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."

Featured Image Credit: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty

Angelina Jolie has spoken about how her six children have looked after her in the wake of her split from Brad Pitt.

In an interview with E! News on Monday, May 10, the 45-year-old actress spoke about her relationship with her kids, Maddox Chivan (19), Pax Thien (17), Zahara Marley (16), Shiloh Nouvel (14), Knox Léon (12), and Vivienne Marcheline (12.)

The Academy Award-winning actress stated: "I have six very capable children. Of course, you wake up and you just feel like: 'I've got to make sure they're OK. I've got to make sure they're mentally OK.'

"But honestly I think a few years ago it switched and they're thinking: 'I've got to make sure mom's OK.'"

Watch an emotional Angelina Jolie drop Maddox Chivan off at college in the video below: 

She added: "We're such a team so I am very, very lucky. I'm always the one who worries but I don't worry about them. They're cool people."

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt married back in 2014 after being in a decade-long relationship together; famously falling for one another while on the set of the spy caper rom-com Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

However, despite breaking up in 2016, the couple still lives close to each other, with Jolie opening up about the importance of maintaining close proximity in a February interview with British Vogue.

Credit: Alamy/UPI

Commenting on her mansion property, Jolie stated: "I wanted it to be close to their dad, who is only five minutes away. I felt a little pressure moving in. Like I had snuck into where DeMille and Chaplin would hang out.

"I love most that there is no entertainment room, but lots of pathways and places to walk and think. I feel very fortunate we have that at this time."

The actress went on to reveal that she is still adjusting to life without having Brad Pitt, stating: "The past few years have been pretty hard. I've been focusing on healing our family.

"It's slowly coming back, like the ice melting and the blood returning to my body. But I'm not there. I'm not there yet. But I hope to be. I'm planning on it.''

Featured Image Credit: Alamy/AF Archive

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's 12 year relationship was unendingly documented, from their scandalous meeting, to their lavish 2014 France wedding, to their messy divorce two years later.

However, despite all the drama, Angelina has made it clear that their children are the most important thing to her, making every effort to protect her brood from the public eye.

That's perhaps what made it so special when the Maleficent star and all six of her children appeared for a rare family picture in New York this week.

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Knox, 10, Vivienne, 10, Pax, 15, Shiloh, 12, Zahara, 14, and Maddox, 17, all joined their famous mother to pose at a special screening of The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind at Crosby Street Hotel on Monday, February 25 - and they all looked so grown up!

It sure does seem like another lifetime when the A-lister pair were busy growing their family. Before the couple met, Maddox was adopted by Angelina in Cambodia in 2002. It has been claimed the teen wants to follow in his parents' footsteps and go into the film industry; the 17-year-old worked behind the scenes as a production assistant on Angelina’s 2015 film, By the Sea, and contributed to her Netflix show, First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers.

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After Maddox came Zahara, who the actress adopted from an orphanage in Ethiopia and is said to want to become a model. She was followed by Shiloh, Brangelina's first biological child who is rumoured to have moved in with Brad after the divorce, as well as Pax, who the pair fell in love with in Vietnam.

Finally, in 2008, the twins came: Knox, who recorded animal noises for Kung Fu Panda 3, and Vivienne who played small-size version of Princess Aurora in "Maleficent" alongside her mother.

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Angelina opened up recently about not having "perfectly behaved" children, claiming that she welcomes a little rebellion.

"[My kids] all have a good rebellious streak that is wonderful and curious," she told BBC Radio 4's Today in December, per People. "I don’t want them to be perfectly behaved little people that just say what’s absolutely appropriate because I say so … they have to find themselves."

It's been claimed that she and Brad are determined to be friends and to co-parent their children, with a source allegedly telling the Sunday Mirror: "The whole process of divorcing has been a long, drawn-out battle for Brad and Angelina. But they’ve both agreed they want to be friends and are making time to work on their friendship.

"They realise they will always be in each other’s lives and want to get to a point where they can hang out and have a laugh together for the sake of the kids."

It's good to see the Jolie-Pitt children are doing well!

Angelina Jolie has revealed that she just lives five minutes away from her estranged husband Brad Pitt in a rare new interview.

The couple, who separated in 2016, share six children including Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and 12-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

Jolie and Pitt married in 2014 after a decade long relationship, which saw them affectionately dubbed "Brangelina" and widely regarded as one of Hollywood's ultimate power couples, having fallen for each other on the set of the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

In the video below, Jolie gets emotional as she drops her eldest son off at college: 

Opening up on life after their separation, Jolie said that she still lives physically close to Pitt, despite the couple being in the midst of a lengthy divorce.

The actress currently lives in a six-bedroom, ten bathroom mansion in Los Angeles.

In an interview with British Vogue, she said: "I wanted it to be close to their dad, who is only five minutes away.

"I felt a little pressure moving in. Like I had snuck into where DeMille and Chaplin would hang out.

"I love most that there is no entertainment room, but lots of pathways and places to walk and think. I feel very fortunate we have that at this time."

The actress went on to reveal that she is still adjusting to life after splitting from her ex-partner.

She said: "The past few years have been pretty hard. I've been focusing on healing our family. It's slowly coming back, like the ice melting and the blood returning to my body. But I'm not there. I'm not there yet. But I hope to be. I'm planning on it.''

Credit: PA Images

Jolie continued: "I do like being older. I feel much more comfortable in my forties than I did when I was younger.

"Maybe because… I don't know… maybe because my mom didn't live very long, so there's something about age that feels like a victory instead of a sadness for me."

Jolie's mother Marcheline Bertrand, passed away in 2007 after a battle with ovarian cancer at the age of 56.

Jolie subsequently underwent a preventative double mastectomy in 2013 after discovering that she had a defective BRCA1 gene that could lead to breast cancer.

Following her operation, Jolie issued an open letter which read: "On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity."

Brad Pitt has spoken publicly for the first time about his divorce from Angelina Jolie.Brad Pitt has opened up about his divorce. Credit: Rebecca Sapp / GettyBrad Pitt, 61, and Angelina Jolie, 49, were once Hollywood’s most A-list couple.From co-stars to parents to business partners, their relationship unfolded on the world stage... before crumbling just as publicly.Their romance began on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2004, while the Fight Club star was still married to Jennifer Aniston. Though the pair denied any infidelity, both later admitted they fell in love during filming.Pitt divorced Aniston in 2005, and soon after, he and Jolie confirmed their relationship, quickly becoming tabloid royalty as “Brangelina.”Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were once Hollywood's A-list couple. Credit: Kevin Mazur / GettyOver the years, the former couple expanded their family to six children - Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne - and married in 2014. But just two years later, Jolie filed for divorce in 2016 following an alleged altercation on a private flight.The fallout triggered a long, highly public legal battle involving custody and a jointly owned French vineyard.Now, nearly eight years later, that legal fight has finally come to an end. In an interview with GQ published May 28, Pitt addressed the finalization of their divorce for the first time."I don't think it was that big of a deal," he shared. "It was just something that came to an end. Legally."Despite the prolonged public scrutiny, the Troy star said he feels at peace. A source close to the actor shared that he’s “happy that the divorce is now a thing of the past” and is content in his relationship with Ines de Ramon, whom he’s been dating since 2022."It's been in the news for 30 years, brother. Or some version of my personal life," Pitt said. These days, he described his life as "contained" and "secure" with close friends and loved ones.On Jolie’s side, a lawyer confirmed the actress is relieved. “Angelina is exhausted, but relieved that this part is over,” they said, per the Evening Standard.Before his time with the Maleficent actress, Pitt’s marriage to Aniston defined early-2000s celebrity culture. The two were married from 2000 to 2005, splitting just as Friends wrapped its final season.At the time, they issued a joint statement dismissing tabloid rumors, insisting the decision was made with “great love and admiration.” But speculation about Pitt’s growing bond with Jolie dominated headlines.In hindsight, Pitt’s honesty about his feelings helped avoid further drama. Jennifer’s close friend and Friends co-star Courteney Cox later shared that he was upfront with Aniston.“I don’t think he started an affair physically, but I think he was attracted to her,” Cox told Vanity Fair. “There was a connection, and he was honest about that with Jen. Most of the time, when people are attracted to other people, they don’t tell. At least he was honest.”The emotional toll came at a vulnerable moment for Aniston, who was navigating the end of her iconic TV role while her marriage dissolved. One insider told The Mirror: “They gradually lost sight of themselves as individuals. Despite their nice lifestyle and having everything they might want, they weren’t happy.”Years later, the Just Go With It star firmly rejected the media’s portrayal of her as the heartbroken ex in a feud with Jolie.“I think it's time people stop with that petty B.S. and start celebrating great work,” she told Entertainment Tonight, calling the narrative “tiresome and old, like an old leather shoe.”The couple were married from 2000 to 2005. Credit: Barry King / GettyWith the legal chapter of his relationship with Jolie finally closed, Pitt is focusing on the future.His forthcoming film F1, where he stars as a Formula 1 driver opposite Damson Idris, hits theaters on June 27 and marks a new phase in his professional journey.Featured image credit: Laurent KOFFEL / Getty