B MAGAZINE / NO ANGEL

Angelina Jolie sleeps with her brother and eats journalists for dinner, right?

B’s Amanda Goff rang the sexy Tomb Raider Star in LA to find out.

When I was told I’d be speaking to a Hollywood actress at 5.30 in the morning about her new movie, I was pretty calm. Until I found out it was Angelina Jolie. As cyber goddess Lara Croft in the film Tomb Raider, she kicks butt and is the pin-up for computer geeks world-wide. But, lets be honest – in the real world, Ms Jolie is the kind of woman who makes people nervous.

Ever since she shot to stardom in 1998, after playing a supermodel dying of AIDS in Gia, Angelina’s been renowned for talking openly about the things tabloid editors crave and publicists cringe at: her bisexuality, her knife fetish and her shotgun wedding to 45-year-old Billy Bob Thornton to name but a few.

But now that she’s 26 and a sought-after member of the A-list, you’d think she would’ve learned to be more reserved, maybe even refuse to answer a few questions, right? Wrong. She’s as open as ever.

What is suprising is that she’s so lovely. From the moment she got on the phone from the film studios in LA, Angelina was funny, articulate and super-friendly. She even apologized for the time! “I didn’t realize it was so early over there!” she gasped in the ever-so-slight British accent she adopted for Tomb Raider. Angelina was more than happy to chat about her movie, her husband and why she can’t stop being so damn honest...

You spent three months preparing for your role as Lara Croft. How hard was it to give up all your vices?

"My God, it was impossible! I had to change my whole life. I love smoking and coffee but there was no way I could’ve carried on drinking and smoking and train. I spent the days canoeing, sequence fighting, kickboxing, bunjee jumping and learning how to use weapons. I had to give up alcohol, too.

 

" Did you cheat? "

I had to – it was the only thing that kept me sane! I sneaked in the odd ciggie when no-one was looking at first, still drank coffee. But after a few weeks of training, I realized my body couldn’t cope with those poisons. My diet changed too – I ate egg-white omlette for breakfast, chicken breast for lunch and something light for dinner. My body shaped up and I became stronger. Oh, and I was doing yoga and having lots of sex, too...

 

" So it was sex that toned your butt?

[Laughs] "Yes, the best training I ever did was exercising in bed with my husband. A few sessions with him did my body the world of goof! In fact, if you need to work those muscles, I’d recommend going to bed with your lover. It worked for me!"

You and Billy Bob are obviously madly in love. But when you’re not being Hollywood stars, what do you do in your spare time?

"Honestly? Just homely stuff. We spend most of our time at our house in LA where we spend lots of quality time doing family things. I’ll be lying in bed reading and Billy will be playing with his kids. Or we’ll all run about the house playing games. We chose that house because it’s got a recording studio, so Billy might spend a Sunday afternoon recording while I could be lying about. He’s got an album coming out and you’ll be able to guess which songs are about me!

 

" How does Billy Bob compare to younger guys?

"You know, I couldn’t tell you that – seriously. I haven’t dated that many people in my life, so I wouldn’t have a clue. My ex-husband [Trainspotting’s Jonny Lee Miller] was younger, sure, but he had an old mind. Anyway, I don’t see Billy as being older than me. He’s on the same wavelength. He’s so strong – a great dad, a fantastic friend, just everything. If being older makes him who he is, then so be it."

 

What’s the most outrageous thing that’s ever been written about you?

"Oh God, loads. Probably that I shagged my brother. We were pictured kissing, as brothers and sisters do, and just before I picked up my Academy Award [Best Supporting Actress for Girl, Interrupted], someone overheard James lean over and whisper ‘I love you’ in my ear. So that makes us lovers? Get real. It’s weird actually – since that rumour, I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘I think it’s great that you have such a strong relationship with your brother; I do, too,’ or ‘I wish I got on with my brother like you.’ So in a way, that rumour didn’t bother me as it made people talk about their families."

 

You always speak so openly and candidly. Do you ever regret it?

"I’m completely open, so I’m always going to say things that get a lot of attention. I can’t be bothered trying to cover things up. I say shocking things and most of them are true."

 

Such as?

"Such as sleeping with a women and my fascination with knives and how I cut myself. I’m just trying to be honest and it’s not my fault if certain people can’t handle that. Half the time, I’m surprised people react so badly to what I say; I just live freely and have a free attitude. Some even think it’s strange that I love my husband so much or talk about him so deeply as I do, but I love him so of course I’m going to say these things. What’s so odd about that?"

 

What makes you angry?

"I hate people who think they can judge others or go out to hurt people or cause them to go into their shells."

 

And your passions?

"Without a doubt, my husband is my first passion – and his kids. The best times are when we’re in bed, with his kids sleeping between us. Or when we’re out and he’ll look at me, catch my eye and smile. It’s just simple stuff but it means the world to me."

 

You are one of the sexiest women in the world. What’s your secret?

"You’ve got to be kidding! Me, sexy? God, you should see me right now, I’m wearing a platinum blonde wig and my black hair is tucked underneath. The hair above my ears is dyed blond to get the bits the wig doesn’t, so my hair is full of blonde stripes. I don’t look sexy, I look like a badger! Sexiness comes from within anyway. Being hungry for life is sexy; maybe that’s why I attract people."

Aussie actor Noah Taylor stars with you in Tomb Raider. How did you two get along?

"I loved Noah! He’s an exceptional man. He was my choice for the movie – he’s wild, unpredictable and smart. A real, regular guy and a great actor." And what do you think of Australia? "I was in Australia a year and a half ago filming The Bone Collector and fell in love with the place. You guys have got everything there. And you’ve got such a lot of history, too. I didn’t pick up any souvenirs but I’ve got some great memories."