Best Photos of Angelina Jolie With Her 6 Kids

While Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s long custody battle over their six kids has dominated the news cycle for the years since Jolie filed for divorce, there’s a narrative about Jolie’s parenting journey that often gets lost along the way: how much she absolutely loves being a mother and always has. In March 2002, Jolie became a mom for the first time, adopting baby son Maddox from Cambodia. Three years later, she welcomed Zahara, adopting her from an orphanage in Ethiopia in 2005 — just around the time she first made her couple debut with Pitt after meeting on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Jolie was just getting started building her brood when she met Pitt, and it seems that he was of a similar mind. The next few years were a whirlwind of growing their family: in January 2006, they announced Jolie was pregnant with their first biological child, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, and Pitt formally adopted Jolie’s two older kids, changing their names to Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt and Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt. In 2007, shortly after welcoming Shiloh, they adopted son Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt from Vietnam in 2007, and in 2008, Jolie gave birth to twins Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt.

In the years since her 2016 separation from Pitt, Jolie has spoken often of the comfort her children have given her, even as she works to protect them from the increased scrutiny brought on by her divorce.

“The part of us that is free, wild, open, curious can get shut down by life. By pain or by harm. My children know my true self, and they have helped me to find it again and to embrace it,” she told Harper’s Bazaar in 2019. “They have been through a lot. I learn from their strength. As parents, we encourage our kids to embrace all that they are, and all that they know in their hearts to be right, and they look back at us and want the same for us.”

Read on for our favorite photos of Jolie being a loving mom to her six kids.

A version of this article was previously published in June 2021.

Venice Film Festival (2004)

Image Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS.

“Enough is enough, mama!” Baby Maddox is laying down the law.
Live 8 Africa Calling Concert (2005)

Image Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS.

3-year-old Maddox isn’t sold on the celeb life yet but mom Jolie is absolutely glowing.
Hollywood ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ Premiere (2016)

Image Credit: Eric Charbonneau/Invision/AP.

Perks of a movie star mom? Getting to go to Hollywood premieres. From the left, Jolie’s pictured here with Shiloh, Vivienne, Knox, Zahara, and Pax.
42nd Toronto International Film Festival (2017)

Image Credit: Hubert Boesl/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images.

In a rare photo with all six kids, Jolie poses with Loung Ung Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Kimhak Mun, and Sareum Srey Moch for the premiere of ‘First They Killed My Father’.
Toronto International Film Festival (2017)

Image Credit: Evan Agotini/Invision/AP.

Could Jolie look any prouder standing with her two eldest boys Maddox and Pax?
Los Angeles ‘The Breadwinner’ Premiere (2017)

Image Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP.

Shiloh and Zahara (just a year apart in age) accompanied their mama to this 2017 premiere.
Golden Globes (2018)

Image Credit: Invision for Lindt Chocolate.

Jolie is smiling way more than we usually see of celebs at awards shows, but maybe that’s just because Pax is with her.
National Board of Review Awards Gala (2018)

Image Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP.

Middle children unite! Shiloh and Zahara were once again mom’s dinner date to this 2018 gala.
Tokyo ‘Maleficent’ Premiere (2019)

Image Credit: Kento Nara/Geisler-Fotopress/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images.

And now: the Maleficent series. For the Tokyo screening, Jolie dazzled in silver while her eldest son and daughter donned a mature black.
Italy ‘Maleficent’ Premiere (2019)

Image Credit: AP.

In Italy, all three Jolies repped black head-to-toe as Shiloh and Zahara made the most of their night out in Rome.
London ‘Maleficent’ Premiere (2019)

Image Credit: Grant Pollard/Invision/AP.

In London, Jolie looked absolutely regal in her long gown, and even brought 12-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne with for the evening.
Los Angeles ‘Maleficent’ Premiere (2019)

Image Credit: Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP.

This Los Angeles premiere saw 16-year-old Zahara look absolutely stunning in a strapless gown while Pax rocked some designer kicks and Knox bringing out the Versace sweatpants. It’s an eclectic collection of looks that this family pulls off perfectly.
Los Angeles ‘Eternals’ Premiere (2021)

Image Credit: Michael Buckner for Variety.

At the 2021 Los Angeles premiere of Eternals, Jolie and five of her six kids showed off their best looks. Zahara even fashioned her mom’s 2014 Oscars dress for the event.
Rome ‘Eternals’ Premiere (2021)

Image Credit: Stefano Costantino / MEGA.

For the Rome premiere of Eternals, Jolie was joined by Shiloh and Zahara on the red carpet. It was really sweet how the trio held hands.
London ‘Eternals’ Premiere (2021)

Image Credit: James Whatling / MEGA.

Passing on her clothes to her kids isn’t anything new for Jolie. Her daughter Shiloh sported one of her mom’s dresses at the London premiere of Eternals.