Angelina Jolie Reclaims Her ‘Fighting Spirit’ Amidst Post-Divorce Life, Credits Children
Angelina Jolie is speaking out about her life following her protracted divorce from Brad Pitt, revealing that her resilience and determination have returned, largely thanks to her children. The actress, 51, shared in a recent interview that her ‘fighting spirit,’ which she admits to having lost for a time, is now making a strong comeback.
Jolie, who shares six children with Pitt – Maddox (24), Pax (22), Zahara (21), Shiloh (20), and 17-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne – reflected on how her nearly adult children are now encouraging her to embrace life and pursue her passions.
Children as a Source of Strength
“I think my fighting spirit is finally back. I lost it for a bit,” Jolie stated in a joint interview discussing her latest film, Couture. “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.”
She elaborated on her children’s influence, noting, “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.” Jolie added that her children are “very encouraging of me kind of getting back to aspects of myself that maybe I hadn’t felt as free to do.”
Return to Acting and Personal Reflections
The acclaimed actress revealed that she had largely stepped away from acting prior to her 2016 separation from Pitt, focusing instead on directing and international humanitarian work. However, the need to be more present for her children and to generate income led her back to acting, with a preference for shorter or local projects that allowed her to keep her children close.
Jolie also touched upon personal health concerns, drawing parallels between her own life and her role in Couture, where her character learns of a cancer diagnosis. Having lost her mother and grandmother to cancer, Jolie has previously undergone preventative surgeries. She admitted to preparing her children for her potential absence, a sentiment stemming from her own experiences with early loss.
Shifting Family Dynamics and Surname Changes
The remarks come amidst reports of several of Jolie and Pitt’s children adopting the surname Jolie, with the latest being their son Knox, who reportedly listed his name as Knox Jolie on his high school diploma. This follows similar decisions by other children, including Zahara, who has petitioned to legally change her name to Zahara Marley Jolie, and Maddox, who has also requested to remove ‘Pitt’ from his surname for personal reasons. Vivienne and Shiloh have also been noted to be using the Jolie surname in public credits.
Sources suggest that Pitt believes Jolie is influencing the children’s decisions regarding their surnames and contact with him, a claim that has been a point of contention throughout the lengthy divorce proceedings, which were finalized in 2024 after beginning in 2016.
A New Chapter
Jolie described her current outlook as more “punk,” defining it as a counter-movement to prevailing trends, emphasizing the importance of privacy and a more deliberate approach to life in today’s world. As she navigates this new phase, it appears her children are instrumental in her renewed sense of purpose and her re-emergence into the public eye.
