With a superstar husband who is literally the envy of most women in the world, Angelina Jolie could be famous for just that. Instead, the eccentric daughter of actor Jon Voight takes a more brazen approach. She is one of the most highly respected female actors of the current generation, and when it comes to humanitarian acts, few people in the world put more time and effort into helping people's lives than Angelina Jolie.

Although she's had her fair share of controversy, mostly stemming from her Mrs. Billy Bob Thornton days, Angelina has come out on the other side smelling like roses. She's a top movie star with an extremely impressive resume.

Angelina Jolie Voight was born June 4, 1975 in Los Angeles, California. Jolie was born into celebrity. Her father is award-winning actor Jon Voight and her god-mother is Jacqueline Bisset. In 1976, while young Angelina was only a year old, Jon and Marcheline divorced and Marcheline took Angelina to the Palisades in New York to raise her.

Although both Angelina's mother and father were actors in the business, she didn't lead much of a charmed life. Her mother was flat broke when Jolie insisted they move back to LA so she could attend acting classes.

At only 11 years old, Jolie was sure she wanted to be an actress. She used to watch movies with her mother in them. She claims her father never influenced her decision. Jolie went to school wearing hand-me-down clothing, and this awkward appearance made her the target of ridicule. Before long, Jolie had turned to self mutilation. She was cutting herself.

Jolie began to rebel when she was a teenager. Her acting ambitions were briefly put aside while she expressed her angst at the world. After graduating high school, she attempted to break into acting, though not through the help of her father. The two had been estranged for years.

While Angelina had done some modeling and starred in music videos, she had never found her big break. She got a chance to play Cornella Wallace in the 1997 film George Wallace and she was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Jolie would then burst onto the scene by starring in the 1998 HBO film Gia. This bold look at the true story of a supermodel plagued by drug addiction and eventually dying from aids was the kind of role custom-tailored for Jolie.

Angelina started to grab other acting roles, like Playing by Heart, Hell's Kitchen and Pushing Tin, but it wasn't until she starred in the 1999 film Girl, Interrupted that Hollywood took full notice of Jolie's unique ability. Jolie took home an Oscar for best supporting actress. The next year, Jolie starred alongside Nicholas Cage in a legitimate summer blockbuster, Gone in 60 Seconds. Since then, her career has flourished.

Although Jolie continues to star in great movies, at least once per year, her real work is done with her adopted children and other forms of charity. She's a humanitarian in every sense of the word.