Angelina Jolie admits that being a single mom has “saved” her from going to “much darker” places.
In a new interview with Vogue, the actress spoke about how focusing on parenting amid her tumultuous divorce from Brad Pitt has kept her going over the years.
“I was 26 when I became a mother. My entire life changed. Having children saved me — and taught me to be in this world differently,” she told the outlet.
“I think, recently, I would’ve gone under in a much darker way had I not wanted to live for them. They’re better than me, because you want your children to be.”
Jolie and Pitt, who announced their divorce in 2016 after 12 years together, share six children: Maddox, 22, Pax, 19, Zahara, 18, Shiloh, 17, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 15.
The “Girl, Interrupted” star told Vogue that she’s been feeling “a bit down” these days.
“I’m still understanding who I am at 48. I guess I’m in transition as a person,” she confessed, adding, “I don’t feel like I’ve been myself for a decade, in a way, which I don’t want to get into.”
Without sharing too much, Jolie implied that life has been hard for the whole family in recent years.
“We had a lot of healing to do,” she explained. “We’re still finding our footing.”
Jolie posed for the cover of the November 2023 edition of the magazine in a white strapless gown that was covered in pink spray paint as she promoted her new fashion company, Atelier Jolie.
“I don’t want to be a big fashion designer, I want to build a house for other people to become that,” she explained. “I’m hoping to change many aspects of my life. And this is the forward-facing one.”
The “Maleficent” star said she hopes Atelier Jolie will inspire women to “feel safe enough” to be “soft,” which she admittedly struggled with in the past.
“Sometimes the way you dress says, ‘Don’t mess with me – I’ve got my armor on,’” she said.
“After I went through something where I was hurt, I had a therapist ask if I would try wearing a flowing garment. Sounds silly, but I assumed that pants and boots projected a ‘tougher’ look, a stronger me.”
Jolie noted that at the time of when that conversation took place, she did not feel “strong enough” to be soft or wear something that reflected that. “I felt vulnerable,” she recalled.
Jolie and Pitt, 59, first met on the set of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston.
Despite the two coupling up shortly after Pitt called it off with Aniston in 2005, the actor has vehemently denied he was ever unfaithful to the “Friends” star.
Pitt and Jolie quickly became one of Hollywood’s most famous couples. They tied the knot in August 2014 and welcomed six children together over the years.
However, everything took a turn in 2016 when news broke that they had called it quits. The two reportedly got into an alleged altercation while on a private flight with their kids.
Pitt was accused of “choking and striking” their son Maddox. However, no charges were ever brought against him and the actor has denied those claims.
The two have continued to duke it out in court over the custody of their kids, as well as a winery that they once owned together.
In May 2021, the actors were granted joint custody of their six kids, but just one month later, the judge’s decision was thrown out. To this day, the matter has remained unresolved.
