Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt is celebrating today. The son of the very famous actors, Angelina Jolie, 50, and Brad Pitt, 61, turns 22! The Hollywood stars adopted Pax in 2006 from Vietnam just after the birth of their daughter, Shiloh Nouvel.
Pax spent the early years of his life at the Tam Binh Orphanage outside of Ho Chi Minh City. "He spent [three and a half] years of his life in one place, in one room, in this one little iron bed with 20 other kids, and having no choice for himself to do things, having no freedom," Angelina told MSN.
"And suddenly, here he is in a very free situation with new brothers and sisters and a mom and dad," she continued. "He's learning English and he's so loving and he's wild and free 'cause he suddenly has freedom."
As Pax celebrates his 22nd birthday, HELLO! looks back at his life over the years.
© Getty ImagesHe is the second oldest of the Jolie-Pitt kids
Pax was three and a half when Angelina and Brad adopted him. He joined his older brother, Maddox, and his younger sisters, Shiloh and Zahara. Two years after coming home with his parents, Pax became a big brother to twins Knox and Vivienne, who were born on July 12, 2008.
"They're six very strong-minded, thoughtful, worldly individuals. I'm very proud of them," Angelina told Vanity Fair in 2017.
© Getty ImagesPax returned to his hometown in 2011
While their children were growing up, Angelina and Brad made a point to travel to the hometowns of their children. In 2011, Pax and his family visited his hometown in Vietnam. "We owe Vietnam a visit, because Pax is due," Angelina told the Financial Times in 2011. "They are all learning about each other's cultures as well as being proud of their own. They all have their flags over their beds and their individual pride."
"We travel often to Asia, Africa, Europe, where they were born," Angelina told Vogue in 2015 of her children's birthplaces.
She continued, explaining Pax and his brother Maddox's heritage: "The boys know they're from Southeast Asia, and they have their food and their music and their friends, and they have a pride particular to them."
© Getty ImagesPax has worked in Hollywood with his mom
Angelina has made it clear that her children have no interest in being actors, but even so, Pax has worked alongside his famous mom. In 2014, he made a cameo in Maleficent, voiced the character Yoo in his mom's 2016 film Kung Fu Panda 3, and worked in the assistant director department on Without Blood, a film Angelina directed.
© Joy MaloneHe loves to travel
The Jolie-Pitt kids are global. Angelina made a point to bring her children along with her as she traveled the world. In 2011, five years after she adopted Pax, the actress told NBC Los Angeles: "I'm trying to raise them to have respect for all people and make friends around the world."
She continued: "[I want them to] feel at home with the world and really live a truly global [life] — because I think it's what forms them and it's really important to me. And I make sure they do their math and their science, but that is the most important thing for me."
© SL, Terma / BACKGRIDIn July 2024, Pax was hospitalized after a bike accident
traffic in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. According to TMZ, Pax wasn't wearing a helmet during the accident and was treated at a nearby hospital for a head injury and hip pain.
Per People, Pax was in the ICU for a week, was supported by his mom and his siblings, and was on the mend.
