Angelina Jolie Faced Over 100 Rejections in Auditions for Bizarre Reasons, Including For 'Being Too Dark'

Pursuing a career in Hollywood might seem glamorous, but it comes with its own set of challenges just like any other career. The celebrities we adore today have faced countless rejections before landing worthwhile roles. For example, even Angelina Jolie, one of Hollywood's most sought after and highest-paid actresses, have faced nearly 100 rejections early in her career. The reason? — for being "too dark," as reported by Fandom Wire.

Earlier this year, Jolie sat down for an interview with Backstage, recalling the earlier days of her acting career, opening up about the bizarre challenges she faced. She said, “I think I was starting to audition around 16, or 17, and would be going out for the girlfriend or the girl in high school. And I was just never that girl. I was always told that I was too dark. I went through a period, years ago, when I was told I was too ethnic. Isn’t that strange? Now I’m not ethnic enough on occasion."

"But there wasn’t something regular enough about me; it just didn’t fit," she added. The actress shared how she eventually landed the role of a crack addict. “I went on a hundred auditions; my mom and I actually checked off the hundredth. I think my first job was as a crack addict in a film, and then my second job was, like, a cyborg. So it was clear that my career was going to be full of very bizarre, strange women—which ended up being the ones I liked anyway.” 

Interestingly, in December 2023, Jolie also disclosed that she would not choose Hollywood if she were starting her career today. In an interview, she spoke about the constant pressure to live her life in the public eye. She said, "I wouldn't be an actress today. When I was starting out, it wasn't as much of an expectation to be as public, to share so much." She also mentioned that being an actor means the public decides how they see you. "Since I was young, people liked the part of me that's pretty tough and maybe a bit wild — that's the part that I think people enjoy," she opined, as reported by Business Insider.

"I'm not the one you want to hear about my pain or my sadness. You know, that's not entertaining," the actress continued. Growing up with actors Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand as parents, Jolie admitted she was never really impressed by Hollywood. She said, "I grew up in quite a shallow place. Of all the places in the world, Hollywood is not a healthy place. So you seek authenticity." Jolie also expressed her desire to spend more time in Cambodia, where she has another home.