Who is Angelina Jolie’s dashing new ‘friend’, David Mayer de Rothschild? (2024)

A few days ago, the Maleficent star was spotted enjoying an animated lunch with David Mayer de Rothschild at Nobu in Malibu, according to British media.

The pair, in matching black ensembles, spent three whole hours chatting and smiling over the meal before walking out of the restaurant together. Whether the meeting was for business or pleasure, the two clearly get on like a house on fire.

After her bitter split from Brad Pitt in 2016, the Mr. & Mrs. Smith star hasn’t been in a relationship – at least not one that the world knows about. In September 2021, rumours emerged that she was dating Abel Tesfaye – aka The Weeknd – after they were seen having lunch twice, but it seemed to end there.

And while De Rothschild is already married, meaning any rumours of a romance between him and Jolie are unlikely, the pair definitely have a lot in common. Here’s what you need to know about the billionaire British heir.

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He is the youngest heir to the Rothschild fortune

Born in 1978, in London, David is the youngest child of Evelyn de Rothschild and Victoria Lou Schott. The Rothschilds are one of the most powerful banking dynasties in Europe, and one of the richest families in the world and in history, dating back to the 1760s.

The Rothschilds also have links to the British royal family. Evelyn was the personal financial adviser to the late queen and was even knighted by her in 1989 for services to banking and finance, according to British media.

While the family has several branches (including in Austria, France and England), David is the youngest heir to the collective Rothschild fortune valued somewhere between US$300 billion and US$400 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth. His personal net worth is estimated by various sources to amount to US$10 billion.

He is an eco adventurer …

Despite his privileged background, De Rothschild has shown a passion for science and nature since a young age. After studying political science and natural medicine in the UK, he crossed the Antarctic on foot at the age of 26 before joining a 100-day polar expedition a year later during which he crossed the Arctic from Russia to Canada, and became one of only 42 people and the youngest British person ever to reach both geographical poles.

The journey inspired him to pursue a career focused on environmental projects. He founded the Myoo Agency, a marketing firm for businesses pursuing sustainable practices, as well as The Lost Explorer, a lifestyle brand selling products made of natural or recycled materials.

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… and an activist

Much like Jolie, De Rothschild is also a passionate activist for the causes he cares about. Besides giving speeches and lectures to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment, in the late 2000s, he created the Plastiki, a 60 ft-long sustainable ship made from around 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles, as reported by National Geographic. It sailed some 8,000 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Sydney to draw attention to toxic plastic use.

He is also the founder of the Voice for Nature Foundation, which works to support creative, innovative and sustainable individuals and organisations. Another organisation that he founded was Mpact, created to help NGOs and social enterprises access and better understand their supporters.

Thanks to his contributions, he was named a Climate Hero by the United Nations Environment Programme, a “Global Clean Up Ambassador” by Clean Up the World, and declared a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum. He has also been Hyundai’s ambassador for sustainable mobility since 2016.

He’s a film producer

In addition to his environmentally conscious business endeavours and Arctic explorations, De Rothschild has also proven his talents in the entertainment industry – just like his siblings. His brother Anthony is director of A7 Music, while his sister Jessica is a film producer. One of De Rothschild’s earliest entrepreneurial ventures was creating his own music merchandising company, Click ‘n’ Create, before the age of 20, according to British media.

Something else he and Jolie might be able to bond over? He’s produced several documentaries highlighting important causes, including Playground (2009), about the child sex trade in the US. He was also host of Eco Trip: The Real Cost of Living (2009), a series about the environmental impact from the production and use of household items; Plastiki and the Material of the Future (2011), about the journey of his plastic boat; and most recently, After Antarctica (2021), following the changes renowned polar explorer Will Steger has witnessed.

Interestingly, he even produced Becoming Bond in 2017, a documentary about the troubled acting career of James Bond actor George Lazenby.

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He even writes kids books!

Clearly keen to get his message across on all fronts, De Rothschild wrote The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook: 77 Essential Skills to Stop Climate Change – Or Live Through It (2007), a children’s graphic novel titled The Boy, The Girl & The Tree (2010) and The Plastiki: An Adventure to Save Our Oceans (2011).

He is married to an actress

De Rothschild has been married to Ukrainian actress Karina Deyko since 2010, according to The New York Times.

However, the pair have kept their relationship and wedding low-key and Deyko has declined to comment on his lengthy lunch with Jolie, according to British media.