Angelina Jolie reveals that her kids “saved” her during a “dark” period of her life

There was a time when Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were on the cover of every magazine and the most watched people in the world.

Aside from the iconic couple name that was Brangelina, the Hollywood movie stars became famous for their ever-expanding family and though they’ve since parted ways, continue to co-parent their six kids.

Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt was born in Cambodia in August 2001 and adopted by Angelina when she was still married to ex Billy Bob Thornton.

After she and Brad made their relationship official, he too became Maddox’s legal parent and from then their family grew.

Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt, born in Vietnam in November 2003, was adopted in 2007 and then Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt, born in Ethiopia in January 2005, was adopted in July that year.

Angelina then gave birth to her and Brad’s first biological child in 2006 in Namibia – Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt. Two years later in Nice, France, their twins Knox Léon Jolie-Pitt and Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt joined the clan.

Though Brad and Angelina have been separated since 2016, their kids are growing up before our very eyes and to say we feel old looking at them now is an understatement.

In October 2021, the Academy Award winning actress attended the Los Angeles premiere of her movie Eternals with Maddox, 20, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, plus 13-year-old Vivienne and Knox, 13.

Zahara, who’s something of a fashionista herself, donned the same dress her mum wore back in 2014 to the Oscars and Shiloh also wore a frock that once belonged to Angelina.

Zahara and Shiloh also accompanied their mum to the Eternals premiere at the 16th Rome Film Fest 2021.

Whilst Angelina shimmered in silver, 16-year-old Zahara donned a Grecian-inspired dress with gold embellishments whilst 15-year-old Shiloh chose a black Versace dress with colourful high-top sneakers.

Eldest child Maddox is currently studying biochemistry at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea and his mum even admitted she “ugly cried” when she dropped him off.

In an emotional clip from 2019 filmed by a fan, Angelina admits “I’m trying not to cry!”

The celebrity family is currently based in the US as Angelina and Brad share joint custody.

“I would love to live abroad and will do so as soon as my children are 18,” Angelina told Harper’s Bazaar in 2019. “Right now I’m having to base where their father chooses to live.”

WATCH BELOW: Angelina Jolie gets emotional dropping Maddox off at college.

Angelina got candid about motherhood and her divorce in an interview with Harpers Bazaar in September 2023.

“My entire life changed. Having children saved me—and taught me to be in this world differently,” she explained.

Angelina became a mother at 26 and has had her fair share of the ups and downs of motherhood.

“I think, recently, I would’ve gone under in a much darker way had I not wanted to live for them. They’re better than me, because you want your children to be.”

Angelina recently announced the launch of her brand Atelier Jolie which was created to support up-and-comers in the industry and give them a chance to design and work for an ethical designer company as the majority of materials will be sourced second-hand.

She explained that the brand has really helped her on her journey of rediscovery, “I feel a bit down these days. I don’t feel like I’ve been myself for a decade, in a way, which I don’t want to get into,” she told Vogue.

“I think part of this has also been therapeutic for me — to work in a creative space with people you trust and to rediscover yourself.”

She admitted that after the divorce, the family had “a lot of healing to do”.

The brand is actually a family collaboration with Angelina’s daughter, Zahara Jolie-Pitt and son, Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt helping design and model for the brand.