When Angelina Jolie tells you not to fit in, you don’t.
Joined by her dates, daughters Zahara and Shiloh, Jolie made an appearance at the Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday, where she gave a riveting speech for winning Best Villain for her role in Maleficent. Squealing and throwing their arms around their mother, her excited daughters joined in the merriment as the crowd went wild for the actress.
Keeping it short and sweet, the actress, who is known for using her celebrity status to stand up for causes she feels strongly for, stressed the importance of individuality.
“I want to say that when I was little, like Maleficent, I was told that I was different. And I felt out of place — too loud, too full of fire, never good at sitting still, never good at fitting in. And then one day I realized something — something that I hope you all realize. Different is good. So don’t fit in, don’t sit still, don’t ever try to be less than what you are, and when someone tells you that you are different, smile and hold your head up and be proud.” – Angelina Jolie, Kids’ Choice Awards 2015
Earlier this week, Jolie published The New York Times Op-Ed follow up to her decision on getting a double mastectomy. So not only has she encouraged younger audiences to stand up for their differences, but she’s also shown bravery on medical decisions.
Jolie ended her speech with a wink, advising the roaring crowd to “cause a little trouble; it’s good for you.”
She may juggle being an actress, a filmmaker and the special envoy of the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, but it is undoubtedly so that her greatest role is being a mother.
Marissa Iqbal Hakim can be reached at [email protected] or @daenamarissa on Twitter.