Angelina Jolie has opened up about the ups and downs of single motherhood after her split from her ex-husband Brad Pitt.
In her latest cover story for Vogue, the 48-year-old actress described the shift in her life when she became a mom to her eldest son Maddox whom she adopted in 2002.
"I was 26 when I became a mother," she told the outlet. "My entire life changed. Having children saved me — and taught me to be in this world differently."
The Maleficent star who is also a mom to Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox, also added that due to the difficulties that have come about in her life more recently since her split from her ex-husband Pitt, 59, she's thankful to her children for giving her a reason to live.
(L-R) Maddox, Vivienne, Angelina, Knox, Shiloh, and Zahara at the LA premiere of Eternals in 2021. Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty"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," she added.
Despite guiding them as best as she can, she also hopes that they continue to "be their own people" and express themselves in the way they deem best.
"My kids would roll their eyes if they were here," Jolie said when talking about her own childhood methods of expression. "I was quite dark when I was young. I was a punk, not the popular kid - going to thrift stores, cutting things up, burning little teeny cigarette holes into things: That was me as a teenager, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Maybe that part of me wants to push back.
"I don’t tell the kids how to dress," she continued. "Even when they were little, I just put things in front of them. Nobody has to go anywhere if they don’t want to, and if they don’t want to dress up, they don’t have to... I want them to be their own people."
Angelina Jolie says her children gave her a reason to live. Credit: Amy Sussman/WireImage/GettyJolie's interview comes after what has been a tumultuous few years for the star and her family.
Back in September 2016, it was first reported that the 48-year-old had filed for divorce from her then-husband, Pitt. According to court documents, she cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split and requested physical custody of their six children and visitation for Pitt.
It was added that Jolie did not request child or spousal support.
Angelina Jolie filed for divorce in 2016. Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/GettySpeaking to PEOPLE, Jolie's attorney told the outlet at the time that this decision was made for the "health of her family."
"Angelina Jolie Pitt has filed for dissolution of the marriage. This decision was made for the health of the family. She will not be commenting at this time, and asks that the family be given their privacy during this difficult time," the statement said.
In response, Pitt said: "I am very saddened by this, but what matters most now is the well-being of our kids. I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this challenging time."
Things only continued to get messier as the highly publicized divorce played out.
In 2021, Pitt lost all visitation rights with his kids due to a violation of "his ethical obligations," as per a ruling by Judge John Ouderkirk who oversaw the case at the time.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had a contentious divorce. Credit: GVK/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/GettyWhen discussing the separation publicly for the first time, she told the Guardian that she's not "the kind of person who makes decisions like the decisions I had to make lightly."
"It took a lot for me to be in a position where I felt I had to separate from the father of my children," she continued before adding: "I mean, in some ways, it's been the last decade. There's a lot I can't say."
Amid the back and forth with the children's situation, the pair have also been involved in a battle regarding their winery Château Miraval which has led to multiple lawsuits filed against Jolie from Pitt in a bid to allegedly "protect his family."
A source told People that "Mr. Pitt saying that he is suing his ex-wife to protect his family is hard to understand because he is well aware the children have not felt able to return to the house in France for almost seven years now due to the events that led to Ms. Jolie filing for divorce."