While many young girls would jump at the chance to play a fairytale princess in a Hollywood blockbuster, when Angelina Jolie offered her daughter Shiloh a plum role in her 2014 film Maleficent, the eight-year-old’s response was extremely telling.
‘I asked Shiloh about being Aurora, and she laughed in my face,’ Jolie told Elle at the time. ‘She said she’d be a horned creature.’ Instead, the role of the young Aurora went to her younger sister Vivienne, while Shiloh opted for a voiceover role in Kung Fu Panda two years later for her Hollywood debut.
When her 18th birthday arrived, there was no lavish party. She celebrated by hiring and paying for her own lawyer to drop her father’s surname, going from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie amid her parents’ bitter divorce battle.
It should have come as no surprise to ‘Brangelina’ fans as the couple were known before their split who followed the couple’s unconventional family set-up as they travelled the world with their posse of six children – three adopted and three biological.
While all the Jolie-Pitt children have provoked fascination, Shiloh has long been the most individual in the family and was determined to forge her own path from the age of two, when she insisted she was a boy called John, and would only wear the same clothes as her brothers.
While she’s since evolved out of her tomboy phase, the 18-year-old has been training for years with the Millennium Dance Complex in LA – where staff initially had no idea who her famous parents were.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt ‘s daughter Shiloh could be set to follows in her parents’ famous footsteps to stardom. She is pictured here in LA on Friday wearing braids seemingly inspired by her mother’s iconic Lara Croft character
Shiloh has also been turning heads with her new look after moving on from her suit wearing tomboy phase where she preferred to be called John (pictured 2014)
In 2021 Shiloh (L) took to the red carpet in a revamped version of her mother’s Dior dress to the Eternals UK premiere in London (R, Angelina pictured 2019)
And she has increasingly turned to her mother Angelina, 49, for style inspiration, swapping her boyish buzz cut for long hair and tailored suits for flowing gowns.
This week she was spotted wearing braids seemingly inspired by the actress’ iconic Lara Croft character.
Last month fans were sent wild when they spotted Shiloh wearing a ‘cool’ safety pin earring, which they took as a direct nod to her mum’s 90s punk rock style.
Meanwhile in 2021, Shiloh stunned by wearing a revamped version of her mother’s Dior dress to the Eternals UK premiere in London.
Speaking about her daughter’s style Angelina told Reuters: ‘I think she is fascinating, the choices she is making’.
The Oscar winner previously shared insight into Shiloh’s tomboy phase saying the youngster considered herself to be ‘one of the brothers’.
In May, her longtime choreographer, Keelan Carter, revealed to DailyMail.com that the teenager could not be further from the stereotypical Hollywood ‘nepo baby’ (pictured 2023)
The teen’s new glam style has seen her grow out her blonde locks and sport gorgeous gowns on the red carpet alongside Angelina (C) with Shiloh (R) and sister Zahara (L) in 2021
Angelina and Brad, who reached a divorce settlement in December 2024 following a contentious eight-year legal battle, are also parents to sons Maddox, 23, Pax, 20, Knox, 16, as well as daughters Zahara, 19, and Vivienne, 16.
‘She wants to be a boy,’ she told Vanity Fair in 2011. ‘So we had to cut her hair. She likes to wear boys’ everything. She thinks she’s one of the brothers.’
Apparently coining a new fashion term, she said: ‘Shiloh, we feel, has Montenegro style. She dresses like a little dude. It’s how people dress there. She likes tracksuits, she likes [regular] suits.’
Back in 2008 it was revealed that Shiloh had requested she be addressed as John since the age of two.
Shiloh, who dropped her estranged father’s surname, is a talented dancer who has been praised by her teacher for her dedication and ‘consistency’
The teen looks a dead ringer for her famous mother (pictured together in 2021)
Speaking about her daughter’s style Angelina said: ‘I think she is fascinating, the choices she is making’ (pictured 2021)
Fans were sent wild when they spotted Shiloh wearing a ‘cool’ safety pin earring , which they took as a direct nod to her mum’s 90s punk rock style (R, Angelina in 1995 film Hackers)
Angelina previously shared insight into Shiloh’s tomboy phase and androgynous look, saying the youngster considered herself to be ‘one of the brothers’ (pictured in 2018)
Brad, 61, told Oprah Winfrey: ‘She only wants to be called John. John or Peter. So it’s a Peter Pan thing. So we’ve got to call her John. ‘Shi, do you want…’ ‘John. I’m John.’ And then I’ll say, ‘John, would you like some orange juice?’ And she goes, ‘No!’.
‘So, you know, it’s just that kind of stuff that’s cute to parents and it’s probably really obnoxious to other people.’
Addressing the name change at the time, Angelina said that there was no need to ‘interpret’ anything from the request.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Angelina said: ‘I don’t think it’s for the world to interpret anything. She likes to dress like a boy and wants her hair cut like a boy and she wanted to be called John for a while.
‘Some kids wear capes and want to be Superman and she wants to be like her brothers. It’s who she is. It’s been a surprise to us and it’s really interesting, but she’s so much more than that – she’s funny and sweet and pretty. But she does love a tie…’
Angelina revealed during an interview with Good Morning America that Shiloh is ‘extremely private’ as are her siblings.
Angelina stated: ‘None of my children want to be in front of the camera [at] this time.’
While Shiloh has spent the majority of her childhood out of the spotlight, she made her acting debut at age two in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, alongside her dad, and had a few lines in her mother’s animated film, Kung Fu Panda 3, in 2016.
At age eight, she turned down the opportunity to be in her mom’s 2014 film Maleficent.
‘I asked Shiloh about being Aurora, and she laughed in my face,’ Angeline told Elle at the time. ‘She said she’d be a horned creature.’
Her younger sister, Vivienne, ultimately took on the role and Shiloh has reportedly spent the past few years focusing on a career in dance.
In 2022, a source told HollywoodLife that ‘Angelina has made a huge effort to nurture her kids’ interests in all kinds of things’ and ‘enrolled them in everything from art classes to computer programming to martial arts and, at one point or another, all the kids have tried out dance lessons.’
Brad told Oprah Winfrey: ‘She only wants to be called John. John or Peter. So it’s a Peter Pan thing. So we’ve got to call her John’ (pictured 2014)
Addressing the name change at the time, Angelina said that there was no need to ‘interpret’ anything from the request (pictured 2019)
After seeing that Shiloh was a natural at dance, the performer made a ‘big point to nurture that.’
‘Shiloh started out with private lessons before she joined a small studio near their house and then all through the pandemic, she was doing zoom classes. She’s very committed to it,’ the insider revealed. ‘Angelina’s amazed by how talented Shiloh is, but more than that she loves to see how happy Shiloh is when she’s dancing.’
Shiloh, or ‘Shi’ to her friends and family, first wowed the world with her dance skills in 2021, when a video of her performing went viral.
Shiloh has been a member of Millennium Dance Complex for many years and has gone viral for her moves a number of times.
In May, her longtime choreographer, Keelan Carter, revealed to DailyMail.com that the teenager could not be further from the stereotypical Hollywood ‘nepo baby.’
‘Shiloh is an exceptionally talented dancer, demonstrating dedication and hard work,’ the accomplished choreographer, actor and fashion designer continued.
‘She is a sincere and straightforward person who never uses her celebrity status to her advantage.’
‘Shi does not rely on her famous name to achieve her goals. Honestly, I didn’t even know who she was at first and I don’t think this matters, especially in a dance studio.
‘I understand that it can be difficult to see the person beyond her celebrity status, but I urge you to make an effort for her. Believe me, it is worth it.’
Keelan told DailyMail.com that his recent dance videos featuring Shiloh ‘were made in the same way I post any dancer who comes to my sessions or classes and whom I believe deserves to be featured.’
Keelan has posted numerous videos featuring Shiloh, as have several of her other dance class colleagues, but the famous daughter is rarely tagged in any of the videos, as they all respect her privacy, DailyMail.com was told.
Although Angelina – who worked with the the UN Refugee Agency for more than two decades – has not commented specifically on Shiloh’s dance, she has spoken out about fostering the unique talents of all of her children.
Shiloh, or ‘Shi’ to her friends and family, first wowed the world with her dance skills in 2021, when a video of her performing went viral (pictured 2023)
‘Children should be allowed to express themselves in whatever way they wish without anybody judging them because it is an important part of their growth,’ she once said in an interview with Reuters.
In 2022, Shiloh’s dad, Brad, gushed about his daughter’s dance ability to Entertainment Tonight while promoting his film Bullet Train.
He called Shiloh ‘very beautiful’ and said that her talent ‘brings a tear the eye.’
‘I don’t know where she got it from. I’m Mr. Two-Left-Feet here,’ Brad told ET at time.
Shiloh’s dance talent has been recognised since 2021 when a video of her dancing to Vegas by Rihanna was shared on YouTube by LA-based choreographer Hamilton Evans.
Another video saw Shiloh busting her best moves to Lizzo’s About Damn Time, while the rest of her dance troupe watched on from behind.
‘Shiloh loves dancing. She’s seriously talented and has been going to these classes for a few years now,’ an insider told Us Weekly at the time.
‘She’s made some good friends through the dancing community too, and they’re all in chat groups and share their favorite playlists and that type of stuff.
‘The teachers are all very impressed with her and say the sky’s the limit if she wants to take it to the next level, and Shiloh may just do that.’
The source added: ‘Brad and Angie are both very proud. They’d have no issue if she wants to turn pro, but they’re not pushing it on her by any means.’
