Angelina Jolie, mother of six, lost her own mother, Marcheline Bertrand, to breast cancer in 2007—a loss that deeply affected her. Jolie, now 50, has long honored her mother’s legacy and continues to speak publicly about the impact of her passing.
Born in 1975 to actors Marcheline Bertrand and Jon Voight, Jolie was raised primarily by her mother after her parents divorced when she was three. Marcheline, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999, passed away at age 56. Jolie has often spoken about their close bond and how her mother’s dedication to family shaped her own views on motherhood.
In 2013, Jolie underwent a preventative mastectomy after discovering she carried the BRCA1 gene, which gave her an 87% risk of developing breast cancer. Her decision, shared in a New York Times op-ed, sparked the “Angelina Effect,” raising global awareness about genetic testing and cancer prevention. Jolie expressed hope her story would empower women to make informed health choices.
Her openness earned praise from medical experts and celebrities alike, with charities reporting a significant increase in women seeking genetic counseling.
Jolie has continued to reflect on her mother’s passing. In a 2019 Time essay, she shared the pain of raising her children without their grandmother’s presence and hoped her choices would allow her to live longer for them.
At a recent screening of her film Couture at the Toronto International Film Festival, Jolie became emotional when asked about hope in the face of cancer. Recalling a moment with her mother, she said: “All anybody ever asks me about is cancer.” Jolie encouraged people to treat those battling illness as whole individuals, saying, “They’re still living.”