Although Angelina Jolie’s life may be full of privileges, her recent comments about the balance between her home and work-life after her divorce are not surprising.
Ending a relationship is never a walk in the park, especially for A-list celebrities whose personal lives are constantly under scrutiny. The highly publicized separation of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in 2016 was a topic that dominated the headlines. Their divorce proceedings have lasted for six years, which is not surprising considering they have six children together. Needless to say, their breakup has been far from smooth sailing.
In the media, there was a situation where both parties gave interviews. Jolie chose to remain dignified and tight-lipped, while Pitt’s GQ profile portrayed him as a struggling loner who had been abandoned by his beloved family. There were reports of bad behavior on Pitt’s part, which led to Jolie ending the relationship. Despite this, Pitt received more sympathy from the media. Jolie is now sharing more details about her life without Pitt and is devoted to raising her family. She has had to put her career ambitions aside to prioritize her children, but it’s unclear if they have a co-parenting arrangement.
The responsibilities of daily life, such as remembering important dates and providing emotional support, are often overlooked but primarily tend to fall on women. This is in addition to the actual work of raising children, which typically falls on the woman in a separation scenario.
In a recent interview, Angelina Jolie shared that her return to acting was prompted by a “change” in her family. The talented actor and director recently starred in the action-thriller called Those Who Wish Me Dead, which is a rare instance of Jolie taking on a leading role in a movie. In the last ten years, she has mainly focused on directing films like Unbroken, First They Killed My Father, and By the Sea. Jolie had previously expressed a desire to continue working behind the camera, rather than in front of it. However, her latest project has marked a departure from this preference.
Pitt enjoyed greater flexibility to explore and redefine his professional trajectory, even amidst the accusations that allegedly contributed to his divorce. He successfully embraced a demanding role in Quentin Tarantino’s film “Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood”, and pushed through a busy and rigorous awards season campaign that ultimately resulted in his first Academy Award win.
Jolie’s life has taken a different turn over the last six years. She has mostly avoided the limelight, as circumstances in her personal life have dictated this choice. While she loves directing, changes in her family situation have made it impossible for her to direct for a while. To be closer to home, Jolie has opted for shorter acting jobs instead. She admits that the past few years have been challenging, and she has been focused on putting her family back together. In her own words, the healing process has been slow, but progress is being made, and she feels like the ice is melting and the blood is returning to her body.
Jolie’s statement serves as a common reminder that women often struggle to achieve a work-life balance. Sacrificing personal time for the benefit of their family is often the norm, but this is not a decision that men have to consider in the same way.
