Angelina Jolie is no celebrity dilettante

Angelina Jolie is no celebrity dilettante, insists former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
In the latest issue of Newsweek. Powell comes to Jolie’s defense, dismissing naysayers who snipe that the actress (who was recently appointed to the Council on Foreign Relations) doesn’t really understand the complex global issues she takes on and is merely looking for a photo-op.
"She's absolutely serious, absolutely informed," says Powell. "Her work with refugees is not something to decorate herself. She studies the issues."
"For her, it's not about saving the world, it's about saving kids," he says. "She doesn't need this. This needed her."
Indeed, Jolie is tired of having to prove herself. "People can just hate back and forth, and I understand my own country's irresponsibility with our foreign policy sometimes, but can't we please try to be open-minded, and see that there are some of us who are trying?"
Starring in A Mighty Heart, a film about the murder of Jewish American journalist Daniel Pearl by Muslim extremists, also configured into Jolie’s advocacy for international understanding.
But that doesn’t mean she didn’t have her doubts. "People advised me that this movie was politically dangerous," Jolie says. "I thought maybe I shouldn't touch this. Maybe it would do more harm than good."
Brad Pitt, who was a producer on the film, tells Newsweek that it was he who introduced his girlfriend to Daniel’s widow, Mariane Pearl.

"Being in the room with those two women is great fun," he says. "It's like sitting down with Roosevelt and Churchill." He paused. "Only much better-looking."
The Babel actor reveals that he thought Jolie would be the best actress to play Mariane, but he was hesitant to broach the subject.
"I knew the part had to be played by someone with Mariane's strength and understanding of the world, but I didn't know how to broach the subject," he says. "It feels a little like Wolfowitz trying to get his girlfriend a job," Pitt added, referring to the former World Bank president who stepped down after being accused of giving his girlfriend a high-paying position.
The couple have often said that they hope to expand their brood which already includes Maddox, 5, Pax, 3, Zahara, 2, and one-year-old Shiloh.


"We want to have as big a family as we can," Jolie says. "Our only restriction is making sure we have time for everybody, and we're finding that we have the ability to do that."
Pitt, 43, who went from having no children to being a father of four in the space of 15 months, laughs when the subject is brought up.
"Yeaaahhh, we do things in extremes. But I've always embraced big changes, and this feels very natural. It's just the most fun I've ever had."
For now, Jolie, 32, is content to simply focus on her family and let her charity work speak for itself.
"People can question your choices, accuse you of things, but your real work and your integrity will [win] out," she says. "All that matters is if I build a strong family, if I'm able to do my advocacy work and if my children are happy."