How Angelina Jolie Shaped the Future: A Legacy Timeline

A closer look at the lasting mark left by Angelina Jolie—a timeline of influence.

Angelina Jolie is a highly acclaimed American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. Recognized with numerous awards including two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, and three Golden Globe Awards, she has been repeatedly named Hollywood's highest-paid actress. She is known for her acting roles and humanitarian work.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1991: Reference to Christie Brinkley

In 1991, model Christie Brinkley was compared to Angelina Jolie by Allure magazine as the American beauty ideal.

1993: Adaptation of Susanna Kaysen's Memoir

In 1993 Susanna Kaysen's memoir was adapted into a film Girl, Interrupted, for which Angelina Jolie later won an Oscar.

2001: Success in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

In 2001, Angelina Jolie starred in "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider", which relied on her sex appeal for commercial success. Her "pneumatic figure", "feline eyes", and "bee-stung lips" contributed to her appeal to audiences.

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2002: Observed Attraction to Jolie

In 2002, AfterEllen founder Sarah Warn observed that many women of all sexual orientations had publicly expressed their attraction to Angelina Jolie, which she considered a new development in American culture.

2004: Reflecting on Punk Kid Period

In 2004, Angelina Jolie reflected on her past, stating, "I am still at heart—and always will be—just a punk kid with tattoos."

2006: Increased Popularity and Recognizability

By 2006, Angelina Jolie's Q Score nearly doubled to 25 and her recognizability grew to 81% among Americans, following her work as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR. Her image was improving through media influence.

2006: Celebrity Endorser and Brand Ambassadorships

In 2006, Angelina Jolie, together with Brad Pitt, was found to be the favorite celebrity endorser for brands and products worldwide in a global industry survey by ACNielsen. Jolie became the face of St. John and Shiseido from 2006 to 2008.

2007: "The Gold Standard of Beauty"

By 2007, Angelina Jolie was considered "the gold standard of beauty", with her full lips remaining the most imitated celebrity feature well into the 2010s.

2008: Time 100 and Brand Ambassadorships

In 2008, Angelina Jolie was listed among the Time 100. She also continued her brand ambassadorships with St. John and Shiseido. From 2006 to 2008, Jolie was the face of St. John and Shiseido.

2009: World's Most Powerful Celebrity

In 2009, Angelina Jolie was named the world's most powerful celebrity in Forbes's Celebrity 100 issue and Hollywood's highest-paid actress, with estimated annual earnings of $27 million.

2011: American Beauty Ideal

After a 2011 repeat survey by Allure found that Angelina Jolie most represented the American beauty ideal, compared to model Christie Brinkley in 1991, writer Elizabeth Angell credited society with having "branched out beyond the Barbie-doll ideal and embraced something quite different".

2011: Endorsement Deal with Louis Vuitton

In 2011, Angelina Jolie signed an endorsement deal with Louis Vuitton reportedly worth $10 million, a record for a single advertising campaign. She was also listed as the most powerful actress by Forbes from 2011 to 2013.

2013: Highest-Paid Actress

In 2013, Angelina Jolie was listed as Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes, with estimated annual earnings of $33 million.

2013: "The Angelina Effect" on BRCA gene testing

In 2013, Angelina Jolie's announcement of her mastectomy led to widespread publicity and discussion about BRCA mutations and genetic testing. Dubbed "The Angelina Effect", this resulted in a global increase in BRCA gene testing, with referrals tripling in Australia and doubling in the United Kingdom, parts of Canada, and India. Jolie advocated for wider accessibility of BRCA gene testing, which saw costs reduced after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling invalidated BRCA gene patents held by Myriad Genetics in 2013.

2013: Redefining Beauty

In 2013, Jeffrey Kluger of Time agreed that Angelina Jolie has symbolized the feminine ideal for many years and opined that her frank discussion of her double mastectomy redefined beauty.