Angelina Jolie is popular for her humanitarian and charity works. Thus, people were shocked when they learned how she cast the Cambodian child who will be starring in her Netflix film “First They Killed My Father.”
Jolie plays ‘psychological games’ in casting children
Jolie who is going through a divorce from Brad Pitt will be busy as she is directing her upcoming Netflix film “First They Killed My Father.” In an interview with Vanity Fair, the actress admitted that they exerted too much effort in finding the child who would play the lead role of Loung Ung.
In fact, they searched for children who experienced hardships in life in the different areas of the country. They searched at orphanages, circuses, and slum schools.
The team used a different approach in finding the one that deserved the spot. Jolie’s casting director set up a game that disturbed realism. They put money on the table and asked the child to think of a reason why they needed the money. The child would snatch the money, and the director would pretend to catch the child who would lie why she did the act.
Jolie recalled how they found the child who bagged the title role. "Srey Moch [the girl who was ultimately chosen for the part] was the only child that stared at the money for a very, very long time," Jolie explained to Vanity Fair.
"When she was forced to give it back, she became overwhelmed with emotion. All these different things came flooding back. When she was asked later what the money was for, she said her grandfather had died, and they didn’t have enough money for a nice funeral.”
While Jolie proudly shared how they found the lead star of her film “First They Killed My Father,” netizens did not like what they learned. A number of fans slammed Jolie on Twitter.
Netizens criticize the ways Jolie cast children for Netflix film
Shortly after Jolie revealed how they cast the child star for their Netflix movie, a number of Twitter users reacted and most of them did not approve of it. Many found the process absurd. Some even questioned how Jolie had become an ambassador for children considering the cruelty she displayed during the Cambodian kids during the audition.
Many believe that what Jolie did to the already poor and impoverished children in Cambodia was traumatizing. A number considered it exploitation and emotional abuse. Another referred to it as “monstrous,” hoping that it won’t go unnoticed.
Was Jolie's choice a result of her personal endeavors after splitting from Pitt? The "Maleficent" star admitted that she struggles after her much-publicized divorce from Pitt because she has to handle the household, the kids, and her affairs alone.
What’s your take on Jolie’s way of casting the Cambodian children for her Netflix film? Share your thoughts below.