The untold story of Angelina Jolie's Cambodian adopted son

From a poor orphan boy in Cambodia, Maddox became the adopted son of a Hollywood star, experienced a rich, happy life and studied at a prestigious university.

After more than 20 years of adopting a Cambodian boy, Maddox, the reason why the Hollywood star became this boy’s mother was revealed.

Angelina Jolie with her two adopted sons from Southeast Asia: Pax Thien (right) and Maddox.

In 2000, Angelina Jolie filmed the movie Tomb Raider (Secret of the Ancient Tomb) in Cambodia and she began to love this land. The famous actress decided to visit an orphanage to adopt a 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥. There, Angelina met Maddox and began the procedures to bring the boy back to America.

Thanks to the dedicated help of her partner Sarath Mounh – who runs a non-governmental organization in Cambodia, Angelina Jolie easily became Maddox’s legal adoptive mother. However, in an interview in July 2021, Sarath Mounh shared that he was not sure that Maddox was an orphan.

Rare images of Angelina Jolie when she came to Cambodia to meet and adopt Maddox.

Sarath Mounh commented that Maddox is a smart 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 and smiles more often than his peers. This is the reason why Jolie paid special attention to this boy the first time mother and son met.

“When Angelina Jolie visited the orphanage and saw Maddox, he smiled at her and stood up instead of crying like the other 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren. Maddox’s smile touched Angelina’s heart and that’s why why she chose Maddox,” Mr. Sarath revealed.

According to Mr. Sarath, Angelina Jolie overcame many legal obstacles to adopt little Maddox 20 years ago. “At that time, the problem of cross-border 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 trafficking was very bad in Cambodia. A lot of legal issues needed to be resolved and Jolie did not want to make mistakes.

In 2000, Angelina Jolie filmed the movie Tomb Raider and this was also the time when she had a fateful encounter with her adopted son Maddox.

As a friend and colleague, I registered to adopt Maddox as my adopted 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, then I signed a legal document for Angelina to receive Maddox from me,” he recounted.

In the records, Maddox is recognized as Sarath’s third 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥. After that, this man signed documents for Angelina to adopt Maddox. Thanks to Sarath Mounh’s help, Maddox went to America to live with Jolie and became one of the world famous star’s six 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren.

Little Maddox’s life has turned a new page. Maddox also regularly visits his homeland and is taught about the good traditions of Cambodia.

Angelina Jolie has done a great job as a mother to Maddox for nearly 20 years.

“We Cambodians are proud and happy because Maddox grew up in Angelina’s full conditions. Others don’t have that opportunity. So I hope Maddox will come back here and understand more about Cambodia’s culture.” Mr. Sarath added.

Over the years, he became his mother’s great companion, traveling with his adoptive mother to many parts of the world, participating in volunteer activities and witnessing the ups and downs in the life of Hollywood stars. Above all, Jolie does not consider Maddox an adopted 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 but sees him as her own son.

In 2017, Angelina Jolie and her six 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren went to Cambodia to attend the premiere of the movie she directed and her two adopted 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren worked as assistants – First They Killed My Father but could not meet Sarath.

Angelina Jolie always encourages her adopted 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren to learn and appreciate their roots.

The actress shared: “Returning to Cambodia after nearly 17 years, I feel like Cambodia is my second home. My 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren have close relationships with the 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren here, many of them are their best friends. Maddox Very happy to return to the place of my 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡.”

Recently, The Sun newspaper revealed that filmmaker Elizabeth Jacobs is making a documentary to find out the truth about adoption in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The film is titled The Stolen Children. stolen 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥) and mentions Angelina Jolie and Maddox.

Currently, Maddox is a college student and studying at university in Korea, the culture makes him very curious and loves to explore. The school Angelina Jolie’s eldest son attends is Yonsei University, one of Korea’s oldest universities. The school is considered one of the three best universities in the country along with Seoul National University and Korea University.

Rare image of Maddox with his adoptive parents Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt before the couple divorced in 2016.

Of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s six 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren, Maddox is the only one who is of adult age and does not need parental guardianship. In the post-divorce custody battle between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Maddox had the right to choose who lived with him and he always sided with his adoptive mother.

For Hollywood stars, Maddox is extremely important. She once said about her adopted son: “That is my first 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥. He makes me a real woman.”

She affirmed that this Southeast Asian boy made her change herself, become gentler, move away from a rebellious life and live more responsibly. After Maddox, Jolie adopted two more 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren and gave 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 to three 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren with Brad Pitt.

Maddox appeared when Jolie had just gone through two failed marriages and made her realize her maternal instincts.

Maddox’s bright smile and adorable, innocent appearance inspired the famous actress to have a special feeling for this boy at the orphanage.

Maddox came to Jolie when she had just ended her second marriage and the boy became the “buoy” that saved the famous star from her hopeless and rebellious days.

Over the years, Jolie has always supported her 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 in every decision in life. This boy also absolutely respects and loves his adoptive mother. Maddox became Jolie’s support during her “noisy” divorce with Brad Pitt that lasted nearly 5 years.

In 2016, during the flight from France to Los Angeles, USA, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had a heated argument. Maddox protected his mother by standing in front of Brad Pitt.

The Hollywood actor and his eldest son then had a collision and the Los Angeles Department of Child Protection and Family Support was forced to intervene to determine whether Brad Pitt had committed violent acts against his 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥.

Maddox became her adoptive mother’s little companion before she met and fell in love with Brad Pitt.

The famous actress has a special relationship with her adopted son of Cambodian origin.

Although Brad Pitt was found innocent, the father-son relationship between him and Maddox also broke down. It is known that both adopted sons – Maddox and Pax Thien – always sided with Angelina Jolie in the noisy divorce.

Last March, it was reported that Maddox was willing to testify and give positive information to Jolie in the custody battle for the 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren. However, the court rejected the 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren’s testimony, causing Brad Pitt to temporarily win and have custody of the five 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren like Angelina Jolie. This information made the Dark Fairy actress angry and frustrated.

However, at the end of July 2021, the judge responsible for deciding on the custody rights of the Hollywood star couple was suddenly ᵴtriƥped of his rights and had all judgments annulled, and Angelina Jolie temporarily became the sole guardian of the 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren.