in charge of all of the nannies and keep them all in order. Interestingly enough, despite having a nanny, the children including Shiloh all seemed to form a very close bond with both parents.

Brother Maddox Is A Success

The child who started it all is an adopted boy named Maddox. Angelina had already adopted him as a single woman before meeting Brad. After the two got together, Brad adopted Maddox to take on his name as well. He was born in Cambodia but grew up with Angelina and then Brad as his parents in America. Maddox began his movie career fairly early. He made a cameo appearance in World War Z. In 2015, Angelina directed and starred in the movie, By The Sea where Maddox had a role behind a camera. He was a production assistant. Additionally when 2017 rolled around, he had an important job behind the scenes as an executive producer in First They Killed My Father.

A Star Was Born

From birth to toddler hood to the big screen, Shiloh was a born natural. When the movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was released in 2008, Brad Pitt was cast to play the lead in the film. Many audience members who came to see the movie did not realize that baby Shiloh was also in the movie. Shiloh was about two years old when the movie was being filmed. If you look, and watch the scenes, you will notice that Shiloh appeared in a few scenes of the movie. What was this young star’s role? Shiloh played the part of the child of Benjamin and his wife, Daisy.