“Feels like victory”: Angelina Jolie’s Gut-Wrenching Confession About Turning 50 After Her Mom’s Painful Fate Will Leave You in Tears
- Angelina Jolie admits to having more opportunities as she grows older compared to when she was younger.
- The actress was highly praised for her work in Maria.
- Jolie is not afraid of growing old.
Actress Angelina Jolie is regarded as one of the finest and most talented actresses in the industry. Early in her career, the actress earned the reputation of a wild child and became the topic of discussion in the late ‘90s and early ‘20s. The actress has always been very open about the reality of life and does not hesitate to speak her truth.
Jolie’s appearance has been credited with influencing pop culture at large. She has been in some of the most iconic movies, including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Salt, Maleficent, and more. The actress recently made a comeback to the big screen as Maria Callas in Maria, for which she was highly lauded, and she shared that she is no longer afraid of growing.
Angelina Jolie admits to getting better work as she grows older
Angelina Jolie appeared in Pablo Larraín’s biographical psychological drama Maria, in which she portrayed the role of opera singer Maria Callas. The movie follows the seven days before Callas’ death in Paris as she reflects on her life and career. Maria received a positive response from the critics and audience upon release, and Jolie’s performance was highly appreciated.
In her interview with The Sunday Times, the actress admits that she’s gotten better work opportunities as she has grown older. She added,
I don’t think about it in terms of roles offered but in terms of life experience, you contribute. It’s easier for actors than singers or dancers because your body doesn’t change.
During the interview, she revealed that her sons Maddox and Pax worked on the movie as production assistants, which allowed them to have discussions about Callas and her mother. Jolie added that her sons were able to consider the relationship in the film and the violence—things that sometimes one does not have the opportunity to discuss with their kids, and thus, she feels grateful that she gets to have these conversations with her kids.
The actress revealed that Maria Callas was called a ‘diva,’ and she wants to reclaim the word from having a negative undertone, especially when used for women. Pablo Larraín, in speaking with THR, shared that after he met Angelina Jolie, he felt that she was someone who was a worker, someone who could have the discipline to do something like Maria.
He continued,
She is someone who is very determined, so when the preparation for the role started, I think she realized—and somehow I did too—the right path to get there and that the mountain was a huge one to climb, and she just went for it.
Jolie added that she was terrified, but the director was clear that he’d support her process and help her. The actress mentioned that Pablo Larraín supported her like a singer, and it meant the world that he believed that she could do it.
Angelina Jolie is looking forward to embracing her 50s
The actress’ mother and former actress, Marcheline Bertrand, passed away at the age of 56 in 2007 after nearly eight years of battling ovarian and breast cancer. The late actress’ mother and sister also died of cancer, and even though it’s scary, Angelina Jolie is not someone who would sit back and wait.
She has always embraced the idea of getting older and does not fear aging. She sees her growing as a gift her mother unfortunately did not have the chance to enjoy.
In an interview with British Vogue in 2021, the actress was asked if she was happy in her life. She said at the time that the past few years had been hard on the family [her divorce from Brad Pitt], and she is focused on healing her family. She further mentioned,
I do like being older. I feel much more comfortable in my 40s than I did when I was younger. Maybe because I don’t know, maybe because my mom didn’t live very long, so there’s something about age that feels like a victory instead of a sadness for me.
The actress added that she is in fact looking forward to her 50s and noted that she feels like she is going to hit her stride in her 50s. She feels grateful for everything she has right now.
Angelina Jolie made her comeback with Maria and showed the world the reason why she is regarded as one of the most talented actresses. However, the Academy Awards 2025 snubbed her brilliant performance.
Maria is available to stream on Netflix.
