Angelina Jolie fights back tears as she remembers her late mother while being honored with the Maltin Modern Master Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Angelina Jolie became emotional as she honored her late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Wednesday night.
The 49-year-old Hollywood actress was presented with the festival’s top accolade, the Maltin Modern Master Award, in recognition of her remarkable achievements in the film industry.
Angelina fought back tears as she expressed gratitude to her mother, Marcheline, for always encouraging her acting career, having sacrificed her own artistic aspirations.
She deeply touched the audience by revealing that Marcheline used to write letters to each of her characters, a heartfelt gesture she has missed since her mother’s passing in 2007.
“I’m incredibly grateful to be part of this community—many people go through life without a creative outlet,” Angelina reflected.
Angelina Jolie became emotional as she honored her late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Wednesday night.
The 49-year-old Hollywood star was presented with the festival’s highest accolade, the Maltin Modern Master Award, in recognition of her remarkable achievements in the film industry.
Taking the stage to accept the prestigious honor, Angelina choked back tears while speaking about her beloved mother, who had always supported her acting career after sacrificing her own creative dreams.
She touched the audience by revealing that Marcheline used to write letters to each of her characters—Dear Gia, Dear Lisa Rowe, Dear Lara Croft—a tradition she has deeply missed since her mother’s passing in 2007.
Reflecting on her latest role as opera singer Maria Callas in the 2024 biopic Maria, Angelina wondered what her mother would have written to the character. “She would probably have told Maria that she loved her because Maria had many things, but she never had a mother’s love,” she shared.
Angelina expressed how much her mother’s influence shaped her, saying, “I would be absolutely nothing without mine.” She also noted that her mother passed away during this time of year, making the season a poignant reminder of her loss.
Marcheline Bertrand died at 56 on January 27, 2007, after an eight-year battle with ovarian and breast cancer. In addition to Angelina, she had a son, James Haven, with her former husband, actor Jon Voight.
