Incredible Grace

Cornwell: ‘Jolie Is Down-To-Earth’

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:14:15 +0000

Author Patricia Cornwell has lavished praise on Angelina Jolie after they met to discuss an upcoming film project – insisting she was stunned by the actress’ down-to-earth nature. Cornwell was delighted when Jolie agreed to play crime-solving medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta in a new thriller based on her bestselling novels. The writer admits she struggled to arrange an appointment to meet the busy Hollywood star, but when she finally managed to arrange a visit on the set of Jolie’s movie Salt, she was shocked by the star’s easygoing demeanour. Cornwell says, “When Angelina came out of left field (to take the role) last year, I was floored. I think meeting the head of the KGB (Russian secret service) might have been easier. It was all hush-hush. “(Angelina) had pithy things to say about what she wanted to do. She was direct and goal-oriented. (With celebrities), usually it’s all about them… She waited on everyone, getting them their lunch, while her own staff was seated. She was aware intuitively how other people were feeling and wanted to make them comfortable. It was not typical for people of her stature.”

Angelina Jolie reunites with dad?

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:10:51 +0000

Angelina Jolie has reportedly reunited with her father Jon Voight. The Oscar-winning beauty was photographed with her kids and her dad in Venice on February 20 sparking rumours they have reconciled after being estranged for years. Brad is believed to have encouraged Angelina – who has recently been living in Venice, Italy, while she prepares to shoot The Tourist opposite Johnny Depp – to “smooth things over” with Jon. A source said: “Since Brad and Angelina have been together, he has been encouraging her to smooth things over with her dad. And when it comes to the kids, Brad wants them to know their grandfather the way the kids know his parents.” The Wanted actress has been at war with her dad for years after he accused her of having “mental problems” shortly after her split from ex-husband Billy Bob Thornton in 2002. Jon said at the time: “I haven’t come forward and addressed the serious mental problems she has spoken about so candidly to the press over the years, but I’ve tried behind the scenes in every way.” The screen veteran has previously spoken about how he hoped to reconcile with his daughter on a permanent basis, saying: “We’re in touch, but not regularly. We love each other and that’s the most important thing.”

Jolie discourages Haiti adoptions

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 23:26:37 +0000

Angelina Jolie has urged prospective parents not to adopt Haitian orphans following January’s devastating earthquake – because she fears the disaster could lead to a rise in child trafficking. The Hollywood actress travelled to the Caribbean country earlier this month in her role as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador and spent part of her time visiting injured kids. Jolie and her partner Brad Pitt share three adopted children; Maddox, eight, from Cambodia, Pax, six, from Vietnam, and five-year-old Zahara from Ethiopia – and they were recently rumoured to be considering welcoming a Haitian child into their family. The actress dismissed the reports and she’s now urging others not to rush into adoption after seeing news footage from the earthquake-ravaged nation. She says, “An emergency is not the time for new adoptions in any way. Child trafficking has been a huge problem for a very long time. Everybody that means well needs to really take that very seriously. “As an adoptive parent, I understand the urge to assist in that way. But people need to not get frustrated but really work with the country.”

Jolie Dismisses Haiti Adoption Speculation

admin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:21:50 +0000

Angelina Jolie has clarified reports she is considering adopting a child from Haiti, insisting her recent trip to the earthquake-ravaged nation was purely for philanthropic reasons. The Hollywood actress travelled to the Caribbean country in her role as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador and spent part of her time visiting kids injured by last month’s disaster. Her trip sparked speculation she and her partner Brad Pitt were interested in adding to their brood of six, which includes adopted children Maddox, eight, from Cambodia; Pax, six, from Vietnam; and five-year-old Zahara from Ethiopia. Jolie admits they are always “open” to the idea of adoption, but they are currently only interested in how they can help with Haiti’s relief efforts. She tells CNN, “I’m always open to children around the world. We’re that kind of a family; Brad and I talk about that. “But that’s not what we’re focusing on at this time, by any means. We’re not here for that. We’re here to see how we can help protect the children in this country and scale up the needs here.”

Jolie meets with president of Dominican Republic

admin — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:15:30 +0000

Angelina Jolie has met with the president of the Dominican Republic to discuss the country’s aid efforts to help the people of the nation’s earthquake-ravaged neighbour Haiti. The Hollywood actress flew to Santo Domingo earlier this week to visit patients at Dario Contrera Hospital, where dozens of survivors of the January 12 disaster are receiving medical treatment. Jolie, a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations, turned her charity trip into a power meeting when she sat down for talks with President Leonel Fernandez on Monday evening (February 08). The pair discussed the work officials from the Dominican Republic are currently doing to help the relief efforts in neighbouring Haiti, while Fernandez also took the opportunity to praise the actress for her tireless humanitarian work. Jolie made her way to Haiti on Tuesday (February 09) so she could witness first-hand the devastation caused by the 7.0-magnitude tremors, which plunged the nation into chaos. The superstar and her partner Brad Pitt are among a host of generous celebrities who have all given huge cash sums to aid those affected by the Haiti earthquake. The couple donated $1 million (GBP625,000) to the relief effort from its charity foundation.

Jolie: ‘Pitt persuaded me to get pregnant’

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:12:09 +0000

Angelina Jolie has credited her partner Brad Pitt with inspiring her to have children of her own, insisting she “didn’t want to get pregnant” until she met him. The Hollywood actress was already mum to her son Maddox, now eight, when she met Pitt, after adopting the youngster from Cambodia. After she struck up a relationship with Pitt in 2006, they went on to adopt daughter Zahara, now five, from Ethiopia before Jolie became pregnant with the couple’s first biological child, Shiloh, who was born in 2006. They subsequently adopted another son, Pax, in 2007, before welcoming biological twins, Vivienne and Knox, in 2008. And Jolie admits she was happy just to take in orphaned children, until Pitt convinced her to become a mum herself. She tells Australia’s Marie Claire magazine, “When I met him… I didn’t want to get pregnant. I always wanted to adopt, but I never had the desire of experiencing biological motherhood. “He taught me to be more patient and to enjoy everything that exists in the world.”

Jolie & Pitt suing british tabloid over split reports

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:03:52 +0000

Hollywood power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are taking the editors of a British newspaper to court over reports they are set to split. On January 24, the News of The World tabloid claimed the unmarried couple had met with Los Angeles divorce lawyer Sorrell Trope to divide its assets and arrange custody of the pair’s six children. Trope has denied being in contact with the couple and now the stars’ lawyer Keith Schillings is taking action to put an end to the false reports. In a statement issuedtoday, Schillings reveals Pitt and Jolie have started legal proceedings against the tabloid after its editors failed to meet a demand for a retraction and apology. Schillings claims the report involved “false and intrusive allegations”. Rumours Pitt and Jolie had ended their five-year romance were dismissed by the actress’ father, Jon Voight, last month. Voight insisted the couple was still together, branding the allegations “nonsense”. Pitt and Jolie also put on a united front in Miami, Florida on Sunday (February 07), when they were spotted enjoying the Super Bowl football championships between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts.

Williamson to write the film based on the Cornwell novels

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:52:18 +0000

In a story from The Hollywood Reporter, screenwriter Kerry Williamson is going to adapt a feature screenplay that features medical examiner Kay Scarpetta. This character is the star of the best-selling mystery series written by Patricia Cornwell. Fox 2000 grabbed the rights to the books in April. Angelina Jolie is attached to star. There is talk that the Scarpetta movie might be the launch of another franchise for Jolie as there are 17 Scarpetta novels. Putnam Publishing released Cornwell’s most recent effort, The Scarpetta Factor, this past October. The screenplay is said to draw from the world and characters that Cornwell has created but will not be derived from any novel’s specific plot. Source: MovieWeb.com

Jolie & Pitt put on united front at DGA awards

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:54:43 +0000

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt silenced rumours of a split by making a red carpet appearance together at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards on Saturday night (January 30). The Hollywood supercouple has been dogged by rumours of an impending break-up in recent weeks, with reports claiming they had already devised a legal contract to separate their assets. The rumours were fuelled by the pair’s absence from a string of high profile events including the recent Golden Globes. But Jolie and Pitt shrugged off gossip about their relationship to put on a united front at the DGA Awards in Los Angeles, supporting the actor’s appearance in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. The moviemaker may have lost out on the coveted Best Director prize to Kathryn Bigelow, but Pitt was successful in silencing the gossip which has been swirling about his romance with Jolie. An onlooker tells People.com, “They looked very giggly. They look like they are having a fun time. It’s definitely a date.”

Jolie & Pitt not splitting, just covering their assets

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:42:25 +0000

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have denied reports they’re about to split, while friends insist the media have mistaken a pre-nuptial agreement as a signal they’re separating. The couple and Jolie’s father Jon Voight have dismissed British tabloid reports they’re no longer together – rumours that have set the globe’s gossip websites alight. And insiders claim the story couldn’t be further from the truth – the couple have allegedly signed a mega-million equivalent of a pre-nuptial agreement, which will cement their relationship. A source tells Life & Style magazine, “Brad and Angelina had a meeting with a top law firm in L.A. in December, where they worked out terms of a legal document similar to a pre-nup. “The couple signed the document in early January. They agreed to share their money and assets and custody of their six children, all of whom would live with Angelina in the event of their parents’ break-up. “They didn’t talk to the lawyer about splitting, nor was that ever mentioned at the meeting. Brad and Angelina aren’t splitting right now.”