Angelina Jolie has offered a surprising perspective on her eldest son Maddox’s piloting ambitions, emphasizing the importance of passion over fear. Speaking to W Magazine, the 49-year-old actress revealed her fearless approach to parenting when asked if she felt nervous about the risks associated with Maddox, 23, flying planes.
“Maybe I just have a big family,” Jolie joked before elaborating. “I worry more that people aren’t finding themselves and something they love. I think that’s more dangerous—to walk so tentatively through life that you don’t take a risk, that you don’t wake up with passion. I’d rather they be out there trying and failing than not pushing and being passionate.”
Maddox’s Journey to the Skies
Jolie adopted Maddox in 2002, years before her marriage to Brad Pitt. Since then, Maddox has pursued a variety of interests, including filmmaking and aviation. In December, Jolie revealed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that Maddox had officially become a trained pilot, following in her footsteps. Jolie, who earned her own pilot’s license in 2004, once promised Maddox she would learn to fly when he was just 4 years old.
“Every time Mad sees a plane, he’s amazed,” Jolie told PEOPLE years ago. True to her word, she gifted Maddox a single-engine Cirrus SR22-G2 with his initials, “MX,” emblazoned on the tail number.
A Focus on Passion and Truth
The Maria actress also shared her views on honesty, calling it one of her core parenting principles. “My biggest pet peeve is liars,” Jolie admitted. “People who say one thing and mean another bother me. I think it’s important to speak the truth and be who you are.”
Jolie’s remarks come just days after she finalized her eight-year-long divorce from Brad Pitt. Together, the ex-couple shares six children: Maddox, Pax (21), Zahara (19), Shiloh (18), and twins Knox and Vivienne (16).
While her divorce settlement marks the end of one chapter, Jolie remains steadfast in nurturing her children’s passions and encouraging them to embrace life’s challenges head-on.
