Angelina Jolie Mourns Loss of Key Legal Team Member Harrison Dossick

Angelina Jolie experienced a significant loss in her Hollywood circle when Harrison Dossick, her longtime entertainment lawyer, passed away suddenly on August 14, 2025, at the age of 65. Dossick, revered for his extensive work in the media and entertainment sectors, was best known for representing Jolie, particularly during major legal battles involving her film projects, making the Angelina Jolie legal team loss deeply felt.

Harrison Dossick’s Major Legal Successes for Angelina Jolie

Harrison Dossick’s career extended over four decades, during which he became a formidable figure in entertainment law. One notable moment came during a copyright lawsuit connected to Jolie’s 2011 film In the Land of Blood and Honey. The movie, which Jolie wrote, produced, and directed, faced accusations of plagiarizing elements from James J. Braddock’s book The Soul Shattering, both set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War. Dossick represented Jolie in defending these allegations.

After a challenging legal fight, the actress was declared the victor in the copyright dispute by March 2013, marking a pivotal victory for Jolie and her team. This triumph was largely attributed to Dossick’s legal expertise and dedication as her defense lawyer, solidifying his role as a crucial member of her professional team.

Angelina Jolie’s Reflection on Creating ‘In the Land of Blood and Honey’

Jolie has spoken candidly about the emotional and ethical challenges involved in making her Bosnian War drama. In an interview with Extra, she described the process of faithfully representing such a difficult subject as “the hardest thing” about the project. She expressed the complex task of finding balance in recounting a conflict that inherently lacks equilibrium, explaining,

“As heavy as all of it was, the balance of making sure that we talked to everybody, we tried to find balance in a situation and in a conflict where there is very little balance.”

—Angelina Jolie, Actress

Jolie further remarked on the difficulty of grappling with the brutal realities of war, saying,

“War is impossible to understand. This kind of brutality is impossible to analyze and make sense of. So we all tried to make sense of something that is beyond all of our understanding.”

—Angelina Jolie, Actress

She described the collaborative environment among the cast and crew, sharing,

“We talked to each other, and they came together to do this. We shared stories, and we shared our personal experiences.”

—Angelina Jolie, Actress

The film’s reception in Bosnia was notably supportive, a reaction Jolie called “incredible for all of us,” highlighting the meaningful impact the film had on those it portrayed. When asked about her inspiration for the screenplay, Jolie admitted that writing about war required personal interpretation, explaining,

“You can only write from what you know, and I have not lived through war.”

—Angelina Jolie, Actress

To bridge this gap, she made the story personal by envisioning herself in the positions of the characters, ensuring a sensitive and heartfelt portrayal.

Remembering Harrison Dossick’s Influence and Legacy

Harrison Dossick’s unexpected death leaves a profound impact on Angelina Jolie and her professional family. His role in safeguarding Jolie’s creative work through complex legal challenges demonstrates the vital contributions he made behind the scenes. As Jolie and her team continue with future projects, they face the daunting task of moving forward without a trusted advisor who shaped much of her career’s legal groundwork.

This loss underscores the often unseen but essential role legal experts play in the entertainment industry, and Dossick’s absence will be deeply felt by many within Hollywood and beyond.