Angelina Jolie revisited the chapters of her life that followed her separation from Brad Pitt, four years after the dissolution of their marriage.
The couple, who had shared 12 years together and raised six children, had been at the epicenter of the Hollywood spotlight. However, behind the scenes, the seeds of their separation had been sown, and in September 2016, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt officially declared the end of their union.
The divorce proceedings were far from straightforward, with the primary point of contention being the custody of their children. Nevertheless, now, four years post-divorce, Angelina Jolie decided to open up about the other challenges she had to navigate during that tumultuous period.
Reflecting on that time, the actress shared, "It was a complex period; I hardly recognized the person I had become. I felt diminished, almost inconsequential. I experienced profound and genuine sadness. But something was intriguing about reconnecting with that sense of humility and even insignificance."
Angelina, renowned for her role in "Tomb Raider," revealed that her emotional distance from her then-husband was a gradual process. She noted, "It seems that all things eventually fade, that the initial magic is fleeting, and the love that was meant to endure above all else had withered."
On top of the separation, she also grappled with health issues. "In addition to all of this, I faced some health challenges. These experiences remind you of the preciousness of life. It's a lesson I want to impart to my children: the idea of renewal and, most importantly, the possibility of rediscovering the joy of living. I need to find that joy once again," she remarked.
In December 2018, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt finally reached an agreement regarding the custody of their children. Although the details of their custody arrangement remained confidential, according to Jolie's revelations to Le Figaro, the process was a test of her motherly resolve.
"When a couple parts ways, it brings about a multitude of challenges, and if it's a long-standing marriage with children involved, ensuring how they cope with such a situation becomes paramount," she emphasized. In this regard, the "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" actress remained steadfast in her role as a mother.
"That definitely takes precedence over everything else. When I wake up in the morning, I'm 'Mom.' Today, tomorrow, and forever, because once you become a parent, your life is no longer exclusively your own; you belong to others," she expressed.
For Pitt's former spouse, her six children are the compass that guides her life, and she acknowledges that only when they've been raised will she be able to wholeheartedly focus on her career.
"Their needs and well-being are my utmost concern, and I am keenly attuned to anything that could affect or harm them. Therefore, I am a mother continuously, and it's only when they're at school that I can begin my humanitarian and political work. I make those calls to my office and write editorials for Time magazine... Only once all that is taken care of can I finally turn my attention back to the world of cinema," she asserted.
