Angelina Jolie has always had a special bond with her eldest son, Maddox. His childhood fascination with airplanes sparked her own interest in aviation. In 2004, Jolie shared that she wanted to impress Maddox by learning to fly, hoping to become a real-life superhero in his eyes.

By December 2004, when Maddox was just three, Jolie earned her private pilot’s license. Soon after, she bought a Cirrus SR22-G2 single-engine plane, personalizing it with a tail number that honored Maddox. During her training, she received support from her then-husband, Brad Pitt, and was noted for her confidence in the cockpit.

Maddox takes to the skies

Fast forward to 2017, and Maddox began his own journey in aviation. Jolie expressed her surprise at his skills, stating, ‘He’s quite capable and always takes me by surprise.’ This year, during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she announced that Maddox had officially become a licensed pilot at 23, even mentioning that he can now fly solo.

Jolie expressed confidence in her son’s abilities, emphasizing the importance of pursuing one’s passions. She believes that it is riskier not to seek what you love than to try and possibly fail. Maddox’s journey into flying is just one of the many ways he is carving out his own path, distinct from his family’s Hollywood legacy.