Angelina Jolie Was Almost Kidnapped

For the first time, Angelina Jolie reveals the shocking threat to her safety - and why she won't let it stop her charity work.

As a UN Goodwill Ambassador, she's now more famous for her charity work than her film roles. In an exclusive interview, Angelina shockingly reveals that authorities uncovered a terrifying plot to abduct her.



"It was in a small village," she says. "I won't say where, or with whom, but some gangsters planned to kidnap me and extort a massive ransom. I was warned at the last minute, and managed to escape, luckily."

Since becoming an ambassador for the UN in August 2001, Angelina's role has taken her to 20 countries, and some of the world's most underprivileged regions.

"It became clear to me that I was an incredibly well-off star, and that I had to do something against the screaming injustice on this planet," says the 31-year-old actress. "Not just by giving speeches, I had to be actively involved. Since then I've traveled half the world. I went to see the people there up close. I didn't shut myself off in some luxurious hotel."

Despite the kidnap threat, Angelina is hell-bent on continuing her work at orphanages and is determined to carry on her charity work overseas.

"I don't want to act like the Mother Teresa of Hollywood," she insists. "But I want to help where there is poverty and destruction. I love Brad very much and on our trips we pull together as a team. Things only get difficult when it affects our children."