A Photoshoot of a Young and Unknown Angelina Jolie (12 photos)

Angelina Jolie was only 15 years old when she attended a professional photo shoot with renowned Hollywood photographer Harry Langdon in Los Angeles. Back then, almost no one knew her, even though her father was the famous actor Jon Voight.





For several decades, Langdon photographed people in show business. He shot celebrities such as George Clooney, Halle Berry, and Sophia Loren.

"When we're asked to photograph a relative of a famous actor, in this case Jon Voight, we always think, 'Well, here we go again, we can only hope she knows what to do, and we'll do our best,' but in the end, it was a big surprise!" the photographer says.



Langdon recalls being struck by Angelina's confidence during the shoot.

"Somehow, it was as if she knew what to do. I don't know if it was telepathy or something. Usually, I can picture a pose in my mind that will make a great shot, and then bam! She just strikes it."

The shoot took place on January 11, 1991, and lasted about two hours. Langdon didn't charge anything.

"We used the term 'test photo shoot.' A kind of free sample, in the hopes that these shots would one day be valuable."



The photographer recalls that there was very little talking on the set, which, he says, is unusual for young actors.

"Sometimes during photo shoots, I get into deep conversations, like about skiing or horseback riding. With Jolie, it was all business."



Langdon only found out the young model's age after the shoot. "I knew nothing about her. I knew nothing about her living situation, about her boyfriends. I knew nothing about her acting experience."







Among the many outfits worn for the photo shoot was a swimsuit.

"She started posing quite sexy. But those poses don't really suit her. She exuded pure sensuality. I simply shot from different angles."



Angelina Jolie's film career wouldn't begin until a couple of years after this photo shoot. In 2000, she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Girl, Interrupted.



The photographer gave the photos to Jon Voight and never heard from them again.



"When it comes to acting, you have to demonstrate as much of your body language and sensuality as possible in front of the camera. Because there's no video camera, no dialogue, you have to express everything with your body, which she did incredibly well."



"Now, when I photograph a budding actor, I don't know who they'll ultimately become. The more experience I gain, the more I realize that every photo shoot I do can be meaningful."