Angelina Jolie has made a rare and deeply personal confession about her love life, revealing she has not dated anyone since her split from ex-husband Brad Pitt almost a decade ago.
The Oscar-winning actress, 51, opened up while promoting her new film Couture, in which she plays American filmmaker Maxine Walker, who is diagnosed with breast cancer while working at Paris Fashion Week.
Unlike Angelina's own recent experience, her character embarks on a romance during the film, something the actress admitted made her reflect on her own life.
"To be candid, I haven't dated since I divorced a decade ago," Angelina told Yahoo Entertainment.
"So I kind of get in my head that that aspect of me is not centered in my life if I'm focusing on my children, my family."
© Corbis via Getty ImagesA new perspective
Angelina explained that playing Maxine challenged the way she thought about balancing motherhood with romantic relationships.
"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," she said.
© Getty ImagesThe actress shares six children with Brad, whom she separated from in 2016 after two years of marriage. Their lengthy divorce proceedings were finalised earlier this year following an eight-year legal battle.
The former couple are parents to Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and 17-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox.
Encouraged by her children
Now that her children are older, Angelina revealed they are encouraging her to embrace the next chapter of her life beyond motherhood.
"I think in some way they're bringing me back to my old self," she explained.
"My desire for them to have all of the strength and openness and softness and faith and ferocity is reminding me. I think they kind of want me now to not just be 'Mom.'"
The actress admitted she is beginning to rediscover herself after years of putting her family first.
"I'm thinking I have to live again. Be free again," she said. "In a way that maybe life has broken me a little bit."
© WWD via Getty ImagesFinding her fighting spirit again
Angelina recently shared similar reflections while speaking to Variety, revealing she feels her "fighting spirit" has finally returned.
"It's coming back in large part thanks to my children, who are now older, and encouraging it," she said.
"My kids are almost all 18, so now they want to see me traveling the world. They know me more than anybody, and they still like me, which says a lot."
Angelina has remained devoted to her children since her separation from Brad, while reports have indicated that several of the couple's children have distanced themselves from their father in recent years.
