Divorced from actor Jon Voight, Marcheline Bertrand raised Jolie and son, James Haven herself
It's been a strange week in the celebrity world.
TV stars got charged with vehicular manslaughter and film stars mourned the loss of parents.
Last Sunday, Angelina Jolie announced that her mom, former actor Marcheline Bertrand, had died of cancer.
Bertrand passed away Saturday afternoon at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, surrounded by Jolie, her brother, actor-filmmaker James Haven, and Brad Pitt.
Bertrand had reportedly battled the disease for the past seven years. According to reports, she was 56 years old.
Then on Monday night, The Insider had footage of Pitt leaving an L.A. building surrounded by press. Flashbulbs popping it's a miracle the man didn't go blind. "You people are unbelieveable" he muttered as security guards pushed photographers back. Then Brad dashed to his motorcycle and took off. Such is life for the rich and famous even in as they mourn a loved one.
Born in Chicago, Bertrand studied under famed acting coach Lee Strasberg, but she put her career on hold after marrying Jon Voight in 1971. The couple had two children, Haven and Jolie, before a bitter split in 1976. Voight reportedly had a girlfriend. The divorce was finalized two years later.
Bertrand raised the children herself, and Jolie and Voight were estranged for years. (After a brief reconciliation and co-starring in Tomb Raider, Jolie and Voight had a falling-out and haven't spoken since.)
Jolie indicated that a private funeral was being planned and asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Women's Cancer Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai.
