Angelina Jolie Has Dinner With Estranged Father Jon Voight

Angelina Jolie and her father Jon Voight have had a notoriously rocky relationship. Which might be why many people find it surprising that the two were seen taking in a family dinner together.

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Joining them were four of Angelina’s kids, Pax, Zahara, Vivienne, and Knox.

The Jolie-Pitt/Voight clan took in a nice Wednesday night dinner at a Beverly Hills sushi restaurant.

If this casual night out between father and daughter, and subsequent grandchildren, doesn’t surprise you then you may not be familiar with how volatile Jolie and Voight’s relationship was in the past.

She was so intent on severing her connection to him that she legally changed her name to Angelina Jolie, dropping the Voight last name that she was given at birth.

While the private source of their trouble can’t be specifically pinpointed, it’s speculated that she’s harbored resentment against Jon for leaving her mother when she was just a baby and only sporadically being in her life.

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The most publicly glaring moment of separation for the two, though, came in 2002 when, after she’d legally changed her name.

Jon did an interview and brought his estranged relationship with his daughter up, saying, “I’m broken-hearted… because I’ve been trying to reach my daughter and get her help, and I have failed and I’m sorry. Really I haven’t come forward and addressed the serious mental problems she has spoken about so candidly to the press over the years, but I’ve tried behind the scenes in every way.”

Much to Jon’s surprise, that did not go over well with Angelina, who then tripled her efforts to cut him out of her life.

About a year later she brought up her father’s comments in her own interview, elaborating on why his comments were so damaging. “They could have decided he’s right, she’s crazy, let’s remove that child from her custody, and that’s unforgivable. My father and I don’t speak. I don’t believe that somebody’s family becomes their blood. Because my son’s adopted, and families are earned.”

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Interestingly, it wasn’t until Brad Pitt, Angelina’s now estranged husband came into the picture that things improved between the father and daughter.

Pitt reportedly encouraged Angelina to reconcile with her father and, eventually, she did.

While it’s unfortunate the kids have to endure their parent’s messy public divorce, it’s great to see that their grandfather is around to offer extra love and support.

[H/T: Daily Mail]