Angelina Jolie has revealed how becoming a mom ‘saved her’ from going to a ‘much darker’ place while opening up about life as a ‘single mother’ following her divorce from Brad Pitt – as she stunned in a graffiti-covered dress on the cover of Vogue magazine.
The actress, 48, got real about how adopting her first son, Maddox, at age 26 ‘changed her entire life’ and ‘taught her to be in this world differently’ while chatting with the publication.
She also spoke out about how ‘wanting to live’ for her six children has kept her going ‘recently,’ seemingly alluding to the bitter breakup she’s endured with her ex Brad, 59.
‘I was 26 when I became a mother. My entire life changed,’ she shared. ‘Having children saved me – and taught me to be in this world differently.
‘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. Of course, I’m the mother, and hopefully that safe place for them and that stability.
‘But I’m also the one that they laugh at – and I see them taking over so many different aspects of our family.’
Angelina admitted that she has felt ‘a bit down these days,’ adding, ‘I don’t feel like I’ve been myself for a decade, in a way, which I don’t want to get into.’
She also said she’s in the midst of ‘transitioning as a person.’
‘We had a lot of healing to do. We’re still finding our footing,’ she explained.
The 48-year-old graced the front of the magazine’s November 2023 issue in a white strapless gown that was covered in pink spray paint as she promoted her upcoming fashion company, Atelier Jolie.
She stared fiercely away from the camera and clutched onto two bottles of paint in the snap, while her long brown locks were pulled back into a tight bun.
‘I don’t want to be a big fashion designer, I want to build a house for other people to become that,’ she said of her new brand.
‘I’m hoping to change many aspects of my life. And this is the forward-facing one.’
Angelina told the outlet that she hopes Atelier Jolie will inspire women to ‘feel safe enough’ to be ‘soft,’ something she herself has had a hard time doing.
‘Sometimes the way you dress says, “Don’t mess with me – I’ve got my armor on.” But I want a woman to feel safe enough that she can be soft,’ she continued.
‘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.
‘Was I strong enough to be soft? At the time, no. I felt vulnerable. Now I wonder if… I don’t know what my style is because I’m still understanding who I am at 48.’
Another image from the shoot featured her smirking subtly in a yellow, silky dress with a dark cape draped over her shoulder.
A third saw her chatting with collaborator Gabriela Hearst in a haltered black tank top and similar colored trousers, while a fourth showcased her standing alongside Helen Aboah, president and chief operating officer of Atelier Jolie, and Giles Duley, Atelier Jolie’s advisor for corporate impact, in a trendy white top, baggy pants, and gloves.
Angelina and Brad first started dating in 2005 and from the start, their romance was controversial.
They met on set of the 2005 movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith – while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston – and almost immediately, rumors erupted that he had cheated on the Friends alum.
It was a love triangle that seemed to capture the entire nation – and while Brad started dating Angelina almost immediately after he and Jennifer split, he has furiously denied that he was unfaithful to his ex.
Despite the allegations of infidelity, it seemed as though Brangelina was a match made in heaven, and for over a decade, they were Hollywood’s ‘it’ couple.
They tied the knot in August 2014 during a secret ceremony in the South of France, and welcomed three children together during their romance – Shiloh, now 17, in 2006, and twins Vivienne and Knox, now 15, in 2008.
They also adopted two more, Zahara, now 18, and Pax, now 19, and Brad legally adopted the son that Angelina had adopted before they got together, Maddox, now 22.
But in 2016, it came to an explosive end after the pair got into an alleged physical altercation while on a private flight with their six kids.
Angelina later claimed that Brad ‘choked’ one of the children during the horrifying dispute and ‘struck’ another in the face, leaving her and the kids feeling like ‘hostages’ and towering in fear under a blanket for hours until they landed.
She also alleged that he grabbed her by the head, slammed her against a wall, and violently shook her at one point during the flight – which resulted in her injuring her back and elbow.
Brad’s rep called Angelina’s account ‘completely untrue’ to CNN at first, but then released an amended statement to the publication that read, ‘Angelina’s story continues to evolve each time she tells it.
‘Brad has accepted responsibility for what he did but will not for things he didn’t do. He has been on the receiving end of every type of personal attack and misrepresentation.
‘Thankfully, the various public authorities she has tried to use against him over the past six years have made their own independent decisions. Brad will continue to respond in court as he has consistently done.’
Since they split, the two stars have been embroiled in one of the most publicized legal battles in Hollywood history over custody of their children, as well as the winery that they once owned together.
In May 2021, after years of duking it out in court, Brad and Angelina were officially granted joint custody of their six kids – but one month later, the judge’s decision was thrown out.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
