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Angelina Jolie: The Untold Story Before Fame

John Doe07 mins

Angelina Jolie’s Early Days: A Unique Photo Shoot Experience

A Glimpse into the Past

In her quest for success in Hollywood, aspiring actress Angelina Jolie began her journey at a young age. At just 15 years old, she had a noteworthy photo shoot with esteemed photographer Harry Langdon in Los Angeles. Despite her father being Academy Award-winner Jon Voight, Jolie was relatively unknown at the time.

Aspiring actress Angelina Jolie was 15 years old when she had a professional photo shoot with Harry Langdon in Los Angeles. She was relatively unknown at the time, even though her father was actor Jon Voight.
Aspiring actress Angelina Jolie was 15 years old when she had a professional photo shoot with Harry Langdon in Los Angeles. She was relatively unknown at the time, even though her father was actor Jon Voight.

The Experience Behind the Lens

For decades, Langdon has captured the essence of numerous celebrities in the entertainment industry, including luminaries like George Clooney and Halle Berry. Reflections on the day of Jolie’s shoot reveal a mix of hope and surprise. Langdon shared, “When we get a call to photograph a relative of a well-known actor — in this case, Jon Voight — we sort of figure: ‘Well, OK, here we go again. Let’s hope that she knows what she’s doing, and we’ll do our best.’ … It turned out to be a nice surprise.”

For decades, Langdon has been photographing people in the entertainment industry. He's shot celebrities such as George Clooney, Halle Berry, and Sophia Loren.
For decades, Langdon has been photographing people in the entertainment industry. He’s shot celebrities such as George Clooney, Halle Berry, and Sophia Loren. “When we get a call to photograph a relative of a well-known actor — in this case, Jon Voight — we sort of figure: ‘Well, OK, here we go again. Let’s hope that she knows what she’s doing, and we’ll do our best.’ … It turned out to be a nice surprise,” Langdon said.

Jolie’s Impressive Poise

During the two-hour session on January 11, 1991, Langdon was deeply impressed by Jolie’s innate confidence. He noted, “Someway or another, she just sort of knew what to do. I don’t know if it was mental telepathy or what, but she kept going into these poses.” This natural ability to express herself played a significant role in the effectiveness of the shoot.

Langdon remembers being struck by Jolie's confidence during the shoot.
Langdon remembers being struck by Jolie’s confidence during the shoot. “Someway or another, she just sort of knew what to do,” he said. “I don’t know if it was a mental telepathy or what. I can usually see in my imagination a pose that would work, and — boom — she kept going into these poses.”

A Unique Perspective

Langdon described a unique ambiance during the shoot, stating that there was minimal conversation, a common occurrence among young actors. He remarked, “With (Jolie), it was all business.” This serious demeanor contributed to the professionalism exhibited despite her young age.

Langdon recalled there being little conversation on set, which he said isn't uncommon for young actors.
Langdon recalled there being little conversation on set, which he said isn’t uncommon for young actors. “Sometimes on photo sessions I get into in-depth conversations about their skiing or their horseback riding or something like that. With (Jolie), it was all business.”

Capturing the Moment

Jolie’s outfits varied throughout the shoot, contributing to a dynamic visual narrative. Langdon described how she exuded sensuality in her poses, emphasizing the artistry of a still camera. “She emitted a real sensuality. I just kept shooting from different angles,” he noted.

Jolie's many outfits included a swimsuit during the shoot.
Jolie’s many outfits included a swimsuit. “She started posing pretty sexy,” Langdon said. “But it wasn’t so much her poses. She emitted a real sensuality. I just kept shooting from different angles.”

A Star in the Making

Shortly after this distinctive shoot, Jolie’s career saw promising advancements, culminating in her winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2000 for her role in “Girl, Interrupted.” This moment underscored the significance of her early beginnings in the film industry.

Jolie's film career would take off a couple years after the shoot.
Jolie’s film career would take off a couple of years after the shoot. In 2000, she won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role in “Girl, Interrupted.”

Conclusion

Reflecting on this unique experience, Langdon emphasizes the necessity of body language in acting, especially in still photography. He stated, “When it comes to acting, for a still camera, you have to express a great deal of your body language and your sensuality… which she did really, really well.”

Langdon discussed the importance of body language in still photography.
“When it comes to acting, for a still camera, you have to kind of express a great deal of your body language and your sensuality the best you can,” Langdon said. “Because there’s not a moving camera and there’s no dialogue, you have to say it all with body language — which she did really, really well.”


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