Angelina Jolie breaks Rupert Grint’s Instagram record with emotional debut

Jolie beat out other previous record holders including Jennifer Aniston and David Attenborough

Angelina Jolie has become the fastest user to reach one million Instagram followers.

The actor and humanitarian, who works as a special envoy to the United Nations refugee agency, joined the social media platform on Friday (20 August).

Jolie’s first post was a photograph of an emotional letter that she received from a teenage girl in Afghanistan now facing Taliban rule.

Per the Evening Standard, the 46-year-old beat the record for the quickest growth to one million followers when she reached the milestone in just three hours.

The record was previously held by Harry Potter star Rupert Grint who amassed one million followers in four hours and one minute after making his debut on the social media platform in November 2020.

Grint had beaten Sir David Attenborough, who had broken Jennifer Aniston’s time with four hours and 44 minutes when he joined in September 2020.

Aniston had held the record for almost a year before Attenborough broke it.

When the Friends star joined in October 2019, she gained one million followers in five hours and 16 minutes.

At the time of writing, Jolie has 8.9 million followers.

In Jolie’s first Instagram post, the Oscar-winner wrote: “This is a letter I was sent from a teenage girl in Afghanistan. Right now, the people of Afghanistan are losing their ability to communicate on social media and to express themselves freely.

“I’ve come on Instagram to share their stories and the voices of those across the globe who are fighting for their human rights.”

The actor – who will next appear in Marvel’s highly anticipated film Eternals –has since shared a second post in which she speaks about displacement.

“I started working with displaced people because I believe passionately in human rights,” she wrote in the caption.

”Not out of charity but out of a deep respect for them and their families, and all they continue to overcome, despite so much persecution, inequality and injustice.”

Jolie encouraged those who want to learn more to visit the UN @refugees account.