Why Angelina Jolie Is Seeking 'Authenticity' Outside of 'Unhealthy' Hollywood
Angelina Jolie
From the looks of it, Angelina Jolie sees a different lifestyle for herself in the future.
The daughter of actors John Voight and Marcheline Bertrand was cast in her first role at the age of seven—her father's 1982 film, Lookin’ to Get Out. But even with the fame, and later, superstardom, she admitted that something always felt like it was missing.
“Because I grew up around Hollywood, I was never very impressed with it,” Jolie told The Wall Street Journal in a wide-ranging interview published on Tuesday, Dec. 5. “I never bought into it as significant or important.”
Fast forward to present-day, seven years after filing for divorce from ex Brad Pitt, the actress finds herself pulling away from the limelight—though not completely, in the least—involving herself deeper into humanitarian work and other forms of creative expression, like her new fashion venture, Atelier Jolie.
Related: Angelina Jolie Addresses the 'Healing' Her Family Needed After Brad Pitt Divorce
The Lara Croft: Tomb Raider star has only appeared in five films in that timeframe, a change in pace from the days she starred in multiple blockbusters at once. “I wouldn’t be an actress today,” she noted of her Hollywood status, admitting, “When I was starting out, it wasn’t as much of an expectation to be as public, to share so much.”
Elsewhere in the chat with the publication, Jolie shared plans to eventually leave Los Angeles. “It’s part of what happened after my divorce. I lost the ability to live and travel as freely. I will move when I can,” she said, mentioning the desire to spend more time at her home in Cambodia. “I grew up in quite a shallow place. Of all the places in the world, Hollywood is not a healthy place. So you seek authenticity.”
For now, though, she's currently slated to work on a few more film projects. Jolie is shooting Maria as Callas, her first role in two years, which started production in Paris in October. The 48-year-old recently wrapped her fifth directorial effort, Without Blood, a wartime film starring Salma Hayek Pinault and Demián Bichir that she wrote, based on a book by Alessandro Baricco.
The Salt star is also signed on to act in several more, including a third installment of Maleficent with Disney. Additionally, she struck an international film and TV deal with British-based company Fremantle last year and is also producing Broadway show The Outsiders, which opens in April.
