Angelina Jolie's first foray into film was of a sci-fi nature, with a supporting role in 1993's Cyborg 2, which didn't even make it to the big screen.

However, it was her roles on TV that garner jolie, respect from critics. She was awarded the 1997 Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe Award and nominated for an Emmy Award for her role as Cornelia Wallace in George Wallace.

She won her second Golden Globe for her role as model Gia Carangi in HBO's biopic Gia. Her intense portrayal of the drug-addicted model who was diagnosed with AIDS was highly deserving of the Best Actress Golden Globe and Emmy nomination. However, the best was yet to come for the actress.

Her supporting role in 1999's Girl, Interrupted that showed audiences her dramatic skills, garnering her a Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Jolie was embroiled in controversy when she appeared at the Oscars with her brother James and kissed him as though he was her boyfriend.

In 2001, Angelina Jolie was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Her efforts have been highly publicized in the media the world over.

Although every move Jolie makes is lapped up by the paparazzi, it was her relationship with Brad Pitt, that garnered maximum attention from the shutterbugs.

Often called Brangelina by the entertainment industry, Angelina Jolie was seen in a negative light when rumours suggested that she was the cause of Pitt’s divorce with long term marriage with actress Jenifer Aniston.

After much media attention, on May 27, 2006, Angelina gave birth to Brad Pitt's child, a girl named Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, in Namibia.

Among all the action in her personal life, Angelina Jolie amazingly managed to get some work done. In 2006, she appeared in the Robert De Niro-directed The Good Shepherd.

The serial mother has a flock of six children, three of whom were adopted following visits to Cambodia, Namibia and Vietnam.

Jolie cemented her position as one of Hollywood’s finest actresses with blockbuster films like Wanted, The Tourist, Salt and Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters.

She directed her first film, In The Land of Blood and Honey, in 2011 which unfortunately didn’t do too well at the box office.

Although power couple ‘Brangelina’ have claimed that they would not get married until gay marriage is made legal, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt announced their engagement recently to the press,

Amongst much media attention, Jolie revealed that she is expecting twin boys with fiancé Brad Pitt.

The rights for the first images of Knox and Vivienne, Jolie’s twins, were jointly sold to People and Hello! for a reported $14 million—the most expensive celebrity pictures ever taken. The proceeds were donated to the Jolie-Pitt Foundation.

Often touted as having the prettiest face, Jolie has been the brand ambassador for several high end brands.

Forbes named her Hollywood's highest-paid actress in 2009 and 2011, with estimated annual earnings of $27 million and $30 million respectively.

Fans will see her in David Fincher’s next period film Cleopatra where Jolie will be essaying the role of the titular character.