The 40-year-old, who wears many hats as an actress, mum, and philanthropist, sat down with Vogue USA for their November issue to discuss her busy life and new film with hubby Brad Pitt, By The Sea.
“This is the only film I’ve done that is completely based on my own crazy mind. [For years, Brad and I called the script] ‘the crazy one.’ We even called it ‘the worst idea!’” the actress says with a laugh, adding that the film about a warring couple is “not autobiographical”.
“Brad and I have our issues, but if the characters’ [problems] were even remotely close to our problems we couldn’t have made the film,” she says.
Angelina knew making the movie with her real-life husband would be a risk.
“It’s not the safest idea. But life is short!” she says.
Brad and Angelina’s family made their Vogue debut with a stunning spread shot by renowned photographer, Annie Leibovitz
During her interview and shoot, Angelina was joined by six delightful helpers – her kids — Maddox, 14, Pax, 11, Zahara, 10, Shiloh, 9, and seven-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.
Known for adopting her kids from around the world, the proud mum explained the importance of showing her children their roots.
“We travel often to Asia, Africa, Europe, where they were born. The boys know they’re from Southeast Asia, and they have their food and their music and their friends, and they have a pride particular to them. But I want them to be just as interested in the history of their sisters’ countries and Mommy’s country so we don’t start dividing.”
Speaking of her own roots, Angelina opened up about her mother, who passed away of ovarian cancer at the age of 49.
“My mother was an Earth Mother and the nicest person in the world. But the specific grief came from the woman I was closest to, seeing her art slip away, her body fail her,” she says.
It was her own experience that prompted the Oscar winner to change her fate, and have a preventative double mastectomy.
“It really connected me to other women. I wish my mom had been able to make those choices. It’s hard. They are not easy surgeries,” Angelina says.
“The ovaries are an easy surgery, but the hormone changes. We did joke that I had my Monday edit. Tuesday surgery. Wednesday go into menopause. Thursday come back to edit, a little funky with my steps.”
Watch Angelina and Brad chat about their new film in the video player above
You can read more from Angelina’s chat with Vogue here
