@sergiokletnoy

Back in my executive assistant to the Editor in Chief of @marieclairemag days our entertainment director booked Angelina Jolie for the January 2012 cover. It was Angie’s directorial debut, a film called “In The Land Of Blood And Honey”, which tells a turbulent love story set during the Bosnian war in the 1990’s. “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” it was not. In the weeks leading up to the film’s release we launched the cover (shot by Alexei Hay) and hosted a screening of the film at the Hearst Tower. My only goal was to meet Angelina! She was and still is this magical force, who may or may not be out of this earth. She arrived to a sea of people waiting for a glimpse of her at the cocktail reception. Flashing lights everywhere, a complete zoo. I barely saw the back of her head and in a blink of an eye she was out of my sight. We were all whisked away to the screening room, Angie did not stay, but less than 2 hours later she was back for the post film q&a. Backstage my boss @joannacoles introduced us. “Angie, Sergio was dying to meet you, he was born in the Ukraine and I’m sure can relate to the film”. (I guess in some way most of us Eastern Europeans can relate to eachother in one way or another.) Our eyes met, she asked what I thought of the film and I remember making a very literal connection between Ukraine and Bosnia. For those 3 minutes I had her undivided attention. It’s as if no one else was around us. Suddenly I heard Joanna’s voice again “Angie, Sergio writes a column and I’m sure he would love a photo with you for the column!” “Sure said Angie, do we have a photographer?” “I’d like it on my phone please, let’s use the photo booth app” “Photobooth? I don’t think I’ve ever taken a photobooth photo before” “Wow, how many people can say they had a FIRST with Angelina Jolie???” Angie laughed. That moment and laugh forever immortalized in this photo. December 6, 2011 🖤 Happy Birthday icon! #AngelinaJolie