James Haven facts for kids

James Haven (born James Haven Voight on May 11, 1973) is an American who used to be an actor. He is the son of actors Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand. He is also the older brother of famous actress Angelina Jolie.

Early Life and School

James was born in Los Angeles, California. His parents, Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand, were both actors. He has a younger sister, Angelina Jolie, who is also an actress. His uncles are Chip Taylor, a singer, and Barry Voight, a scientist who studies volcanoes. James's family has roots in different parts of Europe.

When James was young, his parents separated. He and his sister grew up with their mother. They were raised in the Catholic faith. His mother moved them to Palisades, New York, and stopped acting. When James was about 13, his family moved back to Los Angeles. He went to Beverly Hills High School there.

After high school, James went to the USC School of Cinematic Arts. This is a special school for making movies and TV shows. While he was there, he won an award called the George Lucas Award. He won it for a student film he directed, which starred his sister.

James Haven's Career

James Haven started acting professionally in 1998. He had small parts in several movies that also starred his sister, Angelina Jolie. These movies included Gia (1998), Hell's Kitchen (1998), and Original Sin (2001). He also appeared in Monster's Ball (2001). This movie starred Billy Bob Thornton, who was his sister's husband at the time.

James also appeared in TV shows. He was in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in 2004. He also appeared in an episode of The Game in 2007.

Producing Films and Supporting Causes

In 2005, James was an executive producer for a documentary film called Trudell. This film was about the life of John Trudell, a musician and activist. Trudell was shown at important film festivals like the Sundance Film Festival. It also won an award at the Seattle International Film Festival.

In 2011, James was an executive producer for a short comedy film called That's Our Mary. This film was about two actresses waiting to be chosen for a role.

Since 2006, James has been a director on the board of Artivist. This is a film festival in Los Angeles. It shows movies that focus on important topics like human rights, animal rights, and environmental issues.

James stopped acting in 2013. After that, he directed a short film called Court of Conscience (2015). His father, Jon Voight, and actor Anton Yelchin were in this film.

Personal Life

For a while, James didn't talk to his father, Jon Voight. During this time, he legally changed his last name and dropped "Voight."

His mother passed away in 2007. After her death, James and his father became close again. James grew up Catholic. In 2009, he became a born-again Christian.

Film and TV Appearances

See also

In Spanish: James Haven para niños