Angelina Jolie is sounding happier, stronger, and a whole lot more confident these days — and now, it sure seems like she’s giving a major clue about why!
The Oscar winner sat down with Variety this week and opened up about finding her spark again after some incredibly difficult years. While she never directly named ex-husband Brad Pitt during the conversation, fans don’t exactly need a roadmap to connect the dots. After all, the former Hollywood power couple’s long and bitter split has played out publicly for years, and Angelina’s latest comments seem to reveal just how much she’s moved on.
Reflecting on where she is in life right now, Angelina shared:
“I think my fighting spirit is finally back. I lost it for a bit. I got kind of taken down a little bit and it’s coming back in large part thanks to my children, who are now older, and encouraging it.”
Wow!
That’s a pretty revealing statement coming from someone who has spent years navigating personal and legal battles while raising six children. And according to the actress, her kids have played a huge role in helping her reconnect with parts of herself that had seemingly been buried for a while.
And THEN came the comment that is sure to get people talking! Angelina continued:
“My kids are almost all 18, so now they want to see me traveling the world, they want me to get out and do things. 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.”
Ouch!!!
Did anyone else catch that? That little “they still like me, which says a lot” barb may be one of the sharpest remarks we’ve heard from Angelina in quite some time. Whether she intended it as a subtle jab or not, plenty of observers will likely interpret it as a pointed reference to the ongoing family drama surrounding Brad.
The relationship between Pitt and several of the former couple’s children has been strained for years, of course, with some of the kids having publicly distanced themselves from their father and his last name.
Angelina also revealed that there was a period when she had essentially stepped away from acting altogether. Before her divorce, she believed her future would be focused on directing projects and pursuing humanitarian work rather than appearing in front of the camera.
She explained:
“I had kind of quit acting before my divorce. I was focusing on directing, and I thought I’d be doing my international work. But then suddenly the only way to be home more and for short periods of time being away or to make a good amount of money, was to go back to acting. I was only taking things that were short or close by or I could take [my children].”
These days, though, she sounds like someone who is stepping into a brand-new chapter. Between her renewed enthusiasm, her children’s encouragement, and her return to major projects, Angelina appears ready to embrace opportunities she may have put on hold for years.
But yeah, at least one thing is crystal clear from her Variety interview: Angelina believes she’s back! And if these comments are any indication, she’s not afraid to let the world know it.
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[Image via MEGA/KIKA/WENN]
