Amid the completion of her divorce from Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie has shared some deeply personal reflections about the challenging period of her life. In a candid interview with Times Radio, which was released on January 6, 2025, she spoke about a time when she felt that her “light was dimmed.” Jolie, who is preparing for her role as opera legend Maria Callas in an upcoming film, revealed that the process of embodying the iconic singer pushed her to confront difficult emotions and parts of herself that she had previously buried. The role allowed her to rediscover her artistic passion and explore areas of her life that had been suppressed. Jolie explained, “You wonder if certain parts of you have shut down, or who you are, what you have inside of you, and if your light’s dimmed, and if you have less to contribute.”
Jolie’s comments about her personal struggles come at a time when she has made a number of pointed remarks in the press, particularly regarding her ex-husband, Brad Pitt. Over the past year, Jolie has been vocal about the importance of her children, who she shares with Pitt—Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Vivienne and Knox. In November 2024, she stated that “nothing else matters” to her except her children, a statement that seemed to indirectly reference her complicated relationship with Pitt. She also made a comment in December, implying that “being a parent is everything” to her, which many speculated was a subtle critique of Pitt’s strained relationship with their kids.
Pitt, who was granted joint custody of the children in 2021, has struggled to maintain consistent contact with them in recent months, as they have been primarily living with Jolie. Reports in December 2024 suggested that Pitt had been “begging” for time with his children, especially around the holidays, but was unable to make significant progress due to Jolie’s busy work schedule.
Despite the lingering tensions, Jolie and Pitt officially finalized their divorce on December 30, 2024, after nearly eight years of legal battles that began when Jolie filed for divorce in 2016. While Jolie’s attorney noted that she was “exhausted” but “relieved” that one part of the long process was over, it’s clear that the emotional aftermath of their marriage still weighs heavily on her. Her statements about her “dimmed light” suggest that while she may be moving forward, the scars of her marriage, particularly those tied to her children and the public fallout, will likely continue to shape her journey.
Now, as a legally single woman, Jolie seems determined to focus on her family and career, with her children continuing to play a central role in her life. They have been involved in her various projects, including Maddox and Pax working with her on her Hollywood ventures, Vivienne collaborating on the Broadway musical adaptation of The Outsiders, and Knox and Zahara attending red carpet events with their mother. Shiloh, on the other hand, has been pursuing dance, further establishing herself as an independent young adult.
Jolie’s ongoing personal and professional evolution, coupled with the end of her divorce, marks a new chapter in her life, one that she seems ready to embrace fully.