Angelina Jolie, one of Hollywood's most iconic and enduring stars, has made a startling admission about her romantic life. In a candid new interview, the Oscar-winning actress revealed that she has not dated anyone since her highly publicized divorce from Brad Pitt ten years ago. The confession, which comes as part of the promotion for her upcoming film Couture, sheds light on how the actress has navigated life after a tumultuous marriage and the end of one of the entertainment industry's most famous relationships.
Speaking with Yahoo! Entertainment, Jolie shared, "To be candid, I haven't dated since I divorced a decade ago. So I kind of get in my head that that aspect of me is not centered in my life if I'm focusing on my children, my family." The 51-year-old actress, who has been married three times, explained that dedicating herself to parenting has been her primary focus. Her role in Couture — a film about a single mother who is a movie director and has a boyfriend — forced her to confront her own reality. She admitted, "It took me a second to kind of say, well, she can also love her daughter and be dedicated to her daughter and also need this as a woman and receive this as a woman."
A Decade of Single Motherhood
Jolie's last public romantic relationship was with Brad Pitt, whom she filed for divorce from in September 2016 after two years of marriage and a decade together. The former couple, who starred in the hit action film Mr. & Mrs. Smith, began dating in 2006 while Pitt was still married to Jennifer Aniston. Their relationship quickly became a tabloid sensation, and they later formed a family with six children — three biological (Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne) and three adopted (Maddox, Pax, and Zahara).
The divorce was anything but amicable. In 2016, Jolie accused Pitt of verbally and physically abusing her and some of their children during a private flight. Pitt denied the accusations, and after an FBI investigation, he was cleared of any charges. However, the damage to their family was profound. The children have remained largely estranged from Pitt, and several of them have dropped 'Pitt' from their hyphenated last name. Shiloh, now 20, made the name change legal after turning 18 in 2024. This ongoing rift has been a significant part of Jolie's life over the past decade.
Throughout these years, Jolie has focused on her humanitarian work, acting, and directing. She has also been a vocal advocate for various causes, including refugee rights and women's empowerment. But her personal romantic life has remained entirely off the radar. Friends close to the actress have noted that she has been guarded, preferring to devote her emotional energy to her children.
The Healing Power of Her Children
In the same interview, Jolie expressed that her children have been instrumental in her healing process. "I think in some way they're bringing me back to my old self," she said. Her relationship with her children has remained strong, and she credits them with reminding her of the qualities she holds dear. "My desire for them to have all of the strength and openness and softness and faith and ferocity is reminding me. I think they kind of want me now to not just be 'Mom,'" she expressed.
As her daughters grow older, Jolie is experiencing a shift. "I've come around a little bit to being more of the person I used to be," she continued. "I'm discovering something now that my daughters are older now and they're talking to me as young women. I'm seeing what I want for them and I'm seeing what I don't want them to lose and what I want them to hold on to." This newfound perspective has prompted the actress to consider living more freely again. "I'm thinking I have to live again. Be free again," the Tomb Raider star said. "In a way that maybe life has broken me a little bit."
Background on a Hollywood Icon
Angelina Jolie was born in Los Angeles in 1975 and emerged as a breakout star in the late 1990s with films like Girl, Interrupted, for which she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She followed that with blockbuster franchises like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and critically acclaimed dramas like A Mighty Heart and Changeling. Her personal life has often been as newsworthy as her professional work. She was previously married to actor Jonny Lee Miller and later to director Billy Bob Thornton before marrying Pitt.
Beyond acting, Jolie has established herself as a director and humanitarian. She directed films such as In the Land of Blood and Honey, Unbroken, and First They Killed My Father. Her work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as a Goodwill Ambassador and later Special Envoy has been widely recognized. In recent years, she has also entered the fashion industry with her brand Atelier Jolie.
The divorce from Pitt was a turning point. Prior to the split, Jolie had reportedly struggled with health issues, including a preventive double mastectomy in 2013 after testing positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation, which increased her risk of breast and ovarian cancer. She wrote an op-ed about her decision, which inspired many women to be proactive about their health. During the divorce proceedings, custody of the children became a central point of contention, and for a long time, the family lived in a temporary arrangement while the legal battles continued.
Life After Divorce: A Focus on Family
Jolie's decision not to date for a decade is unusual for someone in her position, but she has maintained that her priority has always been her children. With six children ranging in age from teens to young adults, she has had her hands full. Maddox, her oldest son, is now in his early 20s and has been pursuing studies in South Korea. Pax and Zahara are also adults, with Zahara attending college. Shiloh, now 20, and the twins Knox and Vivienne, 17, are still at home.
The actress has often spoken about the importance of creating a stable and loving environment for her children. The divorce and the accusations against Pitt caused a significant upheaval, and Jolie has been deliberate about shielding her children from further drama. She has maintained a relatively low profile, rarely attending public events without her kids, and when she does, it is often for humanitarian causes.
In her interview, Jolie hinted at a desire to reconnect with parts of herself that she had set aside. The character she plays in Couture — a single mother who allows herself to be loved — seems to have resonated deeply with her. "It's a reminder that we can be both strong for our families and open to personal connection," she noted.
The entertainment industry has speculated for years about whether Jolie would ever date again. Rumors have occasionally surfaced linking her to co-stars or other celebrities, but she has consistently stayed out of the romantic spotlight. This admission confirms what many suspected: that she has made a conscious choice to remain single.
Looking Ahead
As Jolie prepares for the release of Couture, she is also working on several other projects, including a biographical film about opera singer Maria Callas. Her career remains robust, and her influence in Hollywood is undiminished. But this revelation about her personal life adds a layer of depth to her public persona. It underscores the sacrifices she has made for her family and the journey she has been on since her marriage ended.
The actress's honesty about her struggles with dating and her realization that she needs to "live again" has resonated with many fans. It humanizes a star who is often seen as larger than life. Her children have played an integral role in that awakening. "They are talking to me as young women now, and I see what I want for them. It makes me want to reclaim parts of myself I had forgotten," she said.
While Jolie has not indicated that she is actively seeking romance, her openness suggests that she is no longer closing the door entirely. After a decade of focusing entirely on her children and her work, she may be ready to explore new possibilities — on her own terms.
Source: AOL.com News