Angelina Jolie Admits 'These Last Few Years Haven't Been The Easiest, And I Haven't Felt Very Strong'

It’s been a tough time the last couple years for Angelina Jolie, but she’s working her way back on track — and she’s finding inner strength she’d previously forgotten about during the tough times!

The 44-year-old superstar actress spoke to E! News about all of that at Disney‘s D23 Expo this weekend, opening up a bit about the aftermath and fallout from her very public split from Brad Pitt, and what it’s meant for both her family and her career. And to hear her tell it now, well, it seems like the Maleficent star is finally getting back on track and re-focused about what’s really important.

Speaking at length about some of the challenges she’s undergone recently, and how it’s impacted her on the set and in playing strong female characters on screen, the star spoke candidly about it. She opened by saying during the expo interview (below):

“I’m like everybody and… especially these last few years haven’t been the easiest, and I haven’t felt very strong. There’s something when you’re not feeling very strong, where you push yourself. And I’m so grateful that I have the opportunity to play these kind of characters, that pull out every bit of strength I have and that remind me that I can be strong.”

Wow! Quite a self-aware thing to say, no?!

And the Maleficent: Mistress of Evil actress went further than that, too — explaining how her personal life, and the strength to right through everything, has been helped by the film work (below):

“You pull up something in yourself that is similar [to your character]. Sometimes you really feel low and you gotta pull it back up. Right now, for Thena, I’m having to do so much training and she’s so positive, so healthy and she’s so aggressive that I’m often like, ‘This is not gonna work.’ But, you gotta push yourself.”

Nice!!! Very powerful and very important to push yourself, indeed!

It’s not just film work that the A-lister is focused on, though — the kids at home take up quite a bit of time, too, even as they grow into their own personal interests and develop their own lives.

For one, Jolie says she has been training with 11-year-old Knox Léon Jolie-Pitt quite a bit lately, working on karate together in part to help for her film schedule (below):

“Some of them have been around in doing [training]. My son Knox does some weapon [training] and karate. I’ve been jumping into all of their classes. I’m the mom that keeps trying to show up. It’s been fun and really good.”

Fun!!!

Angelina Jolie — Angelina is back on track! / (c) WENN

And her other son, Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt — whom she recently dropped off at college at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea — can expect visits from momma Jolie, too!

She explained more (below):

“I’m so proud of him and he was so ready. I couldn’t be more excited. Our house in Cambodia is six hours away, so I’ve got plans to… be stalking. I’m gonna be one of those moms. It’s only been a few days, give me a few weeks and I might be back on a plane.”

Awww!

So cute!

Happy Angelina seems to be getting it back on track… she’s always been strong as hell! Thankfully she really knows it now!!!

[Image via WENN]