Angelina Jolie is no stranger to making headlines, but this time it’s not for her humanitarian work or film career. The “Salt” actor has sparked controversy after revealing the non-conventional method in which she bonds with her and Brad Pitt’s 16-year-old daughter, Vivienne.
While some people see Jolie as a “cool mom,” others find it unsettling, and the internet has made its feelings known.
During the summer, Jolie, 49, unveiled a tattoo featuring a quote from “The Outsiders,” the Broadway musical she produced. The ink reads “Stay Gold,” a reference to one of the songs from the show, and now, during a recent interview with CR Fashion Book, she shared that her 16-year-old daughter Vivienne has the exact same tattoo.
The matching tattoos, which are permanent, are meant to commemorate their time working on “The Outsiders” together.
“I got ‘Stay Gold’ with my daughter Viv during our time with ‘The Outsider,’” Jolie said. “It means so much to us separately and together.”
Jolie’s version of the tattoo is on her wrist, but she didn’t mention where her daughter’s tat is located.
As soon as the news hit the internet, opinions exploded.
When “Entertainment Tonight” posted the news on its Instagram page and its followers wasted no time expressing their thoughts.
While some focused on how much Vivienne resembles her father, Brad Pitt, others questioned whether it was appropriate for a teen to have such a permanent tattoo.
“GROSS,” one person exclaimed. Another user commented, “I doubt the kid had a choice—she’s branded.”
Critics continued to pile on, with one remarking, “Poor kid. Mom just owns her,” and another saying, “She’s teaching her daughter her crazy ways!! Shame on her. Grow up and teach your kids good values.”
One person even suggested Jolie would have had a very different reaction if her ex-husband Pitt had made a similar decision.
“I’m sure if Brad allowed that, she would call child services on him,” the commenter wrote, adding, “And plaster ‘bad Father’ across the internet.”
One X user wrote, “You wonder why Brad curbed it? Wadda dumb b—ch.”
“It’s like no one recalls what Jolie was like back in the day… don’t think she’s changed much, despite this demure look she’s toted the past decade or so,” another tweet read.
It’s like no one recalls what Jolie was like back in the day… don’t think she’s changed much, despite this demure look she’s toted the past decade or so.
— XiXi Davey (@xhertx) September 22, 2024
Not everyone hated the mommy/daughter moment.
One comment said, “That’s so cool! Angelina Jolie and her daughter, Vivienne, getting matching tattoos while working on ‘The Outsiders’ Broadway musical is such a special bonding experience.”
“It must be a meaningful tattoo for both of them,” the person added. “Matching tattoos are a great way to commemorate a special moment or connection between loved ones.”
Vivienne has been working with her mom since she became interested in “The Outsiders” project.
In fact, she even joined Jolie on opening night, according to Page Six. As the two walked red carpet at New York City’s Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, the young lady dressed in a navy utilitarian jumpsuit and Converse sneakers, contrasting to her mother’s light brown gown with a darker rusty colored cape.
A few months later, she accompanied her to the Tony Awards, matching her mom’s teal velvet gown with a crisp suit and bowtie.
Jolie shares five other children with Pitt: Maddox, 23; Pax, 20; Zahara, 19; Shiloh, 18; and Vivienne’s twin, Knox, 16. During the CR Fashion Book interview, she shared that she has another sentimental work of art on her body, a representation of a bird.
According to the “Maleficent” star, “some” of her kids also sport the image, which she says is “personal to us.”
For some, Jolie’s matching tattoos with her daughter are seen as a sentimental mother-daughter moment. But for others, the decision feels odd, inappropriate, or even controlling.