Angelina Jolie and Vanity Fair magazine are in a war of words regarding the real story behind the child actor auditions for the upcoming movie, “First They Killed My Father.” Jolie said that the story on Vanity Fair, which claims that these child actors were taught to steal and lie, were not true.
According to Los Angeles Times, a game was used as a casting method to see which child actor fit the role best. Vanity Fair claimed that Cambodian children actors were asked to snatch money then come up with a lie once they got caught. Jolie said that how the casting method was interpreted was taken out of context because it was just a pretend exercise or an improvisation.
The actress and director cleared that it was not a real scenario and she herself would be outraged if real money was involved and children were taught to lie.
Jolie’s legal team comments on issue
The legal team of Jolie also commented on the issue. They said that the casting crew showed the child actors the camera and sound recording material when they did the exercise, meaning they knew that it was just pretend. The crew also explained that the children would be asked to act out a part and they were not tricked at all because they were aware that the exercise was only fictional. Relatives or guardians were also there to oversee the exercise.
It was not stated by Jolie's legal team whether they are seeking damages from Vanity Fair.
Vanity Fair responds
The original story from Vanity Fair claimed that children were placed in front of a table and money was on top of it. They were asked to think about where they would spend the money and snatch it way. The movie producers would then pretend to catch them and when they get caught, the children would have to come up with a lie as to why they took the money.
Vanity Fair said they are sticking with their story because of the transcripts of Jolie’s interview they have with them. The transcripts were recorded by Evgenia Peretz on two devices and both were reviewed by the magazine. The magazine said in a statement that they will stand by Peretz’s story.
Jolie was the cover story of the September issue of Vanity Fair where she also talked about her life after the divorce from Brad Pitt as well as her Bell’s Palsy diagnosis.
She also discussed how her kids are coping since she and Pitt broke up.
“First They Killed My Father” is a film centered on the story of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge genocide. It will be out on Netflix next month.