Angelina Jolie hits back at 'child cruelty' claims

Angelina Jolie has come out swinging over recent reports she mistreated Cambodian child actors during the production of her new movie First They Killed My Father.

In her July Vanity Fair profile it was suggested that during the audition process, Angelina deliberately took money from impoverished children to get an authentic reaction from them.

However Ange has hit back, claiming her words were misinterpreted, and that taking the money was merely "a pretend exercise in improvisation".

RELATED: Angelina Jolie slammed for 'cruel' treatment of child actors

"The suggestion that real money was taken from a child during an audition is false and upsetting," Angelina said in a statement to the Huffington Post.

"I would be outraged myself if this had happened."

Angelina's statement in full
Everymeasure was taken to ensure the safety, comfort and well-being of the children on the film starting from the auditions through production to the present. Parents, guardians, partner NGOs whose job it is to care for children, and medical doctors were always on hand everyday, to ensure everyone had all they needed. And above all to make sure that no one was in any way hurt by participating in the recreation of such a painful part of their country’s history.

I am upset that a pretend exercise in an improvisation, from an actual scene in the film, has been written about as if it was a real scenario. The suggestion that real money was taken from a child during an audition is false and upsetting. I would be outraged myself if this had happened.

Every measure was taken to ensure the safety, comfort and well-being of the children on the film starting from the auditions through production to the present. Parents, guardians, partner NGOs whose job it is to care for children, and medical doctors were always on hand every day, to ensure everyone had all they needed. And above all to make sure that no one was in any way hurt by participating in the recreation of such a painful part of their country’s history.

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