The Stunning Transformation Of Zahara Jolie-Pitt
Zahara Jolie-Pitt is the adopted daughter of stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. She was born on January 8, 2005, in Awasa, Ethiopia, to a mother who presumably left her after she became malnourished and sick with salmonella (per Hollywood Life). Angelina adopted her when she was 6 months old and brought her to the U.S. to become part of the Jolie-Pitt family along with older (also adopted) brother Maddox (via People).
According to People, Angelina was moved to adopt an Ethiopian child due to the "estimated 4 million children orphaned [there] as a result of AIDS, famine, and disease." At the time, Angelina thought Zahara was orphaned by AIDS as well, although there were rumors since that her biological mother may still be alive and living in Ethiopia. In 2006, Angelina legally changed her daughter's name from Yemsrach to Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt when Brad Pitt officially became the adoptive father to her and her brother Maddox (per Us Weekly).
In her young life, Zahara has already done more than many other teens have ever experienced: From being a part of a big family and attending red carpet Hollywood premieres to launching her own jewelry collection, this is the stunning transformation of Zahara Jolie-Pitt.
Zahara Jolie-Pitt's mother, Angelina Jolie, helps her stay connected to her heritage
In 2009, Angelina Jolie took a then 4-year-old Zahara Jolie-Pitt back to Ethiopia for the "first time ... since her adoption" (per People). According to a "close family friend" who was interviewed by People, the mission of the trip was to "[keep] up that culture for [Zahara]" and to find a location for a clinic that would be named after Zahara and dedicated to AIDS and tuberculosis (TB).
Ensuring that Zahara has a connection to her culture is something that Angelina seems to have always encouraged not only for Zahara but for all of her children. Per a 2015 article in Vogue, Angelina takes the whole family on trips to Europe, Asia, and Africa together so that all of the children can learn about their own culture and their siblings' different cultural backgrounds (Zahara has two stepbrothers who were born in Southeast Asia). Plus, all the children are homeschooled by teachers who speak different languages and have ties to different religions and backgrounds (via Vogue).
In 2021, Angelina commented in a 2020 Time 100 Talk that Zahara "is [her] family, but she is an extraordinary African woman and her connection to her country, her continent, is her own, and it's something [that she can] only stand back in awe of" (via Life & Style).
Zahara Jolie-Pitt appeared in the third Kung Fu Panda movie
In 2016, Zahara Jolie-Pitt voiced Meng Meng (one of the rambunctious triplet baby pandas) in Dreamwork's "Kung Fu Panda 3." She also did some uncredited work in Angelina Jolie's film "Maleficent" in 2014 and appeared in an episode of "VH1: All Access" as herself in 2006. It's been a while since the young Zahara took to the screen (and mostly only as a voice actress for "Kung Fu Panda 3"), leaving many to wonder if she's considering acting as a future career move and how her celebrity parents would feel if she did.
At the Oscars in 2020, when asked how he'd feel if any of his kids wanted to pursue acting, Brad Pitt responded, "I want them to follow their passions, whatever they're most interested in ... But sure, why not" (per Hello!). While it seems that several of the Jolie-Pitt kids have had small parts here and there (for example, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt played young Aurora in the first "Maleficent" movie), Angelina hasn't been able to convince any of them to appear with her in any of her other movies as of yet. As Angelina told People in 2019, "I tried. None of my kids want to be actors. [They're into] business, humanitarian affairs, things like that. Nobody was interested!"
She launched a jewelry collection
In 2019, Zahara Jolie-Pitt partnered with jeweler Robert Procop to create "The Zahara Collection," which sold at Saks Fifth Avenue locations as well as other retail stores around the U.S. and Australia (per People). According to Us Weekly, Zahara unveiled her jewelry line at the premiere of Angelina Jolie's movie "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" in 2019 where she wore dangly three-jeweled earrings, a matching ring on her right hand, and a simple, yet elegant, bracelet on her left wrist — all of which were 18-carat gold.
Designer Procop has previously worked with Angelina on her "Style of Jolie" collection in 2010. In keeping with her mother's example (Angelina released her 2010 collection to benefit her charity, Education Partnership for Children in Conflict), the proceeds from Zaraha's collection were said to benefit the House of Ruth Shelters, which "provide transitional housing for battered women and children," per Us Weekly. The collection includes gemstone pieces in citrine, pink quartz, and pink sapphire. Sounds fabulous!
Zahara Jolie-Pitt appears to be very close with sister Shiloh
Although it seems clear that the Jolie-Pitt bunch are a pretty tight-knit group of siblings — Zahara Jolie-Pitt seems to be particularly close with her sister, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt. According to Life & Style, Zahara and her younger sister, Shiloh, are "very close" and, while Shiloh "gets along with all her siblings," she always seeks Zahara out for fashion advice. The two seem to bond over a mutual interest in fashion.
Some may speculate that the two are close merely due to their close age and familial bond, but it doesn't seem to be so simple. They seem genuinely close, as they are usually photographed standing next to each other (perhaps engaging in some light sister gossip) and have been seen shopping together. They also played on the same football team together as kids and share a lot of the same celebrity friends (per Style). Not only do the sisters seem to enjoy each other's company, but they also appear to genuinely love each other — this was evident in 2020 when both girls took turns undergoing surgeries and helped care for the other while they recovered (per Style).
She has met the president of Ethiopia
In keeping with her mother's wish to maintain a connection to her cultural roots, at the end of 2019, Zahara Jolie-Pitt returned to the country where she was born to welcome in the new year with her mother, Angelina Jolie, and three of her siblings — Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Knox Jolie-Pitt, and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt (via People). While there, Zahara also got to meet her birth country's first female president, Sahle-Work Zewde.
As People noted, Zahara, Shiloh, and Angelina even had the opportunity to sit down and talk with the president herself. At the talk, they discussed Ethiopian culture, education, women's access to sanitary napkins, equal access to education, and continuing efforts to treat tuberculosis (TB) within Ethiopia. Since 2009, Angelina has provided funds through the Zahara Program in partnership with the Global Health Committee and the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health to treat and combat drug-resistant TB in Ethiopia. According to the magazine, this work has led to "continuing success in treating people with TB in the region."
Zahara Jolie-Pitt has stunned on the red carpet
In 2021, Zahara Jolie-Pitt showed she's not afraid to wear hand-me-downs when she wore her mother's dress from 2014 at the "Eternals" premiere (per USA Today). The Elie Saab Couture dress originally worn by Angelina Jolie at the 2014 Academy Awards is a long-sleeved floor-length number in shimmering silver. While the dress has already been seen before, we're loving the fact that such a gorgeous dress was put to good use once more! And Zahara most definitely made it work.
Zahara has always been the Jolie-Pitt child known for killing it with her style. Perhaps, she'll go into fashion — which will enable her to put the French language she's reportedly been learning during the pandemic to good use (per Hello!). Likely with Zahara's advice, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt also wore one of mom's old dresses to the premiere of "Eternals." Shiloh donned a beige mid-length dress with an asymmetrical hemline, a dress originally worn by Angelina on a summer 2021 trip to Paris (per Life & Style). She completed the look with white flats and double anklets.
Whether it's fashion or humanitarian work she pursues, it seems likely that Zahara Jolie-Pitt will have a bright future!