Angelina Jolie took part in a written interview with DongA Ilbo Daily, where she talked about her son Maddox, 18, and his plan to return to his university in South Korea after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The movie star, 44, also discussed her focus during the health crisis, which she said is on children’s education and making sure they get food after school’s closed down.
The award-winning actress, a special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, recently donated one million dollars to the No Kid Hungry organization to feed children who relied on lunches from closed schools.
The latest: Angelina Jolie, a special envoy for the United Nation’s refugee agency, donated one million dollats to the No Kid Hungry organization to feed children who relied on lunches from closed schools; pictured October 9, 2019 at Maleficient: Mistress Of Evil premiere in London
The mother of six said Maddox will be returning to Yonsei University in Seoul once the pandemic has passed and the school reopens.
Maddox is a freshman at the school, where he is studying biotechnology.
‘I could not be happier about Mad’s choice of university. It is of course closed at the moment because of the pandemic..’ Angelina said to the DongA Daily, which is the leading media outlet in South Korea.
She continued: ‘But he’s not transferring school, he’ll be going back as soon as things settle. He’s using the time to focus on his Korean and Russian studies.’
Angelina said she admires the way South Korea became ‘such a successful modern economy while also preserving the culture and values that have made it unique for centuries.’
‘Nearly a billion young people globally are out of education, because of school and university shutdowns,’ which she says half of all students worldwide.
Angelina said in some countries, if a person’s education is interrupted in this way – with a global crisis, they may not ever be able to return due to having to work or other pressures.
Other kids depend on going to school to get their one meal a day that helps them survive against extreme poverty, as well as people who may be more vulnerable to domestic violence or abuse, she explained.
Family: the award-winning actress took part in a written interview with DongA Illbo Daily , where she talked about her son Maddox, 18, coming home from his university in South Korea due to the Covid-19 pandemic; pictured with Maddox on September 11, 2017 at TIFF in Toronto
Angelina said: ‘There’s an urgent need to help young people to continue their education, through distance learning for example, to ensure they are able to get their qualifications and that they get the other kinds of support they need.’
Angelina shares her six kids with ex husband Brad Pitt: Maddox, Pax, 16, Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 13 and 11-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.
The star told the outlet: ‘We are all so happy as a family that we will have the opportunity to get to know South Korea even better through Maddox, and with him, during his studies.’
Angelina highlighted the importance of education during the Covid-19 health crisis, as well people who live in refugee camps or those who do not have access to water.
Angelina said: ‘The immediate focus is of course the coronavirus and impact it could have on the world’s displaced people who are so vulnerable.’
She explained: ‘Many, for example, live in refugee camps where they don’t have the option of self-isolating. Or where they might not even have access to water to wash their hands regularly.’
The Maleficient star said that the most important thing to understand amid this crisis is that even before coronavirus, ‘the situation for refugees globally was dire, with chronic shortfalls in basic humanitarian assistance,’ with lack of basic healthcare as an example.
Doting mom: Angelina shares her six kids with ex husband Brad Pitt: Maddox, Pax, 16, Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 13 and 11-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne; seen on February 225, 2019 in NYC
Angelina spoke about following through after bringing awareness to an issue, something she said is key.
Explaining: ‘I think the problem we face is not a lack of awareness. It is holding those in positions of authority and leadership to account. Requiring them to live up to promises that have been made.’
The Tomb Raider star said her advice after getting everyone’s attention on a particular issue: ‘Immerse yourself in the issue you are concerned about, and become as knowledgeable as you possibly can about the facts, the laws and the change that is needed.’
When asked about a possible transition from acting to politics which she seemingly implied during her BBC interview, she said that ‘many of the problems we are dealing with are so vast that the idea that governments along can solve them is no longer true, if it ever was.’
She said that ‘we are all part of the solutions that are needed,’ as seen in the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Yes, there are things that only governments can do, but only if they work together with scientists, doctors, nurses, epidemiologists and regular citizens.’
Candid: Angelina spoke about following though after bringing awareness to an issue, something she said is key; pictured January 11, 2018 at the 23rd Annual Critics’ Choice Awards
The screen star is executive producing project BBC My World, which is a program about helping youths spot fake news.
Angelina said of the project: ‘We’ve never had access to so much information, but we all also need to question where that information comes from, if we can trust it, or whether someone is trying to manipulate us in some way.’
When asked about Harvey Weinstein, she said: ‘I respect the women who took part in the trial and bravely put evidence forward. Sadly, the issue is bigger than this one case.’
Adding: ‘In my experience, there is much more that people choose to accept, or don’t feel the need to change.’
Angelina, on her definition of true beauty, she said that it is ‘someone being their true self, whatever that might be, and not feeling that they have to hide their spirit or some aspect of their identity. Above all, a generous spirit. A kindness.’