If you’ve ever watched a classic 70s movie and thought the lead actor looked strangely familiar, you probably weren't imagining things. The sharp jawline and those intense eyes belong to none other than Jon Voight, the Hollywood heavyweight who happens to be the father of Angelina Jolie.
It’s one of those Hollywood facts that everyone "sorta" knows but doesn't really talk about, mostly because their relationship has been a total roller coaster for about forty years. Honestly, the drama between them could be its own Oscar-winning screenplay.
Jon Voight: The man behind the name
Basically, Jon Voight isn't just "Angelina's dad." He’s a legend in his own right.
Born in 1938, Voight exploded onto the scene in the late 60s. His breakout was Midnight Cowboy (1969), where he played Joe Buck. He actually won an Academy Award for Best Actor later on for Coming Home (1978). If you’re a 90s kid, you probably remember him as the villain in Mission: Impossible or the creepy poacher in Anaconda.
He met Angelina's mother, Marcheline Bertrand, in 1971. They seemed like the ultimate "it" couple of the era. They had two kids: James Haven and, of course, Angelina. But things went south pretty fast.
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Why they didn't speak for years
The rift started early.
Voight and Bertrand separated when Angelina was just a toddler, eventually divorcing in 1980. The reason? Infidelity. Voight has since admitted he had an affair, and that betrayal cast a massive shadow over Angelina’s childhood. She grew up watching her mother give up her own acting dreams to raise two kids alone while her famous father was out being a superstar.
For a long time, they tried to make it work.
They even appeared together in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider back in 2001. It seemed like a healing moment. It wasn't. Shortly after, the wheels fell off.
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In 2002, Voight went on Access Hollywood and pleaded for his daughter to get help, claiming she had "serious mental problems."
Imagine your dad telling the entire world you're unstable on national TV. Angelina was furious. She legally dropped "Voight" from her name that same year, opting to just be Angelina Jolie. They didn't speak for nearly seven years after that.
The long road to reconciliation
It took a tragedy to bring them back into the same room. When Marcheline Bertrand died of cancer in 2007, the ice started to melt.
Brad Pitt is actually credited with helping them bridge the gap. He reportedly encouraged Angelina to reconnect so her children could know their grandfather. By 2010, they were seen in public together again.
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Lately, things are... okay?
They still don't agree on much. Voight is very vocal about his conservative politics, while Jolie is a dedicated humanitarian with very different views. Just recently, in 2024 and 2025, Voight has been making headlines again, sometimes praising his daughter's parenting and other times publicly criticizing her stance on global conflicts.
It's messy. It’s human.
Key things to remember about Jon Voight
- He’s an Oscar winner: He won Best Actor for Coming Home.
- The surname change: Angelina dropped "Voight" because of their estrangement.
- The 2002 fallout: This was the lowest point of their relationship.
- Grandchildren: Voight has expressed a desire to be more involved with Angelina’s six kids.
If you’re looking to understand the dynamic better, watching their shared scenes in the first Tomb Raider movie is fascinating. You can practically see the real-life tension masquerading as acting.
What you can do next
If you're curious about the cinematic legacy of this family, the best way to see the "DNA" in action is to watch Midnight Cowboy (for Voight's peak) followed by Gia (for Jolie's breakout). You’ll see exactly where she got that raw, transformative acting style. Also, keeping an eye on their rare joint appearances at industry events usually gives a good "temperature check" on where their relationship stands today.