Angelina Jolie Reveals the 'New Way' She's Being Honest with Her Kids About the 'Pain' Parents Usually Hide

Mar. 15, 2025

Monica Schipper/Getty

Angelina Jolieis opening up about being unable to hide her pain from her children while working on her new film,Maria.While speaking with theBBCabout her experience working on the biopic alongside her eldest sonsMaddox, 23, and Pax, 21, who worked as production assistants on the film, the actress, 49, revealed that the brothers watched their mom expressing pain in “a new way."“They’ve seen me go through a lot of things, but they hadn’t experienced me expressing a lot of the pain that usually a parent hides from a child,” Jolie admitted.Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.From left: Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Pax Jolie-Pitt in 2017.Emma McIntyre/GettyShe added that expressing her feelings through her character was “a new way” of being honest with her kids about her feelings — “an even greater way.“Fortunately, Maddox and Pax, whom Jolie shares with her exBrad Pitt, were always there to console their mom through her emotional moments.“They were there to witness some of that,” she explained, “but then we would hug or they would bring me cups of tea.“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!From left: Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Zahara Marley Jolie and Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt attend the “Maria” screening during the 62nd New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on September 29, 2024 in New York City.Dimitrios Kambouris/GettyIn August, Jolie spoke withThe Hollywood Reporterabout out how working on the film brought on some “heavy moments,” leading Maddox and Pax to see their mom cry in a way they hadn’t seen before.“I’ve been a parent for 23 years. The most beautiful thing about being a parent is that you are not the center of your life. So you are leaving set, focused on something for someone. That’s your real life. Your real world. And that always is the majority of who you are,” the mom of six explained to the outlet.She continued, “I have never had a set where my family is not allowed to be there because I’m focusing — I’m not that person. You can climb all over me or visit.““It really meant a lot that my boys were with me onMaria,“she added. “That was probably one of the more intense things was that — usually when I’m expressing that much pain, it’s not in front of my children,” she admitted. “You really try to hide from your children how much pain and sadness you carry.“Jolie then joked, “That’s usually for the shower.“In addition to Maddox and Pax, Jolie is mom toZahara, 19,Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16

Angelina Jolieis opening up about being unable to hide her pain from her children while working on her new film,Maria.

While speaking with theBBCabout her experience working on the biopic alongside her eldest sonsMaddox, 23, and Pax, 21, who worked as production assistants on the film, the actress, 49, revealed that the brothers watched their mom expressing pain in “a new way.”

“They’ve seen me go through a lot of things, but they hadn’t experienced me expressing a lot of the pain that usually a parent hides from a child,” Jolie admitted.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

From left: Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Pax Jolie-Pitt in 2017.Emma McIntyre/Getty

Emma McIntyre/Getty

She added that expressing her feelings through her character was “a new way” of being honest with her kids about her feelings — “an even greater way.”

Fortunately, Maddox and Pax, whom Jolie shares with her exBrad Pitt, were always there to console their mom through her emotional moments.

“They were there to witness some of that,” she explained, “but then we would hug or they would bring me cups of tea.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

From left: Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Zahara Marley Jolie and Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt attend the “Maria” screening during the 62nd New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on September 29, 2024 in New York City.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

In August, Jolie spoke withThe Hollywood Reporterabout out how working on the film brought on some “heavy moments,” leading Maddox and Pax to see their mom cry in a way they hadn’t seen before.

“I’ve been a parent for 23 years. The most beautiful thing about being a parent is that you are not the center of your life. So you are leaving set, focused on something for someone. That’s your real life. Your real world. And that always is the majority of who you are,” the mom of six explained to the outlet.

She continued, “I have never had a set where my family is not allowed to be there because I’m focusing — I’m not that person. You can climb all over me or visit.”

“It really meant a lot that my boys were with me onMaria,“she added. “That was probably one of the more intense things was that — usually when I’m expressing that much pain, it’s not in front of my children,” she admitted. “You really try to hide from your children how much pain and sadness you carry.”

Jolie then joked, “That’s usually for the shower.”

In addition to Maddox and Pax, Jolie is mom toZahara, 19,Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16

source: people.com