Her ‘light was dimmed’: Angelina Jolie dropped bombshell before finalizing divorce from ex-husband Brad Pitt

Angelina Jolie has made another confession amid the rumored tension between her and ex-husband Brad Pitt just as their divorce was officially finalized. Now she’s claimed that during a tumultuous chapter of her life, her “light was dimmed.”

The 49-year-old actress reflected on her struggles and artistic rediscovery while preparing to portray opera legend Maria Callas in her new movie. In an interview with Times Radio, released on Monday, Jan. 6, but filmed late last year, the Oscar winner got candid about how the role forced her to confront parts of herself that had been buried.

“I think you’re an artist, and you go through different things in life, and you wonder if certain parts of you have shut down, or who you are, what you have inside of you, and if your lights dimmed, and if you have less to contribute, or if you don’t know your yourself, and so to push and rediscover things and try for things that I hadn’t ever tried,” Jolie shared. She went on to disclose that she’s thankful for Maria because it “pushed” her to face “something that terrified [her]” at this point in her life.

Throughout the promotional run for her new film, Jolie had dropped several subtle digs against her ex-husband, so it wouldn’t be surprising if her latest statement also had something to do with him. In November 2024, the actress said “nothing else matters” to her, aside from her children with Pitt. The exes share six kids: Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, Zahara, 19, Shiloh, 18, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 16.

Then, in early December, she seemingly threw some major shade against her Mr. & Mrs. Smith co-star when she said in another promotional interview that “being a parent is everything” to her. Jolie seemingly made those remarks as Pitt remained estranged from their children.

Pitt was granted joint custody in 2021. However, their kids have mostly stayed with their mother since then. In recent months, the Ad Astra actor struggled to find a way to be with his children, with one insider revealing this past December that he was “begging” for some time with them on or before his 61st birthday on Dec. 18, or during the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, he was unable to fulfill his wish since the kids had been preoccupied with their mother’s packed working schedule.

Maddox and Max have been working with their mom on her new Hollywood projects. Vivienne collaborated with Jolie on the Broadway musical adaptation of The Outsiders. Meanwhile, Knox and Zahara took turns attending red carpet events with their mom. As for Shiloh, she’s busy attending dance classes based on her sightings and social media appearances.

Despite the longstanding issues between them, Jolie and Pitt finally settled their divorce about eight years after the actress filed for the dissolution of their marriage in 2016. “This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over,” her attorney, James Simon, told People about the settlement that took place on Dec. 30. Her Times Radio interview was reportedly filmed before that.

Now legally single, Jolie appears more than ready to turn the page. Yet, her words about her dimmed light suggest the scars of her marriage will linger on.