Nearly 10 Years After Divorce, Angelina Jolie Opens Up About Her Love Life

Nearly a decade after ending her high-profile marriage to Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie has opened up about her personal life in a rare and candid interview, revealing that she has not dated anyone since their divorce. Speaking with Yahoo Entertainment while promoting her latest film, Couture, the Oscar-winning actress reflected on how motherhood has shaped her priorities and why she is only now beginning to rediscover herself.

In Couture, Jolie stars as Maxine Walker, an American filmmaker working at Paris Fashion Week who is diagnosed with breast cancer. Her character develops a romantic relationship with cinematographer Anton, played by Louis Garrel. Maxine is also a devoted mother, and Jolie admitted that portraying the role changed the way she thinks about balancing parenthood with having a personal life.

“To be candid, I haven’t dated since I divorced a decade ago,” Jolie said. “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 actress explained that playing Maxine helped her realize a woman does not have to choose between being a loving mother and embracing love for herself. “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,” she continued.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt separated in September 2016 after two years of marriage, bringing an end to one of Hollywood’s most iconic relationships. Their divorce became one of the entertainment industry’s longest and most closely followed legal battles, lasting eight years before it was officially finalized. Together, they share six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Vivienne and Knox.

Jolie revealed that now her daughters are older, they have begun encouraging her to see herself as more than just their mother.

“I think in some way they’re bringing me back to my old self,” Jolie said. “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.’”

At 51, the actress said she is no longer preoccupied with aging but is instead learning how to rediscover who she is after spending years putting her family first.

“I’m thinking I have to live again. Be free again,” she said. “In a way that maybe life has broken me a little bit.”

This is not the first time Jolie has spoken about entering a new chapter in her life. Earlier this month, she told Variety that her “fighting spirit” had finally returned after a difficult period. She credited her children, who are now adults or nearly adults, for encouraging her to embrace life once again.

“My kids are almost all 18, so now they want to see me traveling the world,” she said. “They know me more than anybody, and they still like me, which says a lot.”

Angelina Jolie has long been regarded as one of Hollywood’s most influential actresses. Although she began acting in the late 1980s, she rose to international prominence after winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Girl, Interrupted. She went on to establish herself as both a critical and commercial success through films including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Salt, Wanted, Maleficent, Eternals, and numerous other acclaimed productions.

Beyond acting, Jolie has built an impressive career as a director, writer, and producer. Films such as In the Land of Blood and Honey, Unbroken, and First They Killed My Father reflect her longstanding interest in stories centered on war, human rights, and resilience. Outside the entertainment industry, she has devoted decades to humanitarian work, serving as a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Throughout her career, she has visited conflict zones around the world and consistently advocated for refugees, women, and children’s rights.

Jolie’s personal life has often attracted as much attention as her professional achievements. Before marrying Brad Pitt, she was previously married to Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton. However, it was her relationship with Pitt that became one of Hollywood’s defining celebrity romances. The pair fell in love after starring together in Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2005 and quickly became known worldwide as “Brangelina.” After nearly a decade together and raising six children, they married in 2014 before announcing their separation just two years later.

Their prolonged divorce proceedings generated worldwide headlines, with disputes over child custody, financial matters, and ownership of the Château Miraval winery dominating entertainment news for years. While Brad Pitt has consistently denied allegations made against him, Jolie has maintained that her legal actions were taken to protect both herself and their children. International media have also reported that most of the couple’s children remain much closer to Jolie, although recent reports suggest that Pax continues to maintain contact with his father.

Nearly ten years after her marriage ended, Angelina Jolie appears to be embracing a new stage of life. Her latest reflections reveal not only a changing perspective on love and personal happiness but also a journey of healing after years marked by emotional challenges and public scrutiny. As her children continue to grow into adulthood and new professional opportunities emerge, Jolie says she is learning to live for herself once again, even if dating is still far from being her top priority.