American and Iraqi children suffering from the war will get much-needed support, thanks to $1 million the Jolie-Pitt Foundation is donating to the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict.

“These educational support programs for children of conflict are the best way to help them heal,” Angelina Jolie said.
The EPCC, which Jolie co-founded in 2007, has earmarked $500,000 for the Armed Service YMCA Operation Hero Program, which helps educate and emotionally support children of military personnel serving in Iraq. The money will bring 2,500 new children into the program.

The other $500,000 will go to groups dealing with Iraqi women and children struggling to learn – or simply survive. They include Women for Women International; The International Rescue Committee; and NineMillion.org, part of the United National High Commissioner for Refugees. In all, 5,700 Iraqi children and 300 women will benefit.

“We hope to encourage others to give to these great organizations,” said Brad Pitt.

Jolie, a United Nations goodwill ambassador, is noted for her humanitarian work. In February, she went on her second trip to Iraq, for a State Department mission to research the displacement crisis. In May, she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post calling for aid for Iraqi refugees.

Last week we published an article that originated in Ted Casablanca’s E! Online column that claimed that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had sold their home in the French quarter of New Orleans. It seemed like a plausible story considering that the famous family is now renting a huge estate in France and may want to cut expenses. A lot of you mentioned in the comments that Casablanca was not a reliable source and there was no confirmation from the Jolie-Pitts. It turns out you were right and the story was false. The Jolie-Pitts haven’t sold their home.

A representative for Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie denies the rumor that the pair has sold their French Quarter mansion.

“This rumor going around that they’ve sold or are selling their house in New Orleans is not true,” said Trevor Neilson of the Jolie-Pitt Foundation. “It’s just made up, as are a lot of things that are said about them.”

The city conveyance office also did not have any record that the couple had sold their New Orleans home, which they bought in January 2007 under the name Mondo Bongo Trust.

The rumor, fomented by celebrity gossip magazines like E! Online, was also dismissed late last week by several prominent real estate brokers who do business in the French Quarter.

[From Nola.com, thanks to commenter Jennifer and to Alison for e-mailing it]

I don’t usually read Casablanca’s column because it’s kind of a chore to figure out what he’s saying, but we’ll strive not to put much credence in the confusing things he says in the future.

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and their four children are holed up in a leased 880 acre estate on the French Rivera that boasts it’s own vineyard, chapel, olive groves, lake and moat. We haven’t seen a picture of them in several weeks and many of you undoubtedly find that a welcome change.

In Touch this week has quotes from Angelina that supposedly reveal that she’s having a touch time. She said in an interview that they don’t source or claim is exclusive, that:

“You always wonder how having a lot of children in a fairly short amount of time is going to affect your life together. You have less time together, you’re always busy, you’re often very tired in the evenings. So it’s something that you either learn to adapt to or you’re going to be in trouble as a couple.

“There are a lot of tough days when you’re exhausted, and you know you can’t collapse because you have so many responsibilities.

“I could spend hours just watching Brad enjoying his time with the kids. Except I’m usually busy changing clothes or getting the kids ready for bed myself.”

[From In Touch, print edition, June 30, 2008]

She probably did say this, because she’s given a lot of interviews lately and In Touch doesn’t credit the quotes to an insider. At least she’s being honest. It can’t be easy with four, soon to be six, kids. Angelina has revealed in earlier interviews that they do have help with the kids but that it’s not overnight.

Brad and Angelina are shown at the Kung Fu Panda premiere on 5/15/08, thanks to WENN.

Entertainment Tonight is sticking with their story that Angelina Jolie has already given birth to her twins. They say they want to “see how this story plays out” before they think about issuing a correction. According to others, Angelina is supposed to be due in August, but reports from ET last week claimed the twins arrived early. PEOPLE magazine and Us Weekly went to their own sources who denied the rumors. Angelina’s rep also denied this happened. Other indications that ET is wrong include no grandparents flying in, no flowers being delivered and Brad Pitt attending a sporting event over the weekend, “an unlikely spot for a new father of premature twins.”

The AP says it’s not entirely ET’s fault that they’re wrong as they may have been tricked by an impostor pretending to be Angelina’s personal assistant.

The show initiated its own contact with Goline after hearing rumors the babies had been born in France, said the executive. The person who made the contact was an “ET” producer who had worked with Goline while at CNN and kept Goline’s e-mail address, the executive said. The executive forwarded an e-mail exchange that appeared to support this version of events.

In the e-mails, Goline — or the impostor — said she was there for the deliveries and everyone was doing well. Pressed by “ET” for more information, the person said she could say no more.

When ET posted the story, there was said to be “pandemonium” at the offices of Us Weekly. I know exactly how Us felt. There was pandemonium in my office as well. I dropped my contact and I must have spent 30 minutes crawling on the floor looking for it.

Out in NYC following Thursday’s Los Angeles premiere of his new movie “Wanted”, James McAvoy and wife Anne-Marie Duff were spotted enjoying a romantic walk around Soho on Saturday (June 21).

Strolling around hand-in-hand, the 29-year-old Scottish actor and his actress wife of two years are currently away from their London home as James takes on the promotional duties for “Wanted” while co-star Angelina Jolie readies for the birth of her baby twins.

In related news, during his visit to the States, McAvoy was asked whether he pays much attention to the movie business and the tabloid buzz.

“I don’t spend a lot of time in L.A. I don’t hang out ‘in the industry’ in London. I don’t read all the newspapers and watch E! Entertainment every day,” James tells.

Nonetheless, McAvoy’s approach seems to be working in his favor, as he goes on to tell: “I do notice that I’m finding it easier to do projects that I like, and that’s a very welcome state of affairs. It’s all been a lovely kind of explosion. And I just hope it continues.”

OK! Magazine reports that even though Angelina Jolie has yet to pop out her twins, she and Brad Pitt are already planning to adopt an African boy.

“Angie and Brad have wanted an African boy for the last couple of years,” an insider tells OK!. “They were initially going to have that adoption follow the addition of Pax last year, but that all changed when Angie got pregnant with twins last fall.”

It would be cool if all these babies could combine into one gigantic, lumpy pooping mess like an infant Voltron. I’m not sure what purpose that would serve, but, listen, if you have any better ideas, I’m all ears buddy.

Okay, all the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie fans are basically waiting around for two things. One, the birth of the Jolie-Pitt twins. Two, the opening of Wanted in theaters.

I can’t help you with the twins. They’re in there and not coming out until it’s time. And I can’t get the movie to open any faster. However, I can feed your anticipation!

Check out this video player with five preview trailers. There was one in there I hadn’t seen yet. I can’t wait to see this movie, it will be amazing on a big screen with surround sound even if our theaters cost a fortune.

Angelina Jolie couldn’t make it to the L.A. premiere of her new action flick Wanted Thursday night, as she remains in France, but her costars had plenty to say about the mother-to-be.

Joile’s latest leading man James McAvoy told PEOPLE he was most surprised to discover “her normality.”

“She’s just a very chilled-out person, and a good, fun person. And that shouldn’t be surprising, because movie stars are normal people, but even actors get taken in by the hype,” McAvoy said.

Costar Terrence Stamp was also impressed with the tranquility he saw in her on Wanted.

“I just think that in this last movie, she just seemed very happy,” Stamp said. “I think it must be a wonderful moment in her life. And it’s just something you don’t fake. Either you’re happy and that’s the vibe you’re giving out, or not, and so I felt it was a great, great moment for her, and I hope it lasts.”

She is so “sharp,” added actor Thomas Kretschmann.

“She knows what she’s going for, and she’s also very instinctive – there are smart people and there are instinctive people, and it’s very rare that it meets in the middle, and she’s one of them,” the German actor said.

Kretschman was stumped as to how Jolie balances the demands of her large family, her film career and her humanitarian efforts. “She’s very busy, I guess!” he laughed. “She likes it – she’s a very passionate human being, and I think she just loves life.”

“She’s herself, all the time,” agreed Wanted director Timur Bekmambetov. “She never lies, and it’s her nature, and I love her because of that.”

Not pictured: peace and quiet

Angelina Jolie hasn’t even given birth to her twins yet and she already wants to adopt another kid. An insider told OK! magazine:

“Angie and Brad have wanted an African boy for the last couple of years. They were initially going to have that adoption follow the addition of Pax last year, but that all changed when Angie got pregnant with twins last fall.”

Now the adoption will have to take place after the twins are born. The in-the-know source said the pair was well into the process of adopting a baby from Ethiopia before learning of Angelina’s latest pregnancy. 

This is getting ridiculous. Brad and Angelina are turning into my grandmother (minus the soiled underwear and boring stories about condoms costing only a nickel). But instead of collecting little porcelain dolls, these two ego-maniacs are collecting the real thing. I just hope that Brad and Angelina realize (unlike grammy) that the main difference between kiln-glazed figurines and real people is that when you eventually grow tired of them, you can’t resell them on Craigslist . . . unless of course you’re these people.

Angelina Jolie has held the title of Sexiest Woman Alive in the past — and she is a big time movie star – so many might think she’d be really high-maintenance and difficult to interact with. However, her “Wanted” cast mates confess the big screen mother really is a down to earth person. At press day for “Wanted” on Monday, German actor Thomas Kretschmann said of Angelina Jolie:

“It’s a little intimidating, someone like her who is presented as a goddess. But it takes, like, 30 seconds and you figure out she’s just a cool woman.”

And judging from these “Wanted” promotional photos, I’m sure a couple of the guys out there would like to interact with Angelina. Tell me I’m wrong!

Angelina Jolie is featured in the July 2008 issue of “Vanity Fair” magazine and her lips look plumper than ever! And although the different looks below make for a great, fun photo shoot, here is what the silver screen actress had to say regarding being pregnant:

“I love it. It makes me feel like a woman. It makes me feel that all the things about my body are suddenly there for a reason. It makes you feel round and supple, and to have a little life inside you is amazing. Also, I’m fortunate. I think some women have a different experience depending on their partner. I think that affects it.

I happen to be with somebody who finds pregnancy very sexy. So that makes me feel very sexy.”