Online Reporter
ANGELINA JOLIE is stepping back into the spotlight after a dark era.
The Oscar winner took a break from acting for a couple of years before filming her latest movie, Pablo Larrain’s biographical film “Maria”, for which she has received 2025 Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nominations for her performance as real-life late opera star Maria Callas.
“I went very dark for reasons I’d rather not explain, but I didn’t have a lot of light and life within me,” Jolie told Vanity Fair in an interview published on December 19 “Your light’s dim”.
The 49-year-old — who shares kids Maddox (23), Pax (21), Zahara (19), Shiloh (18) and twins Vivienne and Knox (16), with ex Brad Pitt — continued: “I also just needed to be home more, so I couldn’t commit large periods of time to pieces.
“The choice of what to work on and when was not a creative choice, often, the last few years, but sometimes the practical choice.”
Jolie — who has over the past eight years been involved in legal battles with Pitt involving their divorce; custody of their minor children; and Château Miraval, their once-shared French vineyard and winery — said she thinks that for her, “Maria” “was the beginning of starting to come alive again”.
“I needed a lot of kind people around me to hold my hand,” the actress said.
“At the end of the day, we’re very fortunate to do what we do, and we are spending a lot of time with big, deep, emotional feelings. If you don’t do that with people who you’re safe with, it can affect you in very bad
ways.”
Before “Maria”, Jolie last acted onscreen in Marvel’s “Eternals”, released in 2021.
During her acting hiatus, she co-produced the Broadway musical “The Outsiders”, which opened in April, and directed the war drama film “Without Blood”, which premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival in September.
“I wasn’t myself for a while, so I wasn’t able to give as much to my work for a few years,” Jolie said.
“To feel like I could work again and communicate and to be with nice people — so much of what I do is collaboration with other artistes.
“When it goes well, you’re creating together. When you’re with nice people and creative people, you learn so much about yourself and about life.”
Meanwhile, several of Jolie and Pitt’s kids have followed in their footsteps to take on jobs in the entertainment industry. Vivienne worked as her mom’s assistant on “The Outsiders” production, while her brothers Maddox and Pax were production assistants on “Maria”. — E-News
