Marcheline Bertrand American actress, mother of Angelina Jolie Date of Birth: 09.05.1950 Country: USA

1. Biography of Marceline Bertrand
2. Early Life and Heritage
3. Move to California and Acting Career
4. Marriage and Children
5. Later Life and Career
6. Personal Life and Legacy

Biography of Marceline Bertrand

Marceline Bertrand was an American actress and the mother of Angelina Jolie and James Haven. She was born on May 9, 1950, in Riverdale, Illinois. Her parents were Lois June Gouwens (1920-1973) and Roland Bertrand (1919-1974). Marceline had two siblings, a brother named Riley and a sister named Debbie.

Early Life and Heritage

Marceline had a Franco-Canadian heritage and had Native American ancestry from the Iroquois people through her father's side. She was a descendant of French colonist Zacharie Cloutier, who was one of the first immigrants to settle in Quebec in the mid-17th century and the founder of the town of Boport. However, her ex-husband John Voight once claimed that the Iroquois ancestry was fabricated to enhance her exotic and attractive image. The media often mistakenly referred to Marceline as a French actress, but her daughter Angelina clarified that her mother was not French and grew up in a bowling alley owned by her parents.

Move to California and Acting Career

In 1965, the Bertrand family, including 15-year-old Marceline, relocated from Chicago to Beverly Hills, California. There, Marceline attended high school starting from the second grade. During her youth, Marceline studied acting under renowned actor, director, and educator Lee Strasberg. Many years later, her daughter would also study at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.

Marriage and Children

On December 12, 1971, Marceline Bertrand married John Voight, who was almost 33 years old at the time. They had two children together - a son named James in 1973 and a daughter named Angelina in 1975. Both of their children went on to pursue careers in the film industry, with James becoming an actor and screenwriter, and Angelina becoming a globally recognized movie star. However, Marceline and Voight's marriage faced difficulties, and they separated in 1976. Their divorce was finalized on April 14, 1980. Voight was largely absent from his children's lives, and Marceline had to raise them on her own. Angelina later credited her decision to become an actress to her mother's unwavering support and understanding.

Later Life and Career

Marceline did not achieve the same level of fame as her daughter and only had a few minor acting roles before stepping away from the profession. In 1978, Marceline began a relationship with documentary filmmaker Bill Day. Although they never married, they lived together for 12 years in Beverly Hills and New York. Their hopes of having a child together were shattered due to multiple miscarriages. The couple also developed a film project titled "Amazonia," which they sold to director Ridley Scott, although the film was never made.

In the mid-1990s, Marceline turned her attention to film production. She served as an executive producer for the documentary film "Trudell," which focused on activist John Trudell, a member of Native American tribes. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005.

Personal Life and Legacy

In an interview with Marie Claire magazine in June 2007, Angelina revealed that she chose the name Pax for her second adopted son from a list of names provided by Marceline before her death. Angelina also mentioned that the women in her maternal family did not live long lives. Her grandmother died young at the age of 53, and her mother also had a premonition of her early death. Angelina credited her mother for instilling empathy towards those less fortunate in life and recalled her joy when helping others.

Marceline Bertrand spent her final years avoiding the public eye and ceased giving interviews. She battled ovarian cancer for seven years but ultimately succumbed to the disease. Marceline had the opportunity to meet her first grandchild, Shiloh Nouvel, before passing away on January 27, 2007, in Los Angeles. At the time of her death, her children and Brad Pitt were with her in the hospital. In her will, Marceline mentioned Shiloh Nouvel and her adoptive grandchildren, Maddox and Zahara, leaving each of them a trust fund of $100,000.