Angelina Jolie is offering a rare glimpse into her personal life. Nearly a decade after filing for divorce from Brad Pitt, the Oscar-winning actress opened up about how life has changed since her highly publicized divorce, sharing candid insights into her personal journey, priorities, and where she stands as she looks toward the future.
In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment to promote her movie, “Couture,” Angelina Jolie candidly discussed her dating life. In the film, she plays Maxine Walker, a filmmaker diagnosed with breast cancer.
“To be candid, I haven’t dated since I divorced a decade ago. So I kind of get in my head that the aspect of me is not centered in my life if I’m focusing on my children, my family,” Jolie revealed. Portraying Maxine, who has a daughter, gave Jolie a renewed perspective that motherhood and dating don’t have to come at the expense of the other.
The actress added, “It took me a second to kind of say, well, she can also love her daughter and be dedicated to her daughter and also need this as a woman and receive this as a woman.”
Jolie noted that in her life, “things are changing” in an unexpected way. “I’m thinking I have to live again. Be free again. In a way that maybe life has broken me a little bit,” she said.
The Actress Has Been Married Three Times
Jolie’s first marriage was to actor Jonny Lee Miller, whom she met while working on the film “Hackers.” The couple married in 1996. However, their union didn’t last due to busy schedules, and they divorced three years later.
In 1999, the actress worked with Billy Bob Thornton in “Pushing Tin,” and the two developed a romantic relationship. They eloped in 2000 and two years later announced they were adopting a child from Cambodia, Maddox. However, their marriage collapsed during the process, and Jolie completed the adoption as a single parent. Their divorce was finalized in 2003.
Jolie and Brad Pitt starred in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” in 2005 and began dating following the actor’s split from Jennifer Aniston. Pitt legally adopted Jolie’s two children, Maddox and Zahara, and together they adopted Pax. They also share three biological children: Shiloh and twins Knox and Vivienne.
The couple married in 2014, but just two years later, the actress filed for divorce. Although they were declared legally single, the divorce process turned into a lengthy and contentious legal battle that was ultimately finalized in December 2024.
Angelina Jolie’s Daughters Are Bringing Back Her ‘Old Self’
Jolie said she’s coming around to being the person she used to be. Now that her daughters are older, she gets to communicate with them as “young women.” Her eldest daughter, Zahara, is 21 years old, and Shiloh and Vivienne are 20 and 17, respectively.
“I think in some way they’re bringing me back to my old self,” the actress said, adding that her daughters want her to be more than just their parent. “I think they kind of want me now to not just be ‘Mom.’ There’s a different room for me to be that woman again, that’s not just mom,” Jolie added.
As a 51-year-old, she said the next chapter of her life may not be about becoming a new person, but reconnecting with her old self.
The Actress Gets Encouragement From Her Children
In an interview with Variety, Jolie also spoke about how her children encourage her to expand her horizons. The actress shared that almost all her children are already of age, and they want to see her “get out and do things.”
Jolie reflected on the years leading up to and following her divorce from Pitt, explaining that she prioritized her family and accepted only projects close to home or ones that allowed her to bring her children along.
“They know me more than anybody, and they still like me, which says a lot. I think they’re very encouraging of me kind of getting back to aspects of myself that maybe I hadn’t felt as free to do,” she shared.
Angelina Jolie’s ‘Fighting Spirit’ Is Back
In 2023, the actress told Vogue magazine that she started working less following her divorce, as she needed “a lot of healing to do.” Jolie also admitted to not feeling like herself for the past decade, but she didn’t disclose other details.
In mid June, the actress shared an update on her life and revealed that she has her “fighting spirit” back. “I lost it for a bit. I got kind of taken down a little bit, and it’s coming back,” she noted.
Jolie’s movie, “Couture,” was released on June 26. She has a slate of upcoming film projects, including “The Initiative,” “Anxious People,” and “Maleficent 3.” As for her personal life, Jolie appears content to keep her focus on her family and career in the meantime.