Angelina Jolie says children inherited her ‘fighting spirit’ in swipe at Brad Pitt post split
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Actress Angelina Jolie has opened up about finding renewed strength nearly a decade after her separation from actor Brad Pitt while discussing her latest film 'Couture' in a candid interview with Variety.
She also reflected on the challenges she faced following their lengthy divorce battle and credited her six children for helping her regain confidence and motivation as they have grown older. Her remarks come as several of the former couple’s children have reportedly dropped Pitt’s surname.
Angelina Jolie credits children for helping rediscover her strength
Speaking during a joint interview with 'Couture' director Alice Winocur, she revealed, “I think my fighting spirit is finally back. I lost it for a bit,” adding, “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.”
The actress shared that her children are now encouraging her to travel more and pursue opportunities beyond her family responsibilities, “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 further added, “My kids are very encouraging of me kind of getting back to aspects of myself that maybe I hadn't felt as free to do.”
The remarks came amid ongoing public attention surrounding Pitt’s reportedly strained relationship with their children. The former couple share six children, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne.
The former couple split in 2016 after 12 years together. Although their divorce became legal in 2019, they reached a final settlement in late 2024 following an eight-year legal battle over custody and assets. Recent reports have indicated that several of their children have stopped using Pitt’s surname.
Most recently, Knox reportedly appeared as “Knox Jolie” on his high school diploma. Zahara has also taken legal steps to remove Pitt from her surname, while Shiloh and Vivienne have reportedly stopped using it as well.
Angelina Jolie opens up about acting, cancer fears, and life after Brad Pitt
During the interview, Jolie revealed that she had largely stepped away from acting before ending her marriage to Pitt. “I had kind of quit acting before my divorce. I was focusing on directing, and I thought I'd be doing my international work,” she explained.
She continued, “But then suddenly the only way to be home more and for short periods of time being away or to make a good amount of money, was to go back to acting. I was only taking things that were short or close by or I could take [my children].”
Jolie also reflected on losing both her mother and grandmother to cancer and how that experience has shaped her outlook on life. “I think having lost my mom young and never met my grandmother, I have never lived feeling like I'm going to have a long life,” she said.
“I'm already past the age when my mother was diagnosed. I may struggle from almost feeling like I can't live in the moment because I feel like I have to push and rush because time's running out.”
The actress admitted that thoughts about mortality have influenced how she approaches parenting. She emphasized, “I raise my six children almost preparing them for my absence and not as much preparing to be a grandmother. That's what happens when you consider death as a reality.”
