A friend of Angelina Jolie in Cambodia revealed details of the fate and journey this star chose to adopt Maddox among hundreds of orphans in this country.

Maddox turned 20 years old on August 5, has 5 younger siblings and is currently a university student in Korea. Due to the epidemic situation, Maddox switched to studying online and stayed with his adoptive mother Angelina Jolie and her children in Los Angeles – USA all the time. Recently, some sources in entertainment newspapers said that Maddox is about to return to Korea to continue his studies, but there are no detailed information yet.

Maddox is the first adopted child in Angelina Jolie’s life. Sarath Mounh – friend and former business associate of Angelina Jolie, revealed to Daily Mail the journey of the star adopting Maddox.

Angelina Jolie and baby Maddox

Sarath Mounh (right) sits next to Angelina Jolie and baby Maddox in 2003

The adoption process was made easier thanks to Sarath Mounh’s support

Maddox was chosen thanks to his smile that conquered Angelina Jolie

Sarath Mounh said he was extremely proud to have contributed to helping Maddox become Angelina Jolie’s child and have the life he has today. In 2002, Sarath Mounh adopted Maddox from an orphanage. In Sarath Mounh’s family records, Maddox is his third child. After that, Sarath Mounh signed documents for Angelina Jolie to adopt Maddox from him.

Having a Cambodian adoptive father helps Angelina Jolie a lot in legal matters because she is a foreigner. At that time, the Cambodian government was trying to destroy international child trafficking rings, so it was even more difficult for foreigners to directly adopt orphans.

Sarath Mounh said that Angelina Jolie wanted to adopt Cambodian children because she loved this country after coming here to film “The Secret of the Ancient Tomb” in 2000. She chose Maddox among hundreds of other orphans because she loved it. boy the first time we met.

“There are many children in the world who need care, need a better life. At that time, she wanted to become a mother but thought it was better to be a mother to a child who needed good care. That’s why. why she decided to adopt Maddox instead of having a baby. She told me this and we also talked about many other things” – Sarath Mounh said.

Maddox with 5 children and adoptive parents Angelina Jolie – Brad Pitt

Adult Maddox and his adoptive mother Angelina Jolie

Sarath Mounh is currently in Toronto, Canada with his children

He added that the reason Maddox conquered Angelina Jolie was because she often smiled, her smile captured her heart. “According to what she told me, when she visited the orphanage and saw Maddox, Maddox smiled at her and stood up instead of crying like all the other children. Maddox smiled right away at her. Angelina Jolie and that touched her heart. That’s why Angelina Jolie chose Maddox. She commented that Maddox is smart, sharp, lovely, and smiles with everyone more than any other child ” – Sarath Mounh added.

Sarath Mounh does not regret trying to help Angelina Jolie. The two remained friends and became partners many years later after Sarath Mounh’s non-profit organization worked with the Maddox Jolie – Pitt Foundation on conservation issues in Cambodia. He hopes Angelina Jolie and Maddox keep their promise that Cambodia will always be a part of Maddox’s identity.

“Cambodian people are proud and happy because Maddox grew up in such a classy life. Many others do not have that opportunity. Maddox could have fallen into a street child, addicted to drugs if not adopted. The orphanage system in Cambodia at that time was not well managed, many children were not protected. Maddox was a lucky boy compared to many people and it would be good if he returned to Cambodia and learned about the culture. , helping the community. Angelina Jolie also planned to return to Cambodia many times with Maddox” – Sarath Mounh confided.

Sarath Mounh currently resides in Toronto, Canada with her children. When asked if Maddox is really an orphan, Sarath Mounh said that many people have asked him if Maddox’s parents are still alive or if he knows anything about them, but he really has no clue. this.

Recently, The Sun newspaper revealed that independent filmmaker Elizabeth Jacobs is making a documentary called “The Stolen Children” to find out the truth about child adoption in Cambodia in the late 1970s. in the 1990s and early 2000s. Elizabeth Jacobs wanted to clarify whether poor families in Cambodia at that time gave up their children for adoption or were tricked into selling them to foreigners. Therefore, the story of Maddox’s adoption received widespread attention.