Angelina Jolie Watch

Rumors are running rampant about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.  I thought it would be interesting to analyze how the rumors got started and their validity.

Rumor #1: Angelina and Brad are breaking up.

The gist

This rumor started with  Star magazine few weeks back. The rag claimed that Angelina caught Brad giving one  of their nannies a back massage and “completely flipped out.”  More recently Star reports that Angelina and Brad are sleeping in separate bedrooms because she so angry over the nanny affair.  In Touch added fuel to the fire by claiming  that Angie’s brother James Haven had to move in to just to referee.

Verdict: Neither Star nor In Touch is know for their accuracy so don’t believe the hype.

Rumor #2: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are adopting a child from India.

The gist

This rumor started  in 2006. Back then reports surfaced that Angelina and Brad had applied to adopt a child from the Priya Darshini Orphanage.  Current chatter claims that Angelina and Brad had to put that adoption on hold.

“They filled out all the paperwork but had to put the adoption on hold because of all their other commitments,”  and insider claims.

Angelina supposedly spilled the beans when she she met Slum Dog Millionaire star Azharuddin Mohammed.  The ten year old star  allegedly asked Angelina why she and Brad hadn’t adopted from his homeland. “Well, I’ll let you into a little secret, we will soon,” Angelina supposedly responded.

I couldn’t find any reliable source for this information.  Several sites quote the UK’s Sunday Express but I couldn’t find the article.

Validity:  Don’t hold your  breath.  I’m sure Angelina and Brad will adopt again but the only sites printing the information print any story about Angelina and Brad.

While Angelina Jolie was scaling walls with a single bond this week, Brad Pitt took the their two oldest boys to a kid friendly Manhattan favorite.   Yesterday Brad, Maddox and Pax visited the alien themed Mars 2112.   According to OK! magazine, Brad called ahead to reserve a VIP table.

Looks like we aren’t the only one that are starstruck.  Mars waiters fought over who would wait on Brad and the kids. “Waiters were squabbling over who got to serve them,” one witness told OK! “I overheard one of them complaining to a co-worker, ‘It was my turn to wait on Brad!’”

Brad and the boys enjoyed video games including Crazy Taxi, Tekken 5 and Madden Season 2.  Fellow diners heard Brad refer to Pax as “Paxie” and Madox as “Mad”.

Now for the aw moment.  Brad made a birthday boy’s day.  “He just went over to these little boys and asked, ‘Is it someone’s birthday?’ ” a witness said. “One of the kids pointed to his friend and said, ‘It’s his.’ Brad gave that famous smile and said, ‘Happy birthday, man!’ to the boy, and before he left he handed him a gift card loaded with credits to play games.”

Photo Source: The Insider

OK! magazine’s says that plans are in the works for Suri Cruise and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt to hang out.  The gossip magazine says that Angelina Jolie  and Kattie Holmes chatted at a Golden Globe party back in January and made plans to get the two little girls together.

Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt already knew one another from their film Interview with a Vampire. Of course the two women talked about the kids.  “Both talked at length about their children,” said a source, “and they agreed to get their little girls together.”

According to a family insider, Suri  doesn’t take to other children quickly. “Suri’s a very shy young lady. Even when Tom or Katie have taken her to a park or beach and tried to introduce her to other kids for a little playtime, it hasn’t worked. She’s very clingy.”

Being friends with another celebrity family is the perfect opportunity to help Suri come out of her shell. “Because of security reasons, Katie can’t have just any child over to her home. But with celebrity tots like Shiloh and Zahara, there’s no problem.”

“Katie loves entertaining and spoke to Angelina about having an at-home tea party with cupcakes for the girls,” the friend “It’s something she has wanted to do for ages,” added another source close to the actress. “Katie told Angelina she just knew Suri and Shiloh are going to get along fantastically well,” says the insider, “and Suri is already getting into the idea.”

I doubt very seriously that much of this is true but it sure it fun thinking about these two precious little girls hanging out.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt made a transatlantic call to extend condolences to Primes Minster Morgan Tsvangirai on the death of his wife in a recent car crash. “He didn’t manage to speak to them because the line was
disconnected,” an aide told reporters at Tsvangirai’s home.

Tsvangirai recently entered a power sharing agreement with with Zimbabwe’s longtime president Robert Mugabee. Tsvangirai, the leader of Movement for Democratic Change, is considered an international hero by many for the long battle he’s raged against Mugabee’s alleged corrupt regime.

Rumors circulated that the car crash was the result of foul play. Tsvangirai squashed those rumors. “When something happens, there is always speculation but I want to say in this case, if there was any foul play, it was one in a thousand,” Mr. Tsvangirai told supporters at his home.

“It was an accident and unfortunately it took her life.”

Brad managed to pull of a secret meeting with President Obama yesterday before he met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democratic Whip James Clyburn to talk about Katrina recovery.  The White House did not release details of he meeting with President Obama.

USA Today reports that Brad visited the Hill to make a case for “nationalizing his “Make It Right” campaign, in partnership with Congress.”

“I just want to say thank you to the speaker for opening up her doors for us to come in and discuss the rebuilding effort, the current rebuilding effort going on in New Orleans and how we can expand this idea of affordability and sustainability because we think we have a model that works,” Brad said during a press conference.

Just a reminder that Brad’s Make it Right Foundation builds, affordable, green housing in the Katrina-devastated lower 9th Ward.  Lots of HQ photos below.  Enjoy!

We’ve got our second look of Angelina as Evelyn Salt. According to a press release from Sony Pictures, principal photography has begun.  Looks like the Angelina garners a lot of excitement, even among jaded Hollywood.

“It’s great to be working with Angelina once again. She’s the only one who could bring this character to life. Salt will be tense and exciting, everything that thriller audiences expect, but also with a strong, multi-dimensional character at the center,” gushed Phillip Noyce, who also directed her in The Bone Collector.

“It’s always a thrill to start production. It’s especially gratifying to work on redefining this genre with such a talented actress. Angelina is a rare combination of intelligence, emotional range, and physical ability,” said producer by Lorenzo di Bonaventura

THe DC Examiner reports that Angie and costars Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor, “began local shooting at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Wednesday morning.”

Filming is expected to take place throughout DC  including L’Enfant Plaza and the Navy Memorial.

Salt’s screenplay was written by Kurt Wimmer (The Recruit, The Thomas Crown Affair) and rewritten by Brian Helgeland (Mystic River, Man on Fire). In addition to di Bonaventura, Salt is produced by Sunil Perkash (Enchanted). Executive producers are Ric Kidney and Mark Vahradian.

What’s Brad up to in Washington DC ?

Brad was spotted on K Street yesterday(Wednesday) afternoon, possibly meeting with attorneys.   As I expected he’s making good use of the couple’s time in DC. He’ll meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today(Thursday).  I imagine he’ll talk about Katrina recovery since George Clooney talked with president about Dafur last week. (The longtime friends founded Not on Our Watch with Don Cheadle and Matt Damon.)

And what did you do today?

Jennifer Aniston recently had a  sit down for Elle UK”s April issue . Of course Brad and Angelina came up. Check out what she had to say.

What she thinks about responding to press questions about the breakup:
“No matter what I say, things will always be taken out of context and misinterpreted, will always be turned around to make it seem as though I won’t let something go, or that I just keep talking about it over and over. I don’t owe anybody anything. I don’t owe anybody my side of the story. There are no sides. There is no bad guy and there is no good guy. There are no villains and there is no heroine in this story. It’s just not the case.”

She’s grateful for the life she has:
“Look what’s out there. Look what people are really living through. There’s no comparison. I am happy.”

Yeah she’s still talking about it and that may be because people are still asking about it.    I’ll let you guys decide

It appears that the family has settled in New York for Angelina’s Salt production.  She and Brad took the four oldest kids to see The Little Mermaid on Broadway.  The photos show the kids doing what kids do, Shiloh looks to be picking her nose, Zahara is sucking her thumb, Pax is sipping on some soft drink  while Maddox is the ever vigilant older brother.

The Little Mermaid is housed at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on West Street. Tickets prices range from $51.50 to $121.50. Prices for premium seating aren’t listed but somehow I’m sure Brad and Angie managed to muster up enough cash to secure those.

On the Salt front, we’ve got confirmation that Lieve Schreiber has joined the cast. It also looks as if British phenom Chiwetel Ejiofor is in negotiations.

In the meantime, check out the photos of the family. Click to enlarge.

Are you guys enjoying this as much as I am? I’m managed to round up one of the first videos of Angelina and Brad at the Oscars thanks to the official Oscar website.

More photos of Angelina and Brad at the 2009 Oscars.This time we’ve got HQ!  There are photos of Angie receiving a kiss on the cheek from slightly crazy but super talented Mickey Rourke. There are also photos of the Brad and Angelina laughing it up, greeting fans and giving a TV interview.

Just a reminder Angie’s Oscar nominated work is now available on DVD.  It includes two bonus featurettes:

-Partners in Crime: Clint Eastwood and Angelina Jolie which is a 13-minute piece that documents the film making progress
-and the five-minute “The Common Thread: Angelina Jolie Becomes Christine Collins.”

I haven’t been able to find out when Benjamin Button comes out on DVD. It’s actually still in a lot of theaters so I’d predict early summer. Check out the photos.

Our 2009 awards season culminates tonight with Angelina and Brad at this year’s Oscars. Angie looks stunning in an Elie Saab gown, jewelry by Lorraine Schwartz, black heels by Faragamao and a Lana Marks clutch. Brad’s tux is by Tom Ford. Just a reminder, like you guys needed it, Angelina’s nominated in the Best Actress category for her role in the Changeling. Brad’s nominated for Best Actor for his lead in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Neither have won any of the major awards so far. That puts the odds against them. Still we shouldn’t give up hope.

The 2009 Oscars take place at the Los Angeles Kodak Theater. Huck Jackman hosts. Celeb performers include Beyonce’ and Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgen.

I’m proclaming Angie’s dress a winner. Figure skimming outfits look so good on her. Check out the pics below. I’ll post more as soon as I get them

Angelina, and perhaps Brad, has traveled from the West Coast to the East Cost over the past few days.  Brad and Angie were spotted at the uber trendy Katsuya restaurant Sunday night.  One paparazzi asked Brad and Angie if they are trying to compete with Nadya Suleman aka OctoMom. Brad responded with a cheeky, “Yeah we sure we are.” This was the second trip for the couple who also had dinner their Friday.

Today Angelina was spotted apartment shopping in New York. The family will settle there while Angelina films the spy thriller Edwin A. Salt. They’ve already secured a Lloyd Neck estate. Angie’s probably trying to find something in the heart the city for when she has long shoots.

Angelina’s Salt character is a CIA agent who’s been accused of spying for the Russians.  She escapes capture and tries to prove her innocence.  Salt features at least one scene where Angelina goes undercover as a man in order to sneak into a the White House.   An “insider” talked with Life & Style about the coming transformation, “I’m sure she’ll give Brad [Pitt], who aged in reverse in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a run for his money in the makeup department.”

Though the film is very close to starting not everyone has been cast.  In fact, Liev Schreiber(Naom Watt’s baby daddy) is in talks to join the cast.  Phillip Noyce who last worked with Angelina in The Bone Collector will direct.  It’ll be nice to see Angelina do a bit of action.  Sounds they’ve got a strong team in the works.

Forbes released their first Star Currency survey. Angelina was the only woman make it into the top 10. In fact she garnered the #2 position. That tied her with baby daddy Brad, Johnny Depp and Leonardo Leonardo DiCaprio. (Will Smith actually topped the poll.)

Forbes staff asked to industry insiders to rank over 1,400 actors. Factors included film participation, ability to influence financing and influence over box office performance. The magazine/website conducted the survey “between Sept. 3, 2008, through Nov. 16, 2008.”

Check out Angelina’s box office stats that helped her her land the coveted slot:

Global Box Office: $2,467,206,866

North American Box Office: $1,065,006,866

Box Office, Outside North America: $1,402,300,000

Three Top-Grossing Films (Global figures):

1. Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005): $478,236,279
2. Wanted (2008): $342,508,551
3. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001): $274,668,070

Stars rounding out the top 10 were Tome Hanks (#6), Georgy Clooney (#7)Denzel Washing(#8), (Matt Damon(#9) and Jack Nicholson(#10).

In addition to her humanitarian, work I’ve always been impressed with Angelina’s ability to secure a place for herself in this male dominated industry.

This is a lovely interview with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. They are openly affectionate, at one point Angelina touches his face, and very complementary of one another’s performances. It’s just darn cute.

I didn’t realize that Brad was with Angelina in Thailand. You’ll notice he’s got a couple of cameras around his neck. I’d love to see(but probably never will) his photos of these beautiful, heroic people. The first video is a UNHCR produced segment for the public at large and the second seems to be UNHCR piece that was released to the media. The second features Angelina talking about her work and the history of the UNHCR.

The United Nations Council of Refugees was founded after World War 2 to handle the refugees crisis created by that war. Since that time, the UHCR has worked tirelessly to resettle, house, clothe and educate those that have been forced form their homes. Angelina became a UNHCR Goodwill ambassador in August, 2001 and has worked tirelessly for refugees around the world since.