Angelina Jolie has experienced the loss of Elke Bertrand, her step-grandmother and one of the few remaining ties to her mother’s side of the family. Elke passed away quietly at the age of 85 in 2024, marking another somber moment in Angelina Jolie family loss history. Bertrand had been estranged from Jolie for many years following family conflicts that began decades ago.
Background on Elke Bertrand and Her Connection to Angelina Jolie
Elke immigrated from Germany and married Rolland Bertrand, Jolie’s grandfather, in 1975 — the same year Angelina was born. In a 2016 interview with the Daily Mail, Elke discussed the warm relationship she shared with Angelina and her brother, James Haven, before conflicts emerged after Rolland’s death in 1985. A falling-out with Jolie’s mother, Marcheline, led to a long-standing estrangement between Elke and the family.
Despite the distance, Elke fondly recalled her granddaughter and shared photos of happier times. As she told the Daily Mail,
“Angelina hasn’t got many people left in her life,”
highlighting the actress’s family isolation. Elke also remarked,
“I know she’s got her father [Jon Voight] but I don’t know how close they are.”
Angelina Jolie’s History of Loss Within Her Family
Angelina’s past has been marked by significant family bereavements, including the deaths of her mother in 2007 and her uncle Raleigh in 2009, both from cancer. Her maternal aunt Debbie, to whom she was close, died of breast cancer in 2013. In personal revelations, Jolie shared in a 2011 Marie Claire interview that her then-partner Brad Pitt was the only person she confided in during those difficult times, although the couple separated six years later.
Elke reflected on this strain in 2016, saying,
“Maybe it’s good Angelina is moving on. Leopards don’t change their spots.”
Angelina Jolie’s Current Personal Life and Shared Values with Step-Grandmother
In a 2023 interview with the Wall Street Journal, Angelina admitted that she had little of a social life, describing her children — Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 19, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 17 — as her “closest friends.” Although she had lost contact with Elke years earlier, they shared consistent values. Both were involved in charitable work; Elke volunteered as a mentor for abused and neglected children and assisted in feeding the homeless.
Elke’s obituary noted she
“was a passionate advocate for abused women and children,”
a commitment that mirrored Angelina’s known dedication to humanitarian causes.
The Impact of This Loss on Angelina Jolie’s Family Journey
With Elke Bertrand’s passing, Angelina Jolie family loss deepens, closing another chapter on connections to her mother’s lineage. This loss underscores the fractured relationships and enduring challenges Jolie has faced privately. As one of the last links to her maternal roots fades, the actress’s role as a mother and advocate remains central in her life, shaping how she moves forward amid continued personal and familial complexities.
